Staying Flexible When Projects Change

Summer planning, fall revisions, and then... the Gladiator-style budget battles as the year ends. By the time the dust settles and the budget is unveiled in Q1, the world and your company have already shifted. Sound familiar? So, how do you avoid scrambling to re-invent your communications plan? Here are four ways I build adaptability into planning exercises: 1.      Align on Priorities: Early on, gain leadership agreement around the highest priorities and identify critical objectives to guide decision-making. Reconfirm (or adjust) these priorities when budgets are finalized. 2.      Stay Flexible: Create an adaptable structure that stays anchored to overarching goals without getting too tactical too early. 3.      Stay Ahead of Shifts: Monitor the market, industry trends, and daily news for potential challenges and opportunities, and regularly discuss them with your business partners. Anticipating shifts allows you to respond quickly and strategically. 4.      Lead Through Change: Pivoting doesn't have to cause chaos. Set expectations early, guide your team through adjustments, and communicate often to ensure changes feel purposeful — not disruptive. The measure of success shouldn't be a static plan on day one. It's how you adapt to whatever comes next while still achieving your business objectives. How do you build inherent flexibility into your plans? #communicationsplanning #strategiccommunications #leadthroughchange

What’s the most chaotic project you’ve worked on? Were you juggling multiple deadlines, conflicting priorities, and a team spread across three time zones, all while ensuring the project stays on track? Sounds intense? This was me 6 months ago. It was one of those projects that seemed straightforward on paper but quickly spiraled into a test of everything I’d learned as a scheduler.  The task: coordinate the launch of a product with stakeholders across different departments, countries, time zones and timelines. At first, things seemed manageable. We had clear objectives, a detailed timeline, and enthusiastic team members. But as the weeks went on, reality hit: 1️⃣ One department suddenly needed more time due to unexpected setbacks, which ripped right through the entire schedule. 2️⃣ Time zone differences meant delays in decision-making, with critical updates often arriving late at night. 3️⃣ We discovered midway that some tasks were dependent on resources we hadn’t accounted for, pushing deadlines even further. Here are some lessons I learned the hard way so you don’t have to: ✅ Flexibility is Key: No matter how perfect your schedule seems, change is inevitable. I learned to adapt quickly, adjusting timelines without losing sight of the overall goal. ✅ Overcommunicate: In a project with multiple moving parts, communication is everything. I set up daily check-ins, thoroughly examined our reporting structure, and ensured everyone had access to real-time updates. As I tell my team often, it’s better to for us to over communicate than to underdeliver. ✅ Account for the Unexpected: Now, I always build spare time into my schedules. It’s not about expecting failure—it’s about planning for success amidst uncertainty. Midway through the project, I introduced a centralized dashboard to track progress, identify bottlenecks, and provide instant visibility for all team members.  Slowly but surely, we got back on track, launching the product just one week behind schedule—a small win, but a win nonetheless. That project tested my limits, but it also made me a better scheduler. I walked away with more than just a completed task, I gained the confidence to tackle any project head-on. If you’d like that confidence on your team, feel free to send me a personalized invite.

The Biggest Lie in Project Management: "Sticking to the Plan" We've all heard it: "Stick to the plan and everything will work out." But let's be real—when was the last time a project unfolded exactly as you planned it? 👉 A surprise client request? 👉 A team member gets reassigned? 👉 An unexpected dependency blocks progress? Plans are a great starting point, but rigidly following them is where many project managers lose their grip. The truth is, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁. Here’s how I keep my projects on track without being a slave to the plan: 1. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆   During kickoff, I highlight key milestones but leave room for flexibility. This way, when changes happen, it doesn’t feel like we’re blowing up the roadmap. 2. 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻𝘀   Instead of sticking to a rigid status meeting, I run quick “alignment check-ins.” The goal isn’t to go over what’s done—it’s to discuss what needs to change. 3. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁   Give your team the autonomy to make adjustments on the fly. Trusting your team’s expertise leads to quicker course corrections and less admin noise. The reality: Success in project management isn’t about rigid control. It’s about agility and alignment. Your Turn: What’s your go-to strategy when the plan falls apart? Drop your thoughts in the comments! ⬇️