75: Without Greed
The Book
I have just received the beta version of Microsoft Project 2010 so it’s time to start working on the next version of the book. I had planned to change the title back to “Microsoft Project in easy steps* with a subtitle of “Covers all versions to 2010” but it is so different I will have to abandon this and just call it “Project 2010 in easy steps”. It’s mostly the appearance and the use of the ribbon menus so the screenshots and instructions would be completely different. I’ve started working my way through the book noting the differences and the new features to be included.
The Project
We spent this week getting ready for the upgrade of Reed Hall next week. It’s scheduled for Wednesday and should be fairly straightforward as it’s not a big building. The following week we have quite a large building to upgrade so we will need some time to prep for that. I’m sure as ever that the team will do an excellent job on both as long as I let them get on with it.
The Way
The team will not prosper if the project manager grabs the lion’s share of the credit for the good work that has been done. The team will rebel and resist if the project manager relies on strict controls in an effort to make things happen a certain way. The team will become deadened and unresponsive if the project manager is critical and harsh.
The wise project manager is not greedy, selfish, defensive or demanding. That is why the project manager can be trusted to allow events to unfold naturally. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
Why are the people starving?
Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.
Therefore the people are starving.
Why are the people rebellious?
Because the rulers interfere too much.
Therefore they are rebellious.
Why do the people think so little of death?
Because the rulers demand too much of life.
Therefore the people take death lightly.
Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.
74: Judge & Jury
The Project
Over to Northcote House first thing on Monday morning to check everything was OK with the Executive Suite upgrade and it was. So many thanks to everyone for an excellent upgrade. There are now just two more buildings to upgrade to complete phase two of the project.
It was my last project board meeting on Tuesday so I presented my recommendations for the on-going management of the next phase of the project, which they seemed fairly happy with and I even got a vote of thanks from SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed). I don’t really like to make judgements but I think on the whole the project team have done a good through this phase despite all the problems and issues we have had to deal with. Two of the team in particular have been under a lot of pressure and haven’t always completed what they should have but we can live with that.
The Way
The project manager’s role is not to play judge and jury, and not to ‘punish’ people when they don’t do something they should have. Punishment is not an effective way of controlling behaviour. The poor project manager tries to act as judge and jury instead of allowing nature to take its course. In consequence this creates a crude imitation of a very subtle natural process and they will eventually find that punishing others becomes punishing work itself.
The wise project manager knows that there are natural consequences for every act. Their role is to shed light on these natural consequences and help people to understand what is going on, not to attack the behaviour itself. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
If men are not afraid to die,
It is of no avail to threaten them with death.
If men live in constant fear of dying,
And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed,
Who will dare to break the law?
There is always an official executioner.
If you try to take his place,
It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood.
If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
73: Freedom & Responsibility
The Project
It was a fairly tense week again, with the upgrade of our top executives’ part of the network on Thursday and Friday. Thursday went quite well but there were some problems with the new network Friday morning. It was a bit nerve-wracking but all sorted out by 2pm and by 5pm everyone seemed happy. Most of the executives were away (which is why we did it this week) but they are all back on Monday so it will be fingers crossed first thing.
The whole project team and our colleagues in desktop support worked well on this one and everyone seemed to know what they were doing. We had to make a couple of tough decisions but it worked out well in the end. So chalk up one for the good guys.
The Way
The word courage is often applied to soldiers but that is an active form of courage that tends to get people killed. The other form of courage is a passive or inner courage and that keeps people alive. Which of the two is better?
As is often the case, there is no right answer to that question. Each has its benefits and its drawbacks; neither takes precedence in the way of the project manager. The way is about how things happen, but it does not guide us on what we should do. The poor project manager, uncertain of what to do, often asks for advice. The wise project manager knows that they have freedom of choice and must also take individual responsibility. By becoming more conscious of what is happening, they can see for themselves how things happen. Then they can make their own decision about what to do.
The way teaches us that that what people do is their own responsibility, but the pattern of their behaviour still follows natural law. No one else can make decisions for you, it is up to you. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed.
A brave and calm man will always preserve life.
Of these two which is good and which is harmful?
Some things are not favoured by heaven. Who knows why?
Even the sage is unsure of this.
The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes.
It does not speak, and yet is answered.
It does not ask, yet is supplied with all its needs.
It seems at ease, and yet it follows a plan.
Heaven’s net casts wide.
Though its meshes are coarse, nothing slips through.
72: Spiritual Awareness
The Project
It was a fairly quiet week for a nice change. It gave me a bit of time to catch up with things and think about preparing the papers and reports for the next project board meeting. Come to think of it this will be my last project board as the one after is scheduled for January and I will have left. Now there’s a happy thought.
Two key members of the team were away this week so there are a few things I couldn’t do and will need to do some catching up on Monday. Then come Thursday we start on a fairly high profile update for the executives so there’s going to be a lot of checking up on things ahead of that. We seem to have one particular person who in the guise of helping the project seems to love finding fault with things. It is fairly challenging to stay objective and not react.
