Just Sayin' - Simple Truths about Project Management

TL;DR

Learn three valuable truths about project management, including the importance of being present, seeking control, and properly utilizing software.

Transcript

in this video I want to start the year by sharing with you some simple and hopefully entertaining truths about project management a former colleague of mine by the name of Tony Quigley was famous among his colleagues and contacts for his short pithy and witty aphorisms about project management and I've been thinking about them and wanted to share s... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎁 Being present and actively managing a project is crucial to retaining control and avoiding chaos.
• 📽️ Project managers strive to create control in complex and uncertain environments to ensure project success.
• 📽️ Proper utilization of project management software is essential to maximize its benefits.
• 😫 Humor can play a role in project management by setting the mood and making learning opportunities more enjoyable.
• 📽️ Understanding and applying project management principles is vital for efficient and effective project delivery.
• 👮 Aphorisms, like Tony Quigley's "Quigley isms," and witty laws can provide valuable insights and perspectives on project management.
• ❓ Committees can sometimes make decisions that are less intelligent than those made by individuals, a phenomenon known as risky shift.
• 💨 The further away a future event is, the more appealing it may seem, as stated by Finnegan's law.
• ⚾ Last-minute improvements do not replace evidence-based decision-making.
• 😜 One-size-fits-all approaches are not suitable for every situation, as they may only work for silly hats.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is being an absentee project manager a contradiction?

Being absent from a project means losing control and allowing chaos to set in. Effective project management requires a manager's presence and active involvement to maintain control and ensure success.

Q: What does a project manager crave above all else?

Project managers crave control. They strive to create control in a complex and uncertain environment to effectively manage projects and achieve desired outcomes.

Q: Why is it important to properly use sophisticated project management software?

Proper utilization of project management software is crucial to make the most of the investment. Many individuals use such software as a mere drawing tool, but the software will only do what it is instructed to do, not necessarily what is desired. Learning to use the software correctly improves project management efficiency and effectiveness.

Q: How does humor play a role in project management?

Humor can set the mood in project management and make learning opportunities more enjoyable. Witty aphorisms, like Tony Quigley's "Quigley isms," can provide home truths for project managers and clients, making project management a bit more lighthearted.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Tony Quigley, known for his witty aphorisms about project management, inspired the speaker to share valuable truths about the field.

• The first truth emphasizes that a project manager cannot be absent and still effectively manage a project.

• The second truth highlights the project manager's craving for control in a chaotic environment, and the third truth emphasizes the need to properly learn and utilize project management software.