The importance of project deadline focus – lessons from football
Being a project management professional and football fan, whose team are sadly a mixed bag when it comes to results, got me thinking about the similarities between the two disciplines in terms of the importance of deadline focus.
Both football and project teams must maintain focus throughout to secure success. Imagine that your team has strategised, communicated and collaborated superbly for most of the match, but in the final few minutes they start to lose concentration and end up giving away their lead. The final stretch is sometimes the most dangerous in both football and project management, where the risk of complacency, fatigue and pressure can result in costly errors that prevent the win.
Maintaining focus under pressure
In football, players need to remain alert until the final whistle blows. Indeed, coaches often remind their teams to keep focused in the last, crucial moments as this can be the difference between winning and losing. The same is true in project management where team members may lose momentum or relax a little too much, thinking that the hard work is over, and that victory is certain. However, this is very much the time for increased vigilance and effort to ensure that the project gets delivered on time without compromising on quality.
A high-profile example of a project team's loss of focus is Samsung's Galaxy Note 7. Initially positioned as a revolutionary smartphone, the device faced overheating and exploding battery issues post-release. Samsung, in its rush to beat Apple to market, failed to identify critical issues during the testing phase. This haste led to a costly global recall, damaging Samsung's reputation and resulting in financial losses.
"Don’t let fatigue take over, stay alert"
Overcoming fatigue and burnout
Physical fatigue is common in football players and project teams may experience mental fatigue and burnout as they get closer to deadlines. Pressure is often ramped up as the project deadline looms, and maintaining energy levels becomes increasingly difficult. Football teams are encouraged to remain disciplined, work together and stick to the agreed game plan to avoid making mistakes at critical times. Similarly, project managers need to support and encourage their teams to remain engaged during the final delivery stretch, reminding them of the importance of effectively meeting the planned deadline.
Celebrate small wins without losing focus
Celebrating success feels great but, as we know from football, it is important not to celebrate too early. How many times have you seen a football team score a fantastic goal to take the lead but then seconds later allow the opposition to counterattack and equalise? Of course, successfully achieving all project milestones is important but celebrating too prematurely can sometimes cause project teams to lose sight of the overall aim. While recognising progress is essential, it is even more important to remain committed to seeing the project through to its full completion.
Keep the end in mind
In both football and project management, success often comes down to the team’s ability to remain resilient and attentive, even when tiredness strikes. By maintaining discipline, addressing fatigue, and keeping sight of the end deliverable, your project team can avoid throwing away your lead and finish strongly. Just as a football team battles until the final whistle, your project team should push through the finish line, making all the hard work worth it by delivering on time and delivering well.
Richard Ogston - 2024
"Success comes from staying alert until the final whistle. Keep focus and push through."
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