Project Management: "None Shall Pass"

As kids we loved the 'Black Knight' scene from Monty Python's 'Holy Grail' where the Knight kept guard and bellowed the words "None Shall Pass!".

I let one pass last week - thank God it was not a CLM [Career Limiting Move] but 'Only a flesh wound'.

In meetings I am learning from mistakes that it is often better to say "No!" when put into a position to make a hasty decision and concede some later - than to first give permission and have to rescind later.

From experience - 95% of critical decisions that will impact or 'Change' the scope of a project will have adequate time to analyse, investigate, think through the alternatives, consider other views, garner support and develop a preferred approach.

So next-time I'm faced with a similar situation as one I faced last week when someone with more technical experience asks the question "So what are you going to do?" - I'll choose to say "I'll think about it first and get back to you" or else "No!" [None Shall Pass].

If that fails then I'll do what Rob Thomsett advises and say - "I need to go to the men's room" and I'll think about it there for a while.