Bow Out of the Process

Remember: Doing nothing may also meet some needs and must be considered equally with other solutions.

Sometimes, a successful process will conclude that no actions need to be taken. This can be a frightening prospect as it may appear that you have wasted time and money. However, documenting the process to show why no action is the best solution can provide a good data base for future needs or related actions in the area.

This documentation will not only provide insights into similar problems but also build your confidence in the process.

Keep in mind that many problems are not really ready to be solved no matter how unpleasant or politically problematic that reality may be. It may be wiser to suspend a study and wait for a better time or approach than to proceed and waste time and money.

Check regularly to see if this is an action still worth pursuing. Look at how much you are going to lose if you continue rather than how much you have already spent.

If you decide not to act, be sure that you explain why you are not acting at this time. Otherwise, you may lose credibility, and participants may not be willing to work with you when you return to the problem.

Go On