Influencing Up for Career Progress: Mastering the Art of Feedforward and Premortem. (Triad of Proactive Career management).

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In the complex landscape of corporate life, advancing your career isn't solely about individual performance. It's equally about your ability to influence up the chain, engage in productive conversations about future performance to your peers and teams, and ensure projects are completed efficiently and effectively on Budget and on Time. Let’s delve into three pivotal concepts that can significantly enhance your career trajectory: Influencing up, Feedforward, and Premortem.

Influencing up refers to the process of effectively communicating and persuading those in higher positions of authority within an organization to gain their support and alignment for your ideas, initiatives, or projects. This skill is crucial for career advancement, as it demonstrates leadership potential, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive organizational goals.

Traditional feedback focuses on past performance, which, while important, can often feel like a critique rather than a constructive tool for growth. Feedforward, on the other hand, emphasizes future potential and offers suggestions for improvement moving forward.

A premortem is a proactive strategy where you envision a project’s failure in advance and work backward to identify potential obstacles and mitigation strategies. This approach can be instrumental in completing work on budget and on time.

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Reflecting on my personal journey as an EHS professional and OD specialist, I have leveraged these techniques to navigate complex challenges and drive impactful results.

Influencing Up

As an EHS professional, I have frequently needed to sell ideas to management, often transcending cultural boundaries and addressing geographical issues. Influencing up has been crucial in this process. By aligning my initiatives with organizational goals and presenting them in a way that resonates with senior leaders, I have been able to secure the necessary support and resources. This skill has been instrumental in driving innovation and strategic alignment within the organization, ultimately leading to successful outcomes.

Feedforward

Feedforward has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to highlight unknowns that might otherwise blindside me. By focusing on future improvement rather than past mistakes, I have been able to continuously grow and align my efforts with both personal and organizational objectives. This approach has kept me motivated and helped me refine my skills, leading to a more fulfilling and successful career trajectory.

Premortem

Premortem analysis has been a critical tool in my work. Anticipating potential challenges and proactively planning to mitigate risks has allowed me to handle complex projects with confidence. This technique has ensured that I am well-prepared for any obstacles that may arise, significantly increasing the likelihood of project success. Organizations benefit from this approach as it leads to better risk management and higher success rates in projects.

Synergy of Success

Together, these three elements create a powerful synergy that drives success. Influencing Up ensures strategic alignment, Feedforward fosters continuous improvement, and Premortem enhances risk management and preparedness. Embracing these practices leads to personal career advancement and a resilient, future-ready organization.

Reflecting on my experience, I can confidently say that these techniques have been instrumental in my journey. They have enabled me to effectively navigate complex challenges, secure support for my initiatives, and continuously improve my skills and performance.

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Influence Up:-Marshall Goldsmith" Organizations suffer when key people can’t effectively influence up. Most people are occupied with efforts rather than results. They worry over what the organization or their boss owes them and should do for them and obsess over the authority they ‘should have,’ thus rendering themselves ineffectual. Although knowledge workers may know more about what they are doing than their managers do and have years of education and experience, they rarely know how to effectively influence up. Even the greatest wisdom and knowledge not applied to action and behavior is meaningless."

Strategies for Influencing Up:

1. Understand Their Priorities: Align your proposals with the priorities and concerns of your superiors. Show how your ideas can help achieve their goals.

2. Be Prepared and Professional: Present your ideas clearly and concisely. Use data and evidence to support your arguments, and be prepared to answer questions and address concerns.

3. Build Relationships: Establishing trust and a positive rapport with your superiors can make them more receptive to your ideas. Regular, honest communication (One on 1) helps in building these relationships.

4. Speak the Organizational Language: Use the language of finance, technology, or any other relevant domain to connect with them. Remember, it’s your idea to present, not theirs to accept, so approach with an open mind.

5. Expect Surprises: Don’t get overwhelmed. People above you are as human as you are, so expect human reactions.

6. Show Politeness: Being a subject matter expert doesn’t mean you can disregard the people above you. Always show politeness and respect.

7. Be a Team Player: Once a decision is made, accept it and move on. This is a sign of professionalism. You can't win all wars.

Benefits of Influencing Up:

• Career Advancement: Demonstrates your leadership skills and strategic thinking, making you a strong candidate for promotions and new opportunities.
• Organizational Impact: Helps drive initiatives that align with the company's goals, contributing to its success.
• Improved Relationships: Builds stronger, more productive relationships with your superiors and colleagues.

