| Avoiding
Failures |
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| Forgetting that you are there to solve
a problem is the biggest failure of all. |
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Failure is when you create more problems than
you solve--or leaving the situation worse than you found it.
At times, you may find the decisionmaking process blurred by
political demands, unexpected conflicts, environmental issues,
the desire for a quick fix, and sometimes just plain inexperience.
The hurdles chart illustrates some of
the more difficult barriers to success with ideas for getting
over them safely.
These hurdles may tempt you into some of the common pitfalls
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|  Losing Focus
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- This usually happens if you let your own or someone else's
personal agenda replace or interfere
with identified and verified needs.
Dangers here are:
- Creating a too costly solution by overestimating
the need
- Sticking to one costly or flawed option (or type
of option)
- Falling short of an acceptable solution by underestimating
the need.
You must focus on meeting the need!
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| Cart Before the Horse |
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- Skipping steps will create gaps that must be filled in
later when it is more difficult to do so. Stopping to think
about how the decision should be made
and what is actually needed will pay off in the long run.
Watch out for:
- Rushing in before securely
building a foundation
- Defining the problem without information
- Forgetting to check
assumptions before analyzing the data
- Developing or anticipating a solution before the
considering facts and analyzing data.
- Neglecting priorities
and sequences of tasks
Through knowledge, experience, and expertise, a probable
solution may be seen very early, but such a decision will
likely fail if challenged--often after considerable time
and money have been spent. Shortcuts produce holes in
supporting data!
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| Blind Processes |
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- Look at where you are going and why. Assuming that the
many smart people involved will automatically come up with
a good choice or learn the lessons from the process will only
lead to trouble. Consciously keeping systematic records and
guiding the process will help avoid future pitfalls.
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| Relying on "Textbook" Rules |
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- Developing alternatives is more than a "cause and effect"
or "if then" relationship--it is an innovative and dynamic
process that often results in
iterative actions. Activities within
each step may uncover a justifiable reason for reconsidering
some previous action or examining earlier decisions. You and
the team must be flexible and adaptive; workable tools, methodologies,
or techniques may well vary from one situation to another.
There are no universal rules in solving problems!
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| Forgetting Reclamation's Role |
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To manage water and related resources effectively, Reclamation
must serve as an open, fair, and broker
for all those who have an interest in water resources.
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| Level of Detail |
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- Reclamation studies encompass many levels
of detail. It is vital that you and the rest of the team work
on similar or complementary levels. This ensures that all
aspects of a process are congruent. Detail must be appropriate
to the situation!
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| Biased Attitudes |
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- Biases inhibit impartial judgment. Any display of such
an attitude will give credence
to the idea long held by many publics that "Reclamation has
already made up its mind." Pay attention to questions
raised by critics--sometimes the off-beat solution or issue
deserves attention. Prove that you are openminded!
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| Superiority Thinking (intellectual, experienced, or otherwise)
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- The sense of superiority creates blinders that shield
us from the sensitivity needed to understand others. Without
this understanding, there is no support for the solution or
process. This can also prevent knowledgable, accurate analyses--e.g.,
local water users and environmental groups frequently have
first hand knowledge not evident to outside professionals.
Believe that others can contribute!
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| Keeping People Out |
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- It may seem more difficult and time consuming to keep
people informed and invite them to participate. However, attempting
to manipulate or ignore people,
particularly vetoers or
new players can:
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| Go On
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| If you fall into a hole, get the news
out first hand before people hear it second hand--
and get up quickly
. Most likely, other people will help pull you out of
the hole.
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Helpful
Hints Tour Handling Success
<----> Handling Failure
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Dragon Tour
 Communication <----->
Myth Truths |
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Success
Getting Success
Foresight