Everyone has experienced that project, where everything that could go wrong, went wrong. It was easy to look around and find people to blame. No one wanted to say aloud just how bad it was – because that would have made it real. Like it or not, when things go south, it is the job of the project manager to help the team assess, pivot, and move forward. Offering insight, humor and tangible action items; this session will provide attendees with a new perspective about their roles as Digital PMs, and the dreaded F-Word.

1. The F-Word:Why Failure May
Be the Best Thing to Happen
toYou
Kristus M. Ratliff
Engagement Manager
New Signature
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2. Why this
topic?

3. Success can make
people feel good.
“
Failure can make
people better.
“
Victor Lombardi, Why We Fail
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4. Failure comes in many flavors and
has many causes. Regardless of
why you’re facing failure, there is
always an opportunity to learn and
pivot through it.
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5. If you cannot define success,
you cannot define or
anticipate failure.
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6. Four Causes of Project Failure
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7. Four Cause of Failure and
What They Can Teach You
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8. Are you the problem?
Don’t let your ego kill your
project.
COLLABORATIONYOUR EGO
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9. 1. Am I advocating for the project/client or
my opinion?
2. Am I asking for feedback and ideas?
3. Am I prepared for failure?
Keys to Self Assessment
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10. Are you a control freak?
Empower clients and teams
to make good choices.
EMPOWERMENTCHAOTIC PEOPLE
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11. 1. Be transparent
2. Solicit feedback and listen
3. Learn how to discuss impact
Fostering Collaboration
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12. Flawed plans often produce
failure.
Was your plan flawed?
REALISTIC DATAFLAWED PLANS
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13. 1. Acknowledge and assess the problem
2. Document what you’ve learned
3. Keep moving forward
When Things Go South
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14. Do you know when to break
the rules?
Identify opportunities for
experimentation.
EVIDENCEINNOVATION
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15. J. K. Rowling
I was set free,
because my
greatest fear
had been
realized, and I
was still alive.
“
“
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16. Twitter: @KristusRatliff
Online: www.kristusratliff.com
Stay In Touch
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17. What I Read
Why We Fail: Learning from
experience design failures
Victor Lombardi, 2013
6 Ways to Avoid Becoming a
Risk to Your Own Project
Esen Akter Tekinel, MOR,
PMP
Risk Management...the
What, Why, and How
Michael Stanleigh
Snask: Failure is the Main
Reason for our Success
Snask
101 Common Causes for
Project Failure
International Project
Leadership Academy
Top 10 Tips for Measuring
Success in Agile
Matthew Badgley
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