Practical Tips for Influencing Up:

• Research and Preparation: Understand the key issues and challenges facing your superiors and the organization. Tailor your proposals to address these areas.
• Clarity and Confidence: Communicate your ideas with clarity and confidence. Avoid jargon that may confuse or alienate your audience.
• Data and Evidence: Use data and evidence to support your arguments. Be ready to provide examples and case studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of your ideas.
• Listening and Feedback: Actively listen to feedback from your superiors. Use this feedback to refine your proposals and demonstrate your willingness to collaborate and adapt.

Influencing up is about more than just getting your way; it's about building a collaborative and supportive environment where your ideas can be heard and valued. By mastering this skill, you can significantly enhance your effectiveness and career trajectory within your organization.

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Feedforward is a concept that focuses on future-oriented feedback. Unlike traditional feedback, which tends to look backward and analyze past performance, feedforward provides constructive suggestions and guidance aimed at improving an Individual's future performance. It is a proactive approach that helps individuals and teams identify areas for growth and development, enabling them to make positive changes moving forward. Purposefule people always seek feedforward as often practical and act on them for their progress. 

Key Characteristics of Feedforward:

1. Future-Focused:

   • Concentrates on what can be done in the future to achieve better outcomes.
   • Avoids dwelling on past mistakes or shortcomings.

2. Constructive and Positive:

   • Emphasizes positive suggestions and actionable advice.
   • Aims to motivate and encourage improvement rather than criticize.

3. Specific and Actionable:

   • Provides clear, specific suggestions that can be implemented.
   • Avoids vague or general comments that lack practical application.

4. Solution-Oriented:

   • Focuses on finding solutions and strategies to overcome challenges.
   • Encourages a forward-thinking mindset and continuous improvement.

Implementing Feedforward:

1. Identify Areas for Improvement:

   • Reflect on past performance to understand where improvements can be made.
   • Seek input from peers, mentors, or supervisors to gain different perspectives.

2. Set Clear Goals:

   • Define specific, measurable, and achievable goals for future performance.
   • Ensure these goals align with overall career or organizational objectives.

3. Provide Constructive Suggestions:

   • Offer practical advice and strategies that can be implemented to achieve the set goals.
   • Frame suggestions in a positive and encouraging manner.

4. Focus on Strengths:

   • Highlight areas of strength and discuss how they can be leveraged for future success.
   • Encourage building on existing skills and competencies.

5. Encourage Ongoing Improvement:

   • Foster a culture of continuous learning and development.
   • Regularly review and adjust goals and strategies based on progress and feedback.

Benefits of Feedforward:

• Enhanced Performance: Helps individuals and teams focus on specific areas for improvement, leading to better performance in the future.
• Positive Motivation: Encourages a positive and forward-looking mindset, which can boost morale and motivation.
• Clear Direction: Provides clear guidance on how to achieve future goals, making it easier to stay on track and achieve desired outcomes.
• Improved Relationships: Creates a more positive and collaborative environment, as it emphasizes constructive support over criticism.

Practical Tips for Giving Feedforward:

• Be Specific: Offer detailed and actionable suggestions that the recipient can implement.
• Stay Positive: Frame your suggestions in a positive and encouraging way to motivate the recipient.
• Be Timely: Provide feedforward at appropriate times, such as during goal-setting sessions or performance reviews.
• Listen Actively: Encourage open dialogue and listen to the recipient’s perspectives and ideas.
• Follow Up: Regularly check in on progress and provide additional support or adjustments as needed.

Feedforward is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. By focusing on future possibilities and providing constructive guidance, you can help yourself and others achieve higher levels of performance and success.

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A premortem is a strategic planning technique used to identify potential failures and risks in a project before they occur. Unlike a postmortem, which analyzes what went wrong after the fact, a premortem involves envisioning a future scenario where a project has failed and working backward to determine what could lead to such an outcome. This proactive approach helps teams anticipate challenges, develop mitigation strategies, and improve the likelihood of project success.

Key Elements of a Premortem:

1. Future Failure Visualization:

   • Teams imagine that the project has already failed.
   • They think backward to identify the causes of the failure.

2. Comprehensive Risk Identification:

   • Involves all relevant stakeholders to get a wide range of perspectives.
   • Identifies potential risks, obstacles, and challenges that could lead to failure.

