Project management is a wonderful thing for those of us of the left-brain persuasion. As project managers, from the time we take our first halting steps as professionals we are trained in the comforting art of the process, the framework, the methodology . We are exposed to countless graphics depicting general concepts that we are to put into practice in the “real world”. And we charge at it, bending every situation to our will, pulling gratification from running every initiative with a deliverable through our Seussian Star-Bellied Sneetches machine of Assess, Plan, Design, Test, Implement, Support – not satisfied until each task is broken out into quark-sized detail in our work breakdown structures. We are masters of our domain, always knowing the status, the risks, and next steps. Ahh, the alignment of it all.
Until one day the world changes. “More with less” is repeated a million times in a million hallways. There are new challenges, new opportunities to branch out and up. All of a sudden it isn’t one project, but three, then four at a time. The natural order is threatened! Direct reports are added to the mix, inserting a whole new level of confounding dynamics. Carefully-documented risk mitigation strategies and communication plans are left half-written in favor of bonus plans and personnel assessments. Project charters are delegated to others as the business of, well, business is attended to. And then, the mother of all career evolutions draws a curtain on our precious processes – Business Development! Have we truly gone to the other side?
But take heart! Deep within us still beats the heart of a PM. We look back and realize that our PM habits have not been stripped from us – they are a part of everything we do, of the way we think. True, in the age of “more with less” we may no longer have the time for the full color, 3-ring project plans and deliverables we once poured our hearts into. 30-page narratives have given way to BI dashboards, leadership meetings and 15-minute executive updates. But the foundation, the discipline of putting first things first, the habits of pulling oneself back from the fray to analyze, abeit quickly, the best course of action should never be lost, even as careers evolve. It’s this discipline that makes us successful project managers, and will make us successful leaders as well.
Tom Streveler, July 29, 2009
Tags: Project Charters, project process
Tom,
A well written piece that was not only fun to read but got right to the heart of the trials and and rewards of those that have chosen a career of bringing order to chaos. There is always time to solve within the context of the root problem, develop a plan that is flexible and can be followed, measure twice at each critical step, and as a result of all we do finish on time at budget with quality.
It seems we are always fighting the forces of hurry. That is indeed what makes this process seem at time a “Seussian Star-Bellied Sneetches machine”. Loved it!
Tim