The Tao of Project Management

18: Taking Sides

2012-01-27T16:18:00.000Z

There is often a lot of pressure at key times in a project. The poor project manager gets caught up in this pressure and consequently looses sight of what is happening. The wise project manager recognises that he needs to make space and step back in order to observe what is going on.

The Way

The way represents the single principle of how everything works. When we keep it simple and follow the path there will be harmony in the team and people get on with the project. When we leave the way the team will start to argue about what they should or should not have done and what might or might not have then happened. The project team begins to lose their motivation and they start to take sides.

The wise project manager recognises what is happening and that it is the time to return to first principles. He needs to calm the team, reassure them and bring them back to the way. This is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

When the great Tao is forgotten,

Kindness and morality arise.

When wisdom and intelligence are born,

The great pretence begins.

When there is no peace within the family,

Filial piety and devotion arise.

When the country is confused and in chaos,

Loyal ministers appear.

17: Facilitation

2012-01-20T14:29:00.000Z

Lao Tsu tells us that there are four types of leaders or in our case project managers:

Those that are despised are usually weak, ineffectual project managers that are not really leaders at all, just people promoted to their level of incompetence. They struggle to get anything done and are seen as losers. We can all agree that they are poor project managers.

Next are those that are feared and who get their way by threatening and browbeating their team. They leave a trail of broken people in their wake. The good people take the hint and move somewhere they will be more appreciated. The bad people try to imitate the “great one” or toady up to them. The leader who doesn’t trust the team will not be trusted themselves. Again I am sure we can all agree that they too are poor project managers.

Then we come to the interesting project managers, those who are charismatic leaders and are known and loved by their people. Typically they lead from the front, are popular and can even have followers and fans, but they are not wise project managers. Take them away from their team and the team will stumble as they are reliant on the project manager and this is not the way.

The wise project manager is barely noticed. He does not intervene unless it is absolutely necessary and allows the team virtually to run itself. He facilitates with a light touch and delegates wisely. The team gets on with its work without fuss and bother. What more could a wise project managers wish for?

The Way
Greatness does not come to those who go looking for it, it comes out of humility. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:

The very highest is barely known to men.
Then comes that which they know and love,
Then that which is feared,
Then that which is despised.

He who does not trust enough will not be trusted.
When actions are performed
Without unnecessary speech,
People say, “We did it!”

16: Letting Go

2012-01-16T15:13:00.000Z

In project management there is no point trying to be perfect or admired as these are not things that make the team or the project successful. By letting go of all emotional baggage and just being part of the team we not only benefit the rest of the team and the project but we benefit ourselves.

Poor project managers try to impress their management and may even achieve this, briefly. But it is short lived and they are usually brought back to earth by their own vanity. I recall one person who suffered from these faults and was universally despised by his colleagues and subordinates (he didn’t have a team in a real sense) yet he still seemed to survive. I feel sure he must have been brought back to earth by now.

The Way
The wise project manager does not claim to be perfect or want to be admired, for it would only be an illusion. Interestingly the wise project manager is often admired, but not because he strives for it as he doesn’t, but because he supports the rest of the team. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao
Lao Tsu tells us:

Empty yourself of everything.
Let the mind rest at peace.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
With an open mind, you will be openhearted.

Being openhearted, you will act royally.
Being royal, you will attain the divine.
Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away.

15: The Project Manager’s Teachers

2012-01-06T16:15:00.000Z

I’ve just finished the first draft of chapter 8 of ‘Agile Project Management in easy steps’, 3 or 4 more chapters to go but it’s all on hold for a couple of weeks while I pack up and move. A much more challenging project!

Good project managers I have known have tended to be subtle, responsive and had a good knowledge of what was happening on their projects. Poor project managers I have known tend to rely on methods and techniques to try and stay on top of their projects but they have usually struggled. But who teaches the project manager?

The Way

Reflection helps us to see how things happen. When we reflect we are grounded in the infinite, which is why we can sometimes appear deep and inscrutable. The wise project manager is considerate and does harm to no one. He is courteous and knows how to yield gracefully. He is open and receptive and can clarify things for others, because he has been there himself. He has given up selfishness so that he can enhance others.

The wise project manager is not trying to be enlightened, because he is enlightened. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.

The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.

Because it is unfathomable,

All we can do is describe their appearance.

Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.

Alert, like men aware of danger.

Courteous, like visiting guests.

Yielding, like ice about to melt.

Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.

Hollow, like caves.

Opaque, like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?

Who can remain still until the moment of action?

Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfilment.

Not seeking fulfilment, they are not swayed by desire for change.

14: Knowing What's Happening

2011-12-30T10:54:00.002Z

I am in the midst of selling, buying and moving house at the moment and that itself is a project and a half! I am trying to let the solicitor, estate agents and removers get on with things and not interfere.

