Imagine a Scenario where:
A CEO Calls her staff into a conference room on the eve of the launch of a major new initiative. They file in and take their seats around the table. She calls the meeting to attention and begins: “I have bad news. The project has failed spectacularly. Tell me what went wrong?”
What?!! But we haven't even launched yet…
That's the point. The CEO is forcing an exercise in hindsight – In advance.
She's using a technique designed by psychologist Gary Klein known as premortem.
Projects fail at a spectacular rate. One reason is that too many people are reluctant to speak up about their reservations during the all-important planning phase.
The premortem exercise also sensitizes the team to pick up early signs of trouble once the project gets under way. In the end, a premortem may be the best way to circumvent any need for a painful postmortem.
Most companies fail to do premortem excercise before launching a project and then start a phase called postmortem.
With premortem we have time to raise the defenses, or even avoid them entirely. We are prepared for failure and ready for success.
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