The Way
Working with a project team one has to be able to speak openly about things, even if it may cause offence. I try to be understanding about people’s work and other issues and not put undue pressure on them. There are always new things to discover and understand when working with people. It is very humbling.
The wise project manager lives in harmony with spiritual values. There is a way of knowing, higher than reason. There is a self, greater than egocentricity. The wise project manager demonstrates the power of selflessness and the unity of all creation. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.
Do not intrude in their homes.
Do not harass them at work.
If you do not interfere, they will not weary of you.
Therefore the sage knows himself but makes no show,
Has self-respect but is not arrogant.
He lets go of that and chooses this.
71: All the Answers
The Project
I had a nice bit of feedback this week so I must be doing something right. But it’s all down to the team effort really. I might be able to do some things right and I might even be able to ask the right questions sometime, but technically it’s the team that counts.
The cabling contractors have done a very good job so far let’s hope the get it right over the weekend and everything is OK on Monday morning. I’ll be in bright and early to check so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
The Way
No one has all the answers! As Donald Rumpsfeld once proved, knowing that you don’t know everything is far wiser than thinking that you know a lot when you really don’t. It’s just a pity he didn’t realise it at the time.
Most project managers have found themselves pretending to know something or know about something when they really don’t. This sort of phoney expertise is neurotic, but once the symptoms are recognised, the cure becomes obvious, stop doing it!
The wise project manager has learned it is painful to fake knowledge. Being wise and not wanting the pain, the wise project manager does not indulge in pretending. It becomes a relief to be able to say “I don’t know.” I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
Knowing ignorance is strength.
Ignoring knowledge is sickness.
If one is sick of sickness, then one is not sick.
The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness.
Therefore he is not sick.
70: There is Nothing New
The Project
We managed to get the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies upgraded this week but again hit a few problems. The cabling contractors never told us that they hadn’t finished testing the new fibre cables which delayed us for half a day. Then a mix up on the active directory print queues and people going home early meant we couldn’t get all the printers up and working but we fixed it early the following morning so everyone was happy. Then I tried to test the wireless access to find the new access points hadn’t been patched in so I had to chase up the cabling contractors again. But everything is falling into place, just a bit slower than some would like.
The Way
The way of the project manager is simple and easy to understand. It is therefore easy to do. But most project managers do not understand this approach and very few use it. It is too simple and ancient to attract their attention. The foolish project managers prefer something more radical and more innovative, as that is what gets them noticed.
The wise project manager stays with the single principle of how everything happens and does nothing new or original. But paradoxically the wise project manager appeals to very few followers, just to those who recognise that traditional wisdom is a treasure, which often lies hidden beneath a very ordinary appearance. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,
Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them.
My words have ancient beginnings.
My actions are disciplined.
Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me.
Those that know me are few;
Those that abuse me are honoured.
Therefore the sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart.
69: A Fight
I’ve just finished sorting out a trip to New Zealand for the end of January, so that’s something to look forward to. Ah well back to reality…
The Project
Having tried to raise a project exception I was instructed by my boss’s, boss’s boss (She Who Must Be Obeyed) to muddle on through. So I am managing to muddle on through, although the budget is getting burnt up faster and faster. Hopefully we not come in too much over budget at the end of the year but I have documented the rejected change request just for the sake of it.
Meanwhile I have also started to produce some draft documents for my end stage report and future recommendations for the project after I leave at the end of the year. Needless to say everyone has an axe to grind, so they are pressurising me to change my recommendations into what they would like me to say. I feel a fight coming on but that’s no surprise really.
The Way
It’s funny how one’s heroes such as Fidel Castro seem to age as fast as oneself, except of course for Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who stopped ageing some time back.
If a member of the project team wants to fight you, consider the strategy of a guerrilla such as Fidel or Che. Never seek a fight. If it comes to you, yield; step back. It is far better to step back than to overstep yourself. Your strength is your awareness of what is happening. Your weapon is the light of your consciousness. This is of course the essence of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
The foolish project manager initiates the attack and is therefore off centre and easily thrown.
The wise project manager has respect for any attacker. He advances only when there is no resistance. If you make a point, do not cling to it. If you win, be gracious. The wise project manager never surrenders their compassion nor uses their skill to harm anyone needlessly. In the end, the more conscious force will win. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.
The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:
There is a saying among soldiers:
I dare not make the first move but would rather play the guest;
I dare not advance an inch but would rather withdraw a foot.
This is called marching without appearing to move,
Rolling up your sleeves without showing your arm,
Capturing the enemy without attacking,
Being armed without weapons.
There is no greater catastrophe than underestimating the enemy.
By underestimating the enemy, I almost loose what I value.
Therefore when the battle is joined,
The underdog will win.
