How to consider what opportunities are worth chasing.

The “Go/No-Go” Process: Deciding Which Work to Pursue

I had a great conversation with a client this week about how to decide which opportunities are worth chasing. Having spent a significant part of my career tendering for work, I’ve learned the importance of a “go/no-go” for opportunities. While the specifics may vary by industry, the three core questions remain the same.

Three Key “Go/No-Go” Questions

1 Can We Win It?

Some key things to consider:

• Is the project real? Will it actually go ahead, and do they have the budget? What factors could delay or cancel it?
• Competition: Are you up against firms with stronger relationships or a better track record? If so, your chances could be slim.

I’ve had experiences where I was confident we’d win, only to find out the project didn’t move forward at all, my client contact didn’t yet have their bosses commitment to the project.

In another case, my team optimistically estimated our chances at 50%. But when II flipped the question and what chance the opposition had of winning, they answered 95% as they were the incumbent and doing a great job. We stopped putting energy into chasing the work.

2 Can We Deliver It?

Things to consider:

• Skills: Do you have the right expertise for the job?
• Capacity: Does your team have the bandwidth, considering your current and future workload?

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new project and overlook the reality of the workload. Careful planning is key—make sure your team can handle both the current and future demands before committing.

3 Do We Want It?

This is a question that often gets overlooked, with teams getting excited about some part of the project or the glory of a big project, without realistically considering what it will be like to deliver it. Just because you can land and deliver a project doesn’t always mean you should.

Ask yourself:

• Risk vs. Reward: Is the potential payoff worth the effort?
• People: Do you want to work with the people involved in the project?
• Strategy: Does it align with your long-term goals?
• Impact: Will this project benefit your business, community, or even the planet?

For example, once a client asked why our price was higher than expected. Our quote reflected the fact that the project manager we’d be working with had a style that would likely require extra revisions on our end. The client didn’t want to switch project managers, so we stuck to our price and were ultimately paid for the extra work we anticipated. In this case, the risk/reward balance worked out.

It’s important to ask if the project aligns with your overall strategy, so you have resources and energy for your main goals. Chasing every opportunity can lead your business off course.

And we have all had experiences when the client contact makes the project a misery and not worth the time and money.

Why the “Go/No-Go” Process Matters

When opportunities arise, its good to have a hard look a these three questions. Can we win it? Can we deliver it? Do we want it? When opportunities arise, it can be easy to dream of the perfect project while overlooking predictable risks and problems.

At fist glance, the three questions might seem simple, but they prompt important, sometimes tough conversations. Walking away from a project that isn’t the right fit takes discipline and foresight.

We are often more defined by what we say no to, rather than what we say yes to.

If you need help refining your own go/no-go process, feel free to get in touch. I’m happy to assist!