Pause for a “Lessons Learned” Meeting After Completing a Project
By pausing after a project is completed and is still fresh in everyone’s mind to debrief on what went well and what needs to be handled differently in the future, project teams grow exponentially. I’ve heard arguments against holding Lessons Learned meetings like, “But we don’t have the time to debrief on a completed project. We need to meet this next pressing deadline, and team meetings take precious time and money.” These comments are often followed by, “That was a unique situation that won’t happen again, so why discuss it?” To all of these comments I say, I wholeheartedly disagree!
Meeting to discuss project successes and issues along with lessons learned so all teams can repeat successful behaviors, they become ingrained, and new processes can be developed, allow organizations to surpass their competition and shine in the clients’ and customers’ eyes.
In this three-part series, we are discussing the three types of feedback:
Some of the basic principles for on-the-spot feedback are similar when approaching project team feedback, and if you haven’t read the first installment of the feedback series, I encourage you to read it first.
When delivering team feedback on a completed project assignment, there are six items to remember.
1. Gather Project Stats
Before starting a Lessons Learned meeting, gather all valuable project statistics. If it is a building project, gather project fee, budgeted hours, actual hours, contract obligations, etc. If the assignment is a management project such as developing a Customer Satisfaction Program, gather initial goals & objectives, hours spent, preliminary customer responses to the new program, etc. As you are gathering project statistics, spend time listening to your client’s or customer’s perspective before your team’s Lessons Learned meeting for a 360-degree view of your project’s successes and issues. When sitting down to candidly review the project’s pros and cons, you need to have the data and compare your results to your goals and budget.
2. Hold a Group Discussion
There is high value in discussing the project’s pros and cons in a team setting with the members assigned to the project. A team discussion allows you to hear everyone’s perspective and learn a great deal about group dynamics. The Project Manager (PM) should facilitate the discussion.
Leading a Lessons Learned meeting is an excellent opportunity to develop your organization’s emerging leaders.
Ideally, someone outside of the project team, such as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), should participate and observe the dynamics to make sure everyone is heard. Record a summary of the project’s strengths and weaknesses on a simple form that collects similar data each time a Lessons Learned meeting takes place.
3. Prep with Project Manager First
Before the Lessons Learned meeting, hold a one-on-one meeting between the COO and PM to develop further your emerging leader’s ability to evaluate a project’s performance fairly, set an agenda, facilitate, gain team trust, and appropriately deliver feedback. Review how to handle sensitive dialogue and present the most valuable data in this preparatory meeting.
4. Conduct Client Follow-Up
Maximize the value of your Lessons Learned meeting by sharing with your client or customer what you learned, what you will refine, and how this debriefing exercise is central to your organization’s success. There is no need to get too deep in the weeds here, but by communicating your firm’s emphasis on continual improvement, you will strike a chord in the client’s mind that yours is an organization where the status quo is not accepted.
5. Assign Process Development
Virtually 100% of the process improvements I created at my architectural firm came from discovering a need for a new process or technique following a project’s Lessons Learned meeting. Use project issues or even failures as an opportunity to work through a process of steps that will lead to a better outcome the next time around.
6. Communicate to Other Teams
Project team debriefings have significant value as a stand-alone activity. Why not multiply the value by communicating the key lessons learned on several projects of significance during a quarterly all team meeting?
If you build a culture of teamwork and information sharing versus a culture of internal competition, you will find that your team members will want to share and help their peers.
Finding ways to strengthen the traits of emerging leaders by giving them on-the-spot feedback, holding project completion Lessons Learned meetings, and having robust annual employee performance conversations will drive a culture of professional growth that pays back exponentially to the time spent.
