<Toolkit> Initiative Assessment

How to assess the likelihood of successfully completing a project, idea, or initiative.

Member’s Only Toolkit

Our organizations often suffer from doing too much rather than doing too little.

And doing a lot is almost always at the expense of doing things well. This is the root of delayed or abandoned projects, and reliably leads to teams feeling like they’re constantly moving but rarely moving forward.

Before beginning an initiative or project, try to methodically approach the likelihood of this project being successful.

By asking the right questions in advance, you gain clarity over how to set the initiative up for success, and can anticipate the likely risks or roadblocks that could derail or impede progress.

Why use it?

Delayed timelines. Cross-functional misalignment. Internal frustration. Waning interest. Beating your head against a wall.

These are oftentimes the outcomes of rushed projects and half-baked ideas.

The Initiative Assessment helps us look around corners and prepare for worst-case scenarios, and helps us gain clarity over the risks involved in an initiative so we know what to do when they appear.

How to use it?

Use the button below to create a copy of the Initiative Assessment.

There are several categories to consider when trying to assess the likelihood of successfully completing a project, idea, or initiative. Give yourself a rating of 1-10 for each category as described. Involve the stakeholders to have a productive discussion around each category.

There is no magic total score to hit.

Use the assessment to highlight any low scores, work through potential risks in the low score categories, and strategize ways to improve the score or reduce the risk. The assessment is a tool for gauging and improving your likelihood of success.