Alligators and software

What do alligators and software have in common?

It comes from one of my favourite sayings "When you're up to your neck in alligators, it's hard to remember that you are there to drain the swamp".

Most projects to install new software in a business start with a fanfare, and an expectation that this new software will solve all your business problems and be the holy grail for your business. I've raised this issue before and said that software will not do this by itself. There are many prerequisites to successful software projects. My blog on business value being a key one.

Even when you have established your goals, identified the business value, identified how the software will support your business process to deliver this value, you have a problem..... reality.
Reality rears its ugly head on a regular basis. You need to respond to your customers. You need to make more sales calls. You need to build, deliver or do whatever it takes to bring in revenue today. That software can wait until tomorrow. As we all know, tomorrow never comes. There is only today. The today issues are the alligators that will prevent you from being successful.

Years ago, I attended a management course that talked about the three requirements for success: focus, will and capability. Contrary to common thinking, capability is the least important. Focus is the most important. If you FOCUS on it, and have the WILL to continue no matter what happens, you will succeed. If you don't have the capability, but have the will, you will develop the capability.

I have followed that strategy for myself and have overcome many problems.

In many cases, you are distracted by day to day events. Can you get back to focus on delivery? Do you need help? A good coach can help you to maintain focus and help you to define solutions to the inevitable problems. You are the one who must have the will to continue. If it is really imporatnt to you, you can buy the capability that you don't have.

So just remember. If you take on a software project, remember the ALLIGATORS. And remember that your job is to drain the swamp.