The Primes: How any Group can Solve any Problem

Part 4

Universal Patterns of Group Failure

How good are you at anticipating, avoiding, and slaying the dragons that inevitably show up and threaten your group and the outcomes your group is standing for?

In the first three parts of The PRIMES, we focused on leading in uncertain times, forming powerful alliances, and achieving outstanding group performance. The 30 PRIMES revealed so far outfit you for proactively preparing yourself—and the groups of which you are a part—for success. Part 4 will arm you to deal with the inevitable resistance and dilemmas you will face. It will also help you recognize and circumvent a tendency to just “hide out” when the going gets tough.

It bears reminding that the status quo is ruthless and does not like to be threatened. As stated earlier in this book, more than 8 out of 10 technical projects, problem-solving attempts, and organizational transformation efforts that affect and involve a significant number of stakeholders fail outright. Half of those that cross the finish line fail to meet minimum expectations at the outset and almost exceed budget and schedule.

The good news is that groups tend to harm themselves in rather predictable patterns. The 12 PRIMES revealed in Part 4 serve to forewarn you of these patterns and allow you to predict and avoid these problems—or at the very least nip them in the bud.

New and stirring ideas are belittled, because if they are not belittled the humiliating question arises, “Why, then, are you not taking part ...