Okay, picture this: you’ve just been called in to take over a project that’s spiralling out of control. The deadline is looming, the budget is blown, and the team is stressed and demoralised. It’s a classic Program Recovery situation, and your job is to turn things around.

Now, you might think that your first priority is to dive into the technical details, to figure out where the code went wrong, or why the schedule is so off track. But hold on a second! Before you even touch a keyboard or open a Gantt chart, there’s something even more important you need to address: the politics of the situation.

Think of it like this: a Program Recovery isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a human challenge. You’re walking into a situation where emotions are running high, where people are pointing fingers and looking for someone to blame. It’s like a tense courtroom drama, and everyone is a suspect.

Your job isn’t to be the judge and jury. You’re not there to figure out who messed up and hand out punishments. Instead, think of yourself as a diplomat, a mediator, a peacemaker. Your primary goal is to defuse the tension, to create a safe space where people can work together to solve the problem.

Why is this so important? Because blame breeds negativity, defensiveness, and ultimately, inaction. If people are afraid of being punished for their mistakes, they’re less likely to be honest about what went wrong. And without honesty, you can’t identify the root causes of the problem and develop effective solutions.

So, how do you navigate this political minefield? Here are a few key principles:

• Focus on the problem, not the people: Instead of asking “Who’s to blame?”, ask “What went wrong?” and “How can we fix it?”
• Be a good listener: Give everyone a chance to share their perspective without interruption or judgment.
• Emphasise collaboration: Remind the team that they’re all in this together and that the only way to succeed is to work together.
• Stay calm and objective: Don’t get caught up in the emotional drama. Your job is to be a voice of reason and a source of stability.

By prioritising the human side of Program Recovery, by creating a culture of trust and collaboration, you lay the foundation for a successful turnaround. Remember, it’s not about finding scapegoats; it’s about fixing the problem and moving forward.