6.3Best practices & pitfalls
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Golden rule: a project is SCOPED and PLANNED before being executed, STEERED on facts (remaining work, risks) and CLOSED by capitalizing.
- Do: write scope, steer by remaining work, anticipate risks, channel changes, communicate and manage through leadership.
- Never do: skip scoping, accept oral scope creep, confuse effort and duration, hide bad news, leave with no review.
Bilal thread — 1 year on: three habits that pay
One year on, Bilal reviews what mattered: not a technique, but three habits — writing scope (included, excluded, assumptions) before every start, steering weekly by remaining work, and closing every project with a filed review. And his biggest narrowly avoided pitfall: accepting a “quick” oral addition mid-seminar without going through the change process.
Pick a single habit to anchor in your project conduct, then move to the next.
The do / don't of a led project
The difference between a successful project and a bogged-down one comes down to a few habits. Here are the most recurring ones.
✓ Do
- Scope and plan BEFORE executing (upfront time pays back).
- Write scope: included, excluded AND assumptions.
- Steer by remaining work, not time spent.
- Anticipate risks in a living register rather than suffering them.
- Channel changes through a process (formalize, assess, decide).
- Communicate regularly and tailor the message to the audience.
- Lead through leadership and recognition, not control.
- Close properly and capitalize through a review.
✗ Don't
- Skip initiation to “save time”.
- Promise “faster, cheaper and more complete”.
- Accept additions orally (scope creep).
- Confuse effort and duration, and target 100% load.
- Trust felt percentage (90% syndrome).
- Hide bad news hoping to catch up.
- Neglect an influential stakeholder.
- Turn the page with no review (and repeat the same mistakes).
Ready-to-say script — lock scope before starting (30 s)
“Included: [list]. Excluded: [list]. Assumptions: [list]. Every addition goes through: formalize, assess impact, decide. Are we aligned before starting?”
Copy-paste template — monthly self-diagnosis (8 questions)
THIS MONTH (yes / to improve):
1. Scoping: did I scope and plan before executing?
2. Scope: included, excluded and assumptions written?
3. Steering: remaining work tracked (not time spent or feeling)?
4. Risks: living register up to date?
5. Changes: formalize → assess → decide process applied?
6. Communication: message tailored to each audience?
7. Leadership: recognition and empowerment (not control)?
8. Closure: review planned and filed?
MY PRIORITY NEXT MONTH (only one): ...Small business / tight budget
One habit per quarter is enough: written scope first, the rest next.
Algeria SME
Adapt habits to realities (peaks, short staffing, suppliers): written scope and a reserve protect better than an optimistic schedule.
Remote / hybrid
The #1 discipline at a distance: scope, decisions and changes written and shared, no oral that evaporates.
Cross-cultural
State scope and expectations in writing rather than assuming shared implicit meaning.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Fill the monthly self-diagnosis above on your current project and pick a single priority to anchor in your ritual.
- I know the 8 reflexes to adopt and the 8 pitfalls to avoid.
- I have filled the self-diagnosis and picked a priority.
- I did the 48h challenge or scheduled its date.
To go faster, Bilal is offered to skip scoping and accept oral additions. What does the synthesis say?
Golden rule: a project is SCOPED and PLANNED before being executed, STEERED on facts (remaining work, risks) and CLOSED by capitalizing — method and leadership beat tools.