making judgments based on limited information channeled up to them— have only so many details to go on. One of the biggest factors they use to determine success or failure is how a project wrapped up.

Did the project miss the deadline? Were tons of bugs reported right after the launch? Did your team have to explain to the boss why x, y, z didn’t work?

Whenever you are choosing what to work on or where to apply your best efforts, take a moment to step back. Zoom out from your own preferences and remind yourself what the bigger-picture goals are. Where will your work mean the most to the people in charge?

If you are not sure, ask. Go to your
manager and say, “I am thinking about
working on A or B next. Which is most
important? Or is there another place I
should be focusing?”
It may seem counterintuitive—you
might worry that asking about priori-
ties might make you look stupid—but
checking in with your manager is actu-
ally really smart. Not only do you en-
sure you are working on the right pri-
orities, but it is also a great way to keep
your manager up to date about your
contributions and show that you are
focused on the big-picture goals that
matter most to managers.

 

2. Make the Unglamorous a Priority When people lose momentum on a project, it is usually right around the time the shiniest, most interesting work gets completed. Don’t let this happen to you.

One way to approach the boring details of a project—bug fixes, use cases, among others—is to reframe them in your mind. Tell yourself that this is actually some of the most important work you’ll do because you will be helping the outcome to be as perfect as it can be.

Look for opportunities to make these tasks more challenging or interesting. Instead of slogging through boring details, try to bring new energy to them.

Although this work may not be all
that visible, it is still important. Re-
member that a rising tide lifts all boats.
Even if you do not get the glory for fixing
small final details, your work will make
the overall project more successful in
the end, and you will have been part of
a team that executed well. In time, you
will become known for always being on
the team that succeeds.

3. Channel Your Ability
To Keep Going

Have you ever heard a story about a mother who lifted a car to save her child? What about marathon runners who talk about having “nothing left” but go on to finish the race?

We all have extreme strength within us; we just don’t usually see it because it comes out only in extreme circumstances.

In normal life, your brain communicates with your body about what you can and cannot do. Your brain says, “Hey, that will hurt,” and your body slows down. In most situations, this serves you well. You cannot actually lift a car every day, and you would not want to try.

However, the ability to power through challenges that you normally don’t face is in your toolkit. Remember that the next time you are nearing the end of a long, exhausting project. You can do it. You might feel like you have nothing left, but the end is the most important part—so, draw on your resources and make the last steps count.

If you work hard on a project, your hours will not be worth as much if you are not seen delivering a strong finish. So, make all that work worth it, and follow through on every single step. Dot your i’s, cross your t’s, and deliver amazing results that will take you far in your career.

 

Related articles on queue.acm.org

The Small Batches Principle

Thomas A. Limoncelli https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=2945077

Kode Vicious Unleashed

George Neville-Neil https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1046939

Culture Surprises in Remote Software Development Teams

Judith S. Olson, Gary M. Olson https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=966804

Kate Matsudaira ( katemats.com) is an experienced technology leader. She has worked at Microsoft and Amazon and successful startups before starting her own company, Popforms, which was acquired by Safari Books.

Copyright held by owner/author. Publication rights licensed to ACM. $15.00.

When people
lose momentum
on a project,
it is usually right
around the time
the shiniest,
most interesting
work gets
completed.
Don’t let
this happen
to you.