12.6 Conclusion

Conflict management matters. You might think, “If we can just get this project to the finish line, our problems will be over. Life will be good!” In project management, it seldom works that way. Projects that are plagued by conflict during the planning and delivery phases of the project life cycle often haunt you long after completion.

Launching the Berlin Brandenburg Airport, for instance, was cause for celebration. But the turbulence continued after the airport opened for business. Long check-in and security lines led to missed outbound flights—and irate passengers! Long waits for baggage pickup also led to customer complaints on inbound flights. A circuitous layout, confusing signage, and cramped bathrooms also tarnished the airport’s image. Worse, below-anticipated traffic caused an immediate financial crisis, leaving the government sponsors and owners distressed. In the end, the project team was excited to conclude the project, but no one has been happy with the results.

Now a little good news: You’ve been warned. You know conflict is inevitable. But you also know that conflict can be managed, even exploited to take your team—and the project—to new levels of success. Consider the Panama Canal expansion. This nine-year, $5.6 billion dollar project dwarfed the Berlin Brandenburg Airport project in complexity and scale. Conflict, including scope creep, was anticipated. Aggressive coordination mechanisms, including frequent cadence meetings and a rigorous change-order procedure, were put in place.

Further, each stakeholder’s needs were considered. As extra costs were incurred, project administrators and contractors negotiated who should pay those costs. Advance payments were made in as few as 15 days instead of the contracted 56 days. The goal: Keep the project moving. The result: When the canal expansion opened in 2017, post-Panamax ships (twice the size of previous vessels) could pass through, doubling the canal’s shipping capacity. The project’s success became a point of Panamanian pride. Proactive leadership and strong relationship management matter!