Reply to: Throwing in the towel with a contract early. Moral dilema

[DieScum]

In your shoes I'd be spending most of my energy trying to find the next role then getting out ASAP. Leave the mess for them. It's not your problem.

I find it a sweet feeling - walking out of a nightmare. They're all stuck there stabbing each other in the back while you're revving off to the new gig.

[ContractorHardman]

Firstly....

116 123 (This is the number to dial for the Samaritans)

Secondly, calm down and think about the opportunity here. When there is a crisis there is always an opportunity for you to become a hero and to gain valuable experience. It is with this that you can step up to the plate and really show your worth as an employee. You are doing all the right things but I think there is some great advice on this forum from some experienced folk. You need to calm down and man up

However, if you want to quit cause the job got too tough then go for it.

[DimPrawn]

Mtfu

hth bidi

[woohoo]

just try to get it in perspective...I did the other day, when I walked past a cleaner (foreign migrant) in a supermarket, late forties.....she was struggling on......our job is A LOT better then a huge number of jobs out there...
.

Another way at looking at it, there are lot of people happy in their work. Being sad cleaning lavs is not that far from being sad doing something you hate.

If you hate it move on, life is too short.

Anyway what do any of us know, especially me.

[surfstar]

Cheers all.

[vetran]

you do sound quite down and depressed about it.......

it gets to us all my friend...even the most experienced of contractors....

just try to get it in perspective...I did the other day, when I walked past a cleaner (foreign migrant) in a supermarket, late forties.....she was struggling on......our job is A LOT better then a huge number of jobs out there...

read, exercise and talk it over with a mate or family....

+1

You can sit nice and clean in the warmth playing with your mouse rather than having your hand round the U bend.

[northernladuk]

read, exercise and talk it over with a mate or family....

Or a bunch of tossers on an internet forum.

[wantacontract]

you do sound quite down and depressed about it.......

it gets to us all my friend...even the most experienced of contractors....

just try to get it in perspective...I did the other day, when I walked past a cleaner (foreign migrant) in a supermarket, late forties.....she was struggling on......our job is A LOT better then a huge number of jobs out there...

read, exercise and talk it over with a mate or family....

[LondonManc]

Sound advice and thanks. Im swaying to option 2. I am in deep as i enjoy delivering big transformation projects of this type. Holiday and down time has not been a plentiful but I suspect stresses at home have contributed to the erratic sense of desperation.

Nothing to stop you doing both - escalate, carry out your duties as professionally as you are able while looking around for other projects. Document the issues so that there may be lessons learned from burning so much cash.

[surfstar]

These projects / programmes are not unique. You have decisions to make and the good news is you have options:

1) Do the best you can. Continue to escalate, communicate and report on the issues. Try and address the dysfunctional areas in a rational and even handed manner. If you stick it out to the end, it's likely you'll feel a significant sense of satisfaction at having been able to deliver something in spite of everyone around you. I know I did.

2) Do the bare minimum and get out before the car crash happens and head off in search of that perfect role somewhere else

Either option is fine. It does read to me like you're far too personally and emotionally involved and are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. When was your last holiday?

Sound advice and thanks. Im swaying to option 2. I am in deep as i enjoy delivering big transformation projects of this type. Holiday and down time has been plentiful but I suspect stresses at home have contributed to the erratic sense of desperation with this project.

[oracleslave]

Thanks for those with productive feedback.

I am the technical senior PM delivering multiple projects in an overlying programme.

Snip

These projects / programmes are not unique. You have decisions to make and the good news is you have options:

1) Do the best you can. Continue to escalate, communicate and report on the issues. Try and address the dysfunctional areas in a rational and even handed manner. If you stick it out to the end, it's likely you'll feel a significant sense of satisfaction at having been able to deliver something in spite of everyone around you. I know I did.

2) Do the bare minimum and get out before the car crash happens and head off in search of that perfect role somewhere else

Either option is fine. It does read to me like you're far too personally and emotionally involved and are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. When was your last holiday?

[surfstar]

Why are you allowing contractors to be hired who take a long time to get up to speed?

Its company policy to have a mandatory period (circa 2/3 months) and yes I know and agree this is ridiculous but this is what im dealing with

[SueEllen]

The organisation is dysfunctional and the type of programme this is exposes permie staff and can often lead to sabotage of said projects. Budget is big with an emphasis on external professional services to de-risk the projects. However augmented contractors require a long duration in post prior to being set free on the services and apps.

Why are you allowing contractors to be hired who take a long time to get up to speed?

[surfstar]

Thanks for those with productive feedback.

I am the technical senior PM delivering multiple projects in an overlying programme.

Programme and all subsequent projects are red and amber. GAP analysis of skills and RACI matrix of roles and responsibilities has been done and reported up stream. Contractor resource is heavily backfilling permies roles to free them up. Utilisation reports on permies work are captured to identify the delta of where they need support. Escalations often hit criticism on how the programme is communicating to the permies on the work they need to do rather than concentrating on getting things done. Comms plan has been revised and is now mature.
A key thing here is no accountability when things dont get done. Again this is often escalated to the people who do nothing. By accountability Im not expecting disciplinary measures but more sense of urgency. The organisation is dysfunctional and the type of programme this is exposes permie staff and can often lead to sabotage of said projects. Budget is big with an emphasis on external professional services to de-risk the projects. However augmented contractors require a long duration in post prior to being set free on the services and apps.
The organisations IT dept. is very immature and has a proven record of not delivering projects. There is inherited bad blood between projects and ops and we (PMs) are seen as the bad guys demanding work to be done.
I know where the problem is and it falls on the mid to senior management who haven’t cascaded the importance and urgency of the programme to staff.
I’m trundling along on this until a better project comes along. The programme will ultimately deliver but the rollercoaster of challenges is what im concerned with and the stigma of delivering a pigs ear doesn’t intrest me. Im not chasing rates and would work for less on something that is deliverable, enjoyable and where I know people wont tell me to **** off when I walk out of the room.

[clearedforlanding]

If you're a project manager, it's your job to de-risk the project.
List all your risks and the price of mitigating them. If budget is no problem then you can still deliver.

+1. I get the suspicion that OP may not be experienced enough to turn this one round with the questions he is asking however.