GUEST BLOG: Top Trump?

By Pat Lucey, CEO and co-founder, Aspira

In Europe, Donald Trump is regarded with suspicion as if the people who might vote for him can be dismissed as unsophisticated ‘rednecks’. Looking at his campaign from a project management perspective however, he has been delivering a master class.

What are the first words that pop into your mind when I say Donald Trump?

Most people think millionaire/billionaire, loudmouth, controversial, politician. Maybe you think babble rouser or Trump Tower. No one thinks project manager.

The four cornerstones of project management are:

• Managing scope (being clear on what you need to cover)
• Managing time (making sure the important things are done at the right time)
• Managing cost (ensuring you deliver within Budget)
• Manage quality (ensuring that the outcome is fit-for-purpose and that you can take pride in it)

Right now, my concern is that the USA may be heading for a Trump presidency based on little more than the ‘hit and hope’ mentality

The other big element of project management is communication – you need to communicate, communicate, communicate. It’s the oil that lubricates all parts of the project and keeps the team working effectively.

So, let’s assess Trump against those five criteria:

Cost: He’s fond of reminding us that he’s a billionaire, so this should be easy. But let’s look what he’s done. He has got multi-million dollars’ worth of publicity simply through tweeting, which costs him nothing.

He initially derided opponents for spending supporters’ money while he was self-financing, but now he has pivoted to explain that his self-financing was actually a loan to his campaign. And of course, Trump will need that loan paid back, which means supporters’ contributions are required. You’ve got to admire that efficient use of his resources!

Grade: B+

Time: Trump’s campaign timing has been exemplary. Nobody gave him a chance 12 months ago. 17 republican challengers, including one with the political pedigree of the Bush machine. He knocked them out of the race one by one. He eventually got (most) of the Republican Party’s hierarchy on board in time for his assault on Hillary. Some of his more insensitive comments have been poorly timed so we’ll drop his grade somewhat for that.

Grade: B

Scope: Many project managers make the mistake of taking on too much. There’s a strong view that Trump does not have a commanding breadth of vision and has an immature and poorly thought-out foreign policy.

These accusations may well be true. But rather than focus on those areas, Trump has stuck to his central themes – immigration, ISIS, crooked politicians, ‘make America great’, immigration again, ISIS again, etc. It’s a strategy that has worked thus far.

Grade: A

Communication: While his Tweets are legendary, he is a somewhat stilted speaker and struggles with a teleprompter. He makes cringe-worthy comments. Whether insulting immigrants, making misogynistic mischief, or claiming to be well endowed.

Nevertheless, he has somehow manoeuvred into a position where he can say literally anything, and people would not be surprised. This total unwillingness to abide by convention allows him to adopt the rebel persona – the outsider, the guy who’ll tell it as it is, the ‘man of the people’. It’s an amazing achievement for a multibillionaire to have convinced blue-collar workers that he’s the one to best represent them.

Grade: A+

Quality: That’s the big unknown. We know that Trump is an able candidate – but would he make an able President? Does he have the gravitas, the maturity, and the wisdom – is he fit-for-purpose?

His supporters point to his business achievements. His detractors can simply point to the latest inflammatory public statement as evidence that the man is just not … presidential.

Grade: ?

Can voters be sure of the quality of candidate Trump? Not unless the nature of the campaign changes from name-calling and trading insults, to real debate on issues of substance

Pat Lucey, Aspira

Like many projects, it is far easier to measure budget and schedule than it is to measure or predict the quality of the deliverable. Many times a ‘hit and hope’ approach is taken, where, like a blind golfer, the project manager shoots for the target in hope – rather than expectation – of achieving an acceptable result.

That is a very risky approach. It’s far better to figure out what the quality requirements are, and take steps to ensure that the project outcome will satisfy those requirements.

Can voters be sure of the quality of candidate Trump? Not unless the nature of the campaign changes from name-calling and trading insults, to real debate on issues of substance.

If Trump can go head-to-head with Clinton on matters of fiscal and foreign policy, if he can demonstrate a real, practical, workable plan to ‘make America great’, maybe then we can grade him on quality.

Right now, my concern is that the USA may be heading for a Trump presidency based on little more than the ‘hit and hope’ mentality.

Except in this case the target is surrounded by deep bunkers and impenetrable rough, from which none of us may emerge.

Image (main): DonkeyHotey/Gage Skidmore