Planning events is a thing I do: without assuming anything (it has proved to lead to relative disasters), I plan, forecast, manage, amend, rewrite, negotiate, suggest, coordinate and implement project phases, define milestones and deliver as per my client’s desiderata. Pretty basic. What is less basic is that I always get to work with other professionals, some more technically qualified, others with fascinating and relevant experience: it is a team work, undeniably. To reach that point, we go through some language adjustment, and I am not referring to English: to make sure everybody is on the same page, we ask questions, then we go head down into the project details.

“I miss playing in the sand” – Keoni Cabral

Ready. We get ourselves ready with everything we can think of. It is almost overwhelming sometimes: the urge to categorise every task so staff management goes on a smooth sailing comes first. Defining who is responsible for what, and what can be delegated (and to whom) is another function to nail down.
Set. We have everything: equipment, people, tools, connections (satellite, power, water, gas, etc.). The team leaders and other managers are in the starting blocks, ready to go, whether the project is in sports or not. The test runs have satisfied the client, the countdown is on, and…
Wait. There is a glitch. Someone is unclear about a detail and we can start feeling some tension, wondering what went amiss after all this schedule hammering. Where did the miscommunication happen? Was it me (typical guilt reaction)? Then backing off a bit, reminding myself: “I am responsible for what I say, not what s/he understands”.
Well, that is the easy escape. For some reason now, regardless of what/where/when/who/why, the team depends on what and how much this person understands. The only logical way out, in an effort to clear the air, is to address the confusion and resolve it so that “wait” becomes “go”. Often (and yes, it sounds like a little rant), that very person has just landed in the project and feels the need to put his/her name on a last (promise) change. Here is a test for “how do you respond under pressure?” Considering the long weeks spent on transitioning from planning to operations, this sprinkle of newness is rarely well received.
Yet, the waiting part is one of the main components before going live with a project. That is why most of the veterans in this field are fairly relaxed people: personalities vary, of course, and complacency is certainly not part of their traits. With so many hours unintentionally killed, patience, and mostly a good sense of humour, are definitely pertinent prerequisites to survive any kind of event. Now… Ready. Set. And we are on.