3. Mitigation Strategies Development:

   • For each identified risk, the team devises strategies to prevent or mitigate it.
   • Plans are made to address potential issues before they arise.

4. Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment:

   • The project is continuously monitored to detect early signs of the identified risks.
   • Strategies are adjusted as necessary based on new information or changing circumstances.

Steps to Conduct a Premortem:

1. Assemble the Team:

   • Gather all key stakeholders involved in the project, including project managers, team members, and relevant experts.
   • Ensure that everyone understands the purpose and importance of the premortem exercise.

2. Set the Scene:

   • Explain the premortem process to the team.
   • Describe the hypothetical scenario where the project has failed and emphasize the need for honest and open discussion.

3. Identify Potential Failures:

   • Ask each team member to independently list reasons why the project could fail.
   • Consider Man, Material, Machine, Method, Measurement, Monitoring, Mileu failures.
   • Encourage creativity and thoroughness in identifying potential risks and challenges.

4. Consolidate and Prioritize Risks:

   • Collect all the identified risks and group similar ones together.
   • Prioritize the risks based on their likelihood and potential impact on the project.

5. Develop Mitigation Strategies:

   • For each prioritized risk, brainstorm strategies to prevent or mitigate it.
   • Assign responsibilities and create action plans for implementing these strategies.

6. Document the Premortem:

   • Record all identified risks and their corresponding mitigation strategies.
   • Ensure that the document is accessible to all team members and stakeholders.

7. Monitor and Adjust:

   • Continuously monitor the project for signs of the identified risks.
   • Adjust strategies and action plans as needed based on ongoing observations and new information.

Benefits of a Premortem:

• Proactive Risk Management: Identifying and addressing potential risks before they become actual problems increases the chances of project success.
• Enhanced Team Collaboration: Engaging the entire team in the premortem process fosters collaboration and a shared sense of responsibility.
• Improved Planning and Preparedness: A thorough premortem exercise leads to better planning and preparedness, helping the team navigate challenges more effectively.
• Increased Project Success Rate: By anticipating and mitigating risks, the likelihood of completing the project on time and within budget is significantly improved.

Practical Tips for a Successful Premortem:

• Encourage Open Dialogue: Create a safe environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their concerns and ideas.
• Be Thorough: Encourage team members to think broadly and deeply about potential risks, leaving no stone unturned.
• Stay Focused: Keep the discussion focused on identifying and mitigating risks rather than debating whether the project will succeed or fail.
• Follow Through: Ensure that the identified strategies are implemented and monitored throughout the project lifecycle.

Scenario:

Your company, XYZ Manufacturing, is setting up a new production line to produce a high-demand consumer electronics product. The project is scheduled to be completed in six months, with a budget of $5 million.

Step-by-Step Premortem:

1. Assemble the Team

Gather key stakeholders including project managers, engineers, procurement specialists, quality control experts, and representatives from finance, HR, and operations.

2. Set the Scene

Explain that the purpose of the meeting is to imagine that the project has failed and to identify all possible reasons for this failure. The aim is to prevent these issues from happening.

3. Identify Potential Failures

Each team member independently lists reasons why the project could fail. Then, the team discusses and consolidates these reasons. Some potential failures might include:

• Technical Issues: Machinery breakdowns, software integration problems, or design flaws in the product.
• Supply Chain Disruptions: Delays in receiving critical components or materials, supplier bankruptcy, or transportation issues.
• Budget Overruns: Unforeseen costs such as overtime labor, increased material prices, or additional equipment requirements.
• Regulatory Compliance: Failure to meet safety, environmental, or industry standards.
• Workforce Challenges: Shortage of skilled labor, high turnover rates, or insufficient training.
• Market Changes: Decreased demand for the product or increased competition.
• Project Management Issues: Poor communication, lack of coordination among teams, or scope creep.

4. Consolidate and Prioritize Risks

Group similar risks together and prioritize them based on likelihood and impact. For example:

• High Likelihood and High Impact: Supply chain disruptions, technical issues.
• High Likelihood and Medium Impact: Workforce challenges, regulatory compliance.
• Medium Likelihood and High Impact: Budget overruns, market changes.
• Low Likelihood and High Impact: Project management issues.

