9 Ways to Deliver Projects in the Face of Adversity

In the best conditions, delivering a project can be challenging. In the face of adversity, the task of managing projects can become unpredictable. But with calculated planning and proactive steps it is possible to keep the wheel of progress turning and bring projects to fruition even amidst the most difficult circumstances. In this article, I offer these learnings — a collection of tips and strategies our company gained after the unexpected full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These are not just theoretical concepts but practical solutions you can use to design a Well-Architected, resilient solution.

The Cornerstone of Incident Management: Fostering Trust

In the throes of crisis, trust and support are the bedrock of effective project management. Remember, your team is not an assembly line of automatons but a group of humans who may falter under challenging circumstances, such as power outages, missile attacks, or the need to relocate for safety. These times call for understanding and flexibility.

As the project’s most precious asset, your team’s safety and well-being should be paramount. From day one of the crisis, assure your team of their importance and make it clear that their safety takes precedence. As a team lead, I offered them reassurances like, “Should you need a day off to reach a safe location, I will stand in for you.” This empathetic leadership nurtures trust and motivates your team to deliver, even in dire times.


Even under the strain of imminent deadlines, never underestimate the resilience of a well-supported team. We found ourselves grappling with an urgent client request at the onset of the crisis. Yet, armed with internet connectivity and a safe location, we successfully resolved the issue in less than an hour, strengthening our client relationship in the process. However, safety should never be compromised by speed.

Be upfront with your clients about potential delays due to crisis situations. If your relationship is built on understanding and trust, they will accommodate these challenges. Preparation is key. Ensure your team can handle unexpected incidents, like power outages, by cross-training and delegating responsibilities. Next, we explore nine ways your project can succeed in the face of adverse conditions.

1. Embracing Flexibility: The Key to Crisis Navigation

In times of crisis, adaptability becomes a critical factor in successfully navigating through challenges. By encouraging your team to brainstorm ideas helps map potential crisis scenarios, catalyzing swift solution ideation and laying out the next course of action. The team’s constant pursuit of alternative strategies becomes instrumental in meeting project timelines. Inculcating a mindset of flexibility and readiness enables the team to pivot deftly in response to unexpected hurdles, carrying them through the storm with resilience.

2. Empowering Through Cutting-Edge Hardware Technology

Salesforce’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) technology mitigates reliance on specific development environments, providing your team with heightened flexibility concerning hardware requirements. Devices like MacBooks, powered by ARM processors, offer extended battery life, enabling several hours of operation without electricity. This greatly enhances the team’s mobility and adaptability. Amid rapid relocation scenarios, the ability to grab a laptop and smoothly shift to a new location becomes an invaluable asset, potentially making the difference between life and death.

3. Crafting a Business Continuity Plan

The resilience of a business heavily relies on the implementation of effective continuity planning. Such planning aims to ensure uninterrupted operations and the smooth functioning of both individuals and systems, even in the face of unexpected events. Business continuity plans (BCPs) take a people-centric approach by outlining strategies to sustain critical processes during a crisis. To be comprehensive, these plans should encompass essential elements, including preparing a risk backpack, identifying secure routes, gathering information on shelters and emergency contacts, and establishing clear communication protocols. By incorporating these elements into their BCPs, organizations can enhance their preparedness and strengthen their ability to navigate challenging situations successfully.

4. Incorporating Substitution Lists into the RACI Matrix

During the initial stages of a project, the RACI matrix emerges as a potent tool to define responsibilities and roles precisely. Integrating a substitution list into this matrix facilitates the quick resolution of resource quandaries in key positions, thereby ensuring operational continuity.

5. Fostering Clear Channels: Communication within the Team

Consistent and transparent communication is vital for keeping your team members well-informed about the ongoing situation, project status, and any changes in timelines or requirements. It is crucial to provide regular updates, ensuring everyone knows the project’s progress and any modifications, even through informal channels. You can effectively reduce stress levels by establishing constant communication and sharing frequent status updates internally.

6. Building Bridges: Nurturing Client Relationships

In critical situations, clients may only have limited visibility into the potential challenges faced by your team and project. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain continuous and proactive communication with your clients, keeping them informed about the current state of your team and project.Regularly update them on your team’s short-term plans and the availability of team members. Additionally, share your emergency and substitution plans, demonstrating your preparedness to tackle unforeseen circumstances.

Engage in discussions with clients to address any possible risks that may arise, fostering a collaborative approach to risk management. By providing transparent information and involving clients in these discussions, you can establish trust and ensure that clients have a comprehensive understanding of the situation, enabling them to make informed decisions.

7. Forging a Geographically Diverse Team

Critical situations, such as electricity outages, can often be location specific. In such scenarios, distributed teams can offer valuable advantages. For instance, if one of your essential team members is unable to access electricity or the internet, another team member in a different city can step in and handle the task. This distributed setup enables flexibility and ensures the continuity of operations even in challenging circumstances.


Furthermore, it is essential to communicate effectively within your team, informing them about progress and potential risks. In situations where all team members may become unavailable, notifying the team about the point of discontinuity can help mitigate risks and ensure a smooth transition. Implementing these measures will enhance the team’s resilience and optimize performance.

8. Exemplifying Leadership Amid Adversity

Amid adversity, individuals may display diverse behaviors and responses. Thus, it is paramount that you inspire your team to believe in their own skills and capabilities to traverse these hurdles. By underscoring their resilience, adaptability, and aptitude, you instill a heightened sense of assurance in their capacity to manage the situation proficiently.

9. Keeping a Vigilant Eye on Project Progress

To ensure project success during critical situations, it is essential to incorporate continuity planning and alerting mechanisms into your application lifecycle. Continuously assess the project’s progress, monitor potential risks, and proactively develop strategies to mitigate any disruptions.

Stay vigilant and responsive by implementing effective alerting systems that promptly notify key stakeholders of any emerging challenges or changes. By integrating continuity planning, alerting mechanisms, and a comprehensive approach to the application lifecycle, you can navigate critical situations with greater resilience and ensure the smooth and successful delivery of your project.

Final Thoughts

Over a year-long journey navigating the turbulent aftermath of war, we’ve managed to stay afloat. Not only did we sustain our projects, but we also preserved our vital client relationships. This journey has not been without its lessons, and we’ve extracted a wealth of insights from it.

In summary, managing projects amid warfare necessitates scrupulous orchestration, fluent dialogue, and an inherent propensity to adjust to shifting scenarios. Preparation and foresight are imperative. Whether in response to domestic political changes or global fluctuations, the insights offered here can be promptly applied to formulate strategies that suit such complexities, assuring project fruition. By staying abreast of the situation and employing these tactics, you can successfully steer through tumultuous periods, delivering a Well-Architected solution, even in the face of adversity.