OP, a seasoned project manager, enjoyed a successful stint at BigCo. However, one day, things took an unexpected turn. His boss dropped a bombshell, “UnknownPM is out. You are now in charge of the HR delivery team.” This announcement rang alarm bells for OP, as the previous manager’s abrupt dismissal pointed to deeper issues within the project.
Happy Hour Drinks Work Wonders
To get a handle on what went down, OP utilized the power of networking (and a few rounds of happy hour drinks). The lowdown was that UnknownPM had been given the boot for failing to deliver certain HR functionalities.
The HR Director, aware of OP’s impending takeover, arranged a meeting with middle management. It was all smiles, team talks, and the buzz of better days.
However, as OP prepared to meet the development team, a manager dubbed Officious Minion offered a veiled warning: UnknownPM had been fired for over-promising.
OP took the advice onboard, confirming the intel he’d received over drinks.
Submitted for a Final Review
Fast-forward to the project’s initiation. It was time for the requirement gathering. Each requirement was assigned a timeframe and converted into dollar values.
HR then had to assess the value of these requirements to justify the business case.
OP and his team had to wade through numerous HR functions, some of which were quite lofty. The functions failing to make the business cut ended up on a separate document, which also went out for final review.
OP was adamant that both documents needed sign-off before the development phase could commence.
Dropped a Bombshell
Fast forward to the last week of User Acceptance Testing. It was smooth sailing until Lead Developer dropped a bomb: Officious Minion had lodged a critical issue claim for a missing function.
Digging into the archives, OP found the function in the “Functions that were Cut” document. It wasn’t part of the initial requirements.
Officious Minion demanded the function be included in the current release, threatening to withhold approval until its completion.
A team meeting ensued, where OP discovered that Officious Minion had a history of pulling this last-minute maneuver. The consensus was clear: adding the function would jeopardize the release.
But He Had Proof
OP took a stand. He organized a meeting with the HR Director, stakeholders, and team, explaining the situation.
He revealed that the function in question was among those originally cut, providing documentation to back his statement.
Officious Minion still tried to argue, stating it was an error and they wouldn’t have agreed to it. But OP had proof—emails confirming agreement from all involved.
Officious Minion was taken aback. OP further noted that such last-minute additions had caused issues in previous projects.
It Didn’t End Well
The HR Director intervened, confirming that if the agreed functions were in order, the project could proceed.
Everyone was directed to send their final approval to OP by day’s end. Meanwhile, Officious Minion was invited for a private chat with the HR Director.
The project was launched on schedule. Officious Minion ended up in the purgatory of “Special Projects,” while Sanjay, the Lead Developer, received an unexpected bonus for maintaining an excellent email trail.
The saga was a testament to OP’s skilled management and the power of solid documentation.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Luis Molinero. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit