We all know those people who are great at starting projects, but for whatever reason, they never seem to finish them. It’s as if they have a litany of plates spinning in the air with none of them ever quite touching the ground. Unfortunately, we see more than our share of ERP projects that start off with a bang, but limp to the less than wonderful conclusion. So, why does this happen? Lack of informed strategy? Lack of talent? Lack of commitment? Lack of funds? Unrealistic timelines? Yes, and then some. 

So, what attributes ensure that you finish what you started? First, you must have a steeled commitment to overcome every obstacle that gets in your way. It’s adopting the mentality that if a door closes, you look for a window. You go around, over, underneath, or through all impediments to a successful end. A long-time colleague of mine used to say, “I’ll go anywhere, anytime, by any means of transportation.” Basically, whatever it takes.  

This sort of tenacious mindset of finishing what you started and needs to pervade organizational hierarchy, managers, and team members. Thereby creating a unified determination that is not only contagious but energizes team members to keep projects on track until they are successfully completed. And it’s not one of those “damn the torpedo” things where arbitrary dates are decided on in a vacuum and sets team members up to fail. It’s more of a measure twice, cut once mentality. Let’s face it, ERP projects can be stressful, but if you want to mitigate or eliminate stress, then finish what you started.