5. Develop Mitigation Strategies

Risk: Technical Issues

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Conduct thorough testing of all machinery and software before full-scale production.
  • Schedule regular maintenance and have a contingency plan for critical equipment.
  • Ensure cross-functional teams collaborate to identify and resolve design flaws early.

Risk: Supply Chain Disruptions

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Diversify suppliers to reduce dependence on a single source.
  • Establish buffer stock of critical components.
  • Develop strong relationships with logistics providers and monitor transportation routes closely.

Risk: Budget Overruns

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement strict budget tracking and approval processes.
  • Negotiate fixed-price contracts with suppliers where possible.
  • Allocate a contingency fund for unexpected expenses.

Risk: Regulatory Compliance

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Stay updated with all relevant regulations and standards.
  • Hire a compliance officer to oversee the project.
  • Conduct regular audits to ensure adherence to safety and environmental guidelines.

Risk: Workforce Challenges

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Invest in comprehensive training programs for all employees.
  • Offer competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain skilled labor.
  • Develop a strong company culture to reduce turnover rates.

Risk: Market Changes

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Conduct regular market analysis to stay informed about demand and competition.
  • Diversify product offerings to reduce dependency on a single product.
  • Have a flexible marketing and sales strategy to adapt to changes quickly.

Risk: Project Management Issues

• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement robust project management software to track progress and communication.
  • Hold regular meetings to ensure alignment and address issues promptly.
  • Clearly define project scope and avoid scope creep by having a strict change management process.

6. Document the Premortem

Record all identified risks and their corresponding mitigation strategies. Make this document accessible to all team members and stakeholders.

7. Monitor and Adjust

Continuously monitor the project for signs of the identified risks. Adjust strategies and action plans as needed based on new information or changing circumstances. Hold periodic review meetings to assess progress and address any emerging issues.

Example of a Premortem in Action

Project Scenario:

XYZ Manufacturing is setting up a new production line to manufacture a new model of smartphones.

Potential Failure 1: Machinery Breakdown

• Mitigation Strategy: Conduct a thorough pre-installation inspection of all machinery. Establish a preventive maintenance schedule and train staff on quick troubleshooting techniques.

Potential Failure 2: Supplier Delays

• Mitigation Strategy: Source components from multiple suppliers to avoid dependency. Maintain a safety stock of critical components and use local suppliers to reduce lead times.

Potential Failure 3: Regulatory Non-Compliance

• Mitigation Strategy: Regularly consult with regulatory experts and conduct compliance audits. Train staff on regulatory requirements and implement strict adherence protocols.

Potential Failure 4: Budget Overrun

• Mitigation Strategy: Implement detailed budget tracking with regular financial reviews. Allocate a contingency fund for unforeseen expenses and negotiate fixed-price contracts with suppliers.

By anticipating these risks and planning accordingly, XYZ Manufacturing can significantly reduce the likelihood of project failure, ensuring the new production line is completed on time and within budget. This proactive approach not only safeguards the project but also builds confidence among stakeholders, demonstrating a commitment to strategic planning and risk management.

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Closing Thoughts: The Triad of Success – Influencing Up, Feedforward, and Premortem

In today's competitive business environment, the combination of Influencing Up, Feedforward, and Premortem can significantly enhance both individual and organizational success.

Influencing Up

By mastering the art of influencing up, individuals can align their ideas with organizational goals, build strong relationships with superiors, and demonstrate leadership potential. This skill not only accelerates personal career growth but also drives innovation and strategic alignment within the organization.

Feedforward

Feedforward focuses on future improvement rather than past mistakes. It encourages continuous growth, keeps individuals motivated, and helps align personal efforts with organizational objectives. For organizations, a feedforward culture leads to a more skilled and motivated workforce, ultimately boosting overall performance.

Premortem

The premortem technique involves anticipating potential challenges and planning proactively to mitigate risks. This approach enhances preparedness, increases the likelihood of project success, and instills confidence in both individuals and teams. Organizations benefit from better risk management and higher success rates in projects.

Synergy of Success

Together, these three elements create a powerful synergy that drives success. Influencing Up ensures strategic alignment, Feedforward fosters continuous improvement, and Premortem enhances risk management and preparedness. Embracing these practices leads to personal career advancement and a resilient, future-ready organization.

Good luck

Karthik

10th July 2024. (15 years of moving in to Amritkala, Boy time flies!). 1030am

Home Sweet Home.