Terry,

>>You're quite right though.. I've seen fear of change ruin more projects then just about anything else.
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>Fear of a less than adequate delivery will also destroy it. If the users don't have confidence in what you are going to do for them, they will bail. User's seem to discriminate between a can-do-type and no-can-do-type by the questions we ask them. Solve their problem - and you will not go wrong long!

Perhaps just simply reducing this to fear is sufficient.

I do agree that one should listen. No doubt.


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>>If you don't have the boss's ear you're essentially going to fail it seems.
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>The boss doesn't have time to share his ear. He knows this - That the user's are either happy (thus not bitching) or unhappy with what your're doing.

Well, perhaps your experiences have been different than mine - or perhaps I've done work for smaller organizations. In my case I've more than not had daily discussions with 'the boss.'

I have also had to deal with the individual who uses complaining to scuttle a project. In this case it was a woman who feared (see above <g>) that a real technological breakthrough would jeopardize her position. Upon reflection I think there was some justifications in this. She was the kind of manager who used crisis, her own herculean efforts and more crisis to make sure she kept her 'corporate value'. Any success on my part - even though I was directly working with her was (in her mind anyway) peril. She was successful.

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>>>How about office politics.
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>Contractors and independents should avoid office politics. It interferes with our deliverables. Everyone is nice and helpful - right!!

Well, avoid as in don't take side - unless and until you need to to make a change in the corporate culture. In that case I think it should be done. Remember, we have a fiduciary obligation to our clients. IOW, we owe it to them to tell them the truth if it's in their financial interests.

Consultants are often hired to take the role of the messenger - and they figuratively get shot. <g>