Unrealistic schedule targets, e.g. as a result of sales having promised too much, or because the boss striving for savings, often are the beginning of distress in the course of a project.
As bosses in many cases are driven by or thinking in numbers you can sometimes beat them with their own weapons. Conduct a realistic 3-Point-Estimation for all work packages in discussion. Then prove your position with statistic probabilities (standard deviation, confidence intervals), showing how certain the too short time constraint would fail. This will provide your “bad gut feeling” with data based security and convince a lot of your bosses.
Sales you may treat a little more subtle: Show to the Account Manager the alternatives to admit a mistake in calculation and re-negotiate the constraints now at the order’s beginning, or having to beg with expensive concessions for a period of grace afterwards…
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