7.6 Status Report: Smooth Sailing

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Notice that the writing in Exhibit 6 is clear and concise. As you know, status meetings are mostly talk, some of which is actually necessary and important. As previously discussed, you want to boil all that information down and put the results into one of two buckets. Either we are okay, or we are not okay. Throw in detail as appropriate to make the reading interesting and reassuring, but do not go down too many levels. For instance, it may have been quite a struggle to get approval to hire the router consultants, and then get the right ones on board. The real story may be awesome gossip, but the background is pointless. The status message is that we needed the help, we justified the expense, and we got the experts in when we needed them.

Exhibit 6: Smooth Sailing

The following represents the SouthPointe project team weekly status report. The team met today as usual with no significant issues to report. The server equipment for the site file and print servers was ordered and is expected to arrive by month's end. Although that is a week later than desired, the server team manager reports that the prototype server build was completed and tested early, so she anticipates a more efficient build once the equipment arrives. This piece of the project appears to be in good shape.

The consultants requested by telecom began work yesterday on the router design as per last week's notes. They were hired at the recommendation of the router manufacturer, who stated the consultants did a good job with similar requirements at another client site. The telecom team lead reports that the requirements are being reviewed and expects the final configuration design to be completed and ready for testing by the middle of next month. This is also on schedule.

It may seem strange that I advocate this binary OK/not OK approach. In truth, that represents our reality as project managers. What I do wish to add, however, is the flip side of that approach that those of you with literary backgrounds may know as "foreshadowing." In other words, I believe in portraying status as OK/not OK, then laying the groundwork, possibly in caveat form, by foreshadowing potential future good or bad news. In the previous example, this was done with the sentences regarding the fact that although the server order will be delivered "a week later than desired, the server team manager reports that the prototype server build was completed and tested early, so she anticipates a more efficient build once the equipment arrives. This piece of the project appears to be in good shape."

Notice there is wiggle room on this either way. No one can say whether the late order will actually cause or not cause a problem. Should it turn out that the behind-schedule delivery leads to problems later because the server team manager's optimism was misguided, we have a way to discuss that in future communications without calling her a dunce. On the other hand, she finished the most recent deliverable early. That is a good thing, so I was able to touch both sides of the road while steering down the middle.

This approach also telegraphs a strong command of the project and its details. You definitely want to impart an aura of comfort and control with every pronouncement, whether it contains the best of news or not. This is simply good public relations.

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