TCFBO #054: Not Quite a Ten Foot Pole

Read Time: 4 minutes

A few weeks back we talked about the Triple Constraint and how, if you set a deadline to complete a project by, you may need to be flexible in other areas.

For example, if the time is fixed you may need more resources to deliver the result you want.

Or you may have to reduce the scope of what you set out to achieve in order to meet the deadline.

Well, last Sunday we experienced the Triple Constraint in action.

A couple of years ago we took on a large allotment with the vision of growing more of our own food.

It was overgrown and uncultivated when we took it on, and there were various things that the previous allotment holder had left behind, including an old compost bin made of iron.

Now, next weekend we’re picking up a shed.

And the old compost bin is where we want to put the shed.

So it had to be dismantled.

Having unsuccessfully attempted to dismantle it a couple of years ago, we knew this wasn’t going to be an easy job.

You see, it’s situated on clay soil which is either saturated which makes it really hard to dig, or it’s rock hard which, funnily enough, also makes it really hard to dig.

When we last tried, the ground was so hard it was impossible to dig down far enough to loosen the sides or the corner poles that held everything in place.

So if we were to have a fighting chance of taking this out of the ground, we needed the ground to be like Goldilocks’ porridge…just right!

Last weekend we got the break we needed.

The ground was wet but not saturated and the sun was shining but not too hot.

Ideal working conditions.

The scope for the project was set:

Dismantle the compost bin, leaving the area clear and level.

The time to complete the project was set:

By sunset that day.

The resources for the project were set:

The two of us, a strimmer, safety goggles, gloves, a spade, a digging fork and trowel.

And so we got to work.

After cutting back some brambles and a bit of digging, the first side came out fairly easily, which meant Paul could get in the bin to strim the brambles and nettles.

Once cleared, with a bit more digging, the second side came out.

Time for a break.

Then onto the third side.

This took a bit more effort but we eventually removed it.

But as we dug down we found more iron buried in the ground.

Removing this iron was still within the scope of the project as we wanted the ground clear, but it wasn’t something we had anticipated.

However, we were making good progress so the deadline was still achievable and after a bit more digging we were able to drag out two random bits of metal leaving the soil clear.

Then onto the fourth side which came out quite quickly.

Deadline still achievable.

Scope still intact.

No additional resources required.

So now it was just the corner poles.

And this is where the project nearly came completely undone.

What we hadn’t realised was just how deep these corner poles were buried.

There was only about three feet of pole above the ground, so we reckoned there was probably two feet of pole below the ground.

We reckoned wrong.

After digging down about four feet, rocking the poles back and forth and attempting to pull them out of the clay, they still wouldn’t budge.

At this point we had to seriously consider the possibility that we may not get these poles out at all.

However, we weren’t willing to quit just yet.

And so the Triple Constraint came into play.

If we were to deliver the scope and meet the deadline, we needed more resources.

And having read the story of “The Enormous Turnip” when we were kids, we knew that we just needed more people pulling in order to get the thing out of the ground.

Fortunately, as it was a sunny day, a couple of fellow allotmenters who we’ve built friendships with over the past couple of years were around and were willing to give us a hand.

And, after much pulling and swearing, the poles finally came out.

All eight feet of them!

Why or how the previous allotment holder buried them that deep we have no idea!

However, the bottom line was we had underestimated what energetic resources were required to complete the project.

In other words, we were exhausted.

Plus we wanted to share a beer with the fellow allotmenters who had so kindly come to help us.

And so the Triple Constraint came into play again.

The scope was still:

Dismantle the compost bin, leaving the area clear and level.

But we were just too tired to level the area by sunset that day and so we had to extend the time we’d originally given ourselves to deliver that part of the project.

Now, we appreciate that digging poles out of mud may not be your line of business.

But in our experience, being able to identify how each part of the Triple Constraint affects the other allows you to make sensible adjustments as a project progresses and you identify challenges that you hadn’t anticipated.

And one of those adjustments is about asking for help or collaborating with peers when challenges arise.

Some people see asking for help as a sign of weakness.

But in our experience, reaching out to your network or peers not only helps overcome immediate hurdles but also strengthens relationships and builds a supportive community around you and your business.

Not only does this enhance your capacity to meet future challenges it also provides you with opportunities to help others too.

Remember, sometimes adding just the right resources at the critical moment can make all the difference…whether that’s you reaching out for the right resource to help you, or someone reaching out to you as the right resource for them.

So what action can you take this week to strengthen your existing relationships or start to build new ones?

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

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