One sure sign of a poor project manager is one who doesn’t know what's going on in his project. He may keep questioning the team to find out, but that will only irritate the team members and it is not the way. We need to become silent and listen with our inner selves. If we don't understand something, don't strive to figure it out, step back, be calm and the way will become clear.

A ski coach once told me not to try harder but to try softer. Let go of trying and then things start to work out. It's the same with project management, stand back, let go of trying and we will begin to understand what's going on.

The Way

The wise project manager stays in the present. The past is over and done with, there's no point in thinking about what might have been. Likewise there's no point in trying to second guess the future, it will be what it will be. Stay in the present and attend to what's happening now. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Look, it cannot be seen – it is beyond form.

Listen, it cannot be heard – it is beyond sound.

Grasp, it cannot be held – it is intangible.

These three are indefinable;

Therefore they are joined in one.

From above it is not bright;

From below it is not dark;

An unbroken thread beyond description.

It returns to nothingness.

The form of the formless,

The image of the imageless,

It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it and there is no beginning.

Follow it and there is no end.

Stay with the ancient Tao,

Move with the present.

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.

13: Success

2011-12-24T09:25:00.000Z

One of the issues I have always been interested in is how to measure success in project management. The easy answer is of course: on time, within budget and with all the required features and functionality. The project should also deliver benefits to the business in line with the business case but that’s not the project manager’s responsibility. So maybe the poor project manager would stop there. But of course true success can only really be achieved when the project has delivered something that the users are happy to use. In addition to the users there is also the project team; can the project be regarded as a success unless the team also are happy with the outcome?

The Way

So the poor project manager concentrates on getting the project in on time and within budget. The slightly better project manager adds delivery of the required features and functionality. The good project manager includes and cares for the users, the team and all the other project stakeholders. He lets them be the judges of whether or not the project is successful. By fostering success in the users and team we can share in that success and truly say “that project was successful”. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Accept disgrace willingly.

Accept misfortune as the human condition.

What do you mean by “Accept disgrace willingly”?

Accept being unimportant.

Do not be concerned with loss or gain.

This is called “accepting disgrace willingly.”

What do you mean as “Accept misfortune as the human condition”?

Misfortune comes from having a body.

Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.

Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.

12: Reflection

2011-12-16T20:12:00.000Z

I’ve been working on a chapter on Scrum for the new book this week, quite heavy going as I’ve not used it myself. Fortunately I know someone who has so I hope he will check it out for me (thanks David ;-). I also received a copy of Project Management in easy steps printed for India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka and Bhutan. Same as the regular one but printed in black and white rather than full colour, interesting.

The Way

Scrum works on rapid development sprints and some project teams can become quite frantic when the pressure is on. This is not helped if the project manager creates a lot of noise and begins to lose their way. When that happens the team looses its way as well.

The wise project manager is guided by what she or he feels and not by what they see happening around them. Stay still and calm and be guided by your inner feelings, not what you are being told. When we take time to reflect, the way becomes clearer. The rest of the team picks up on this and stays centred. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The five colours blind the eye.

The five tones deafen the ear.

The five flavours dull the taste.

Racing and hunting madden the mind.

Precious things lead one astray.

Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.

He lets go of that and he chooses this.

11. Inner Space

2011-12-09T17:23:00.000Z

The Book

I am close to finishing the first three chapters of “Agile Project Management in easy steps” and I’ll be sending a draft out to some friends who use it for a peer review. I’m enjoying writing it as it is all about empowering the team, which is very close to my heart.

The Way

While the members of the project team work together on a project there is a concept of an inner space created by the group. This defines how the team works together and even the mood of the group. It is the context for everything which happens.

The foolish project manager focuses and concentrates on what the members of the team are doing and saying, but the wise project manager pays attention to the silences. The silences and empty spaces reveal the group’s essential mood and this is the group field. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Thirty spokes share the wheel’s hub;

It is the centre hole that makes it useful.

Shape clay into a vessel;

It is the space within that makes it useful.

Cut doors and windows for a room;

It is the holes that make it useful.

Therefore profits come from what is there;

Usefulness comes from what is not there.

10: Unbiased Leadership

2011-12-02T17:04:00.002Z

One of the fine lines a project manager has to walk is not taking sides and not getting involved in squabbles. Leading the team without being possessive or dominating and more importantly without talking the credit for the work of the team. Lao Tsu asks a lot of questions in this chapter and as project managers these are the questions we should be asking ourselves. Can we lead without dominating?

The Way

Poor project managers try to dominate the team. This will grind the team down and stifle their creativity. The wise project manager encourages the team and is supportive, without taking credit for the team’s achievements. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,

Can you avoid separation?

Attending fully and becoming supple,

Can you be as a newborn babe?

Washing and cleansing the primal vision,

Can you be without stain?

Loving all men and ruling the country,

Can you be without cleverness?

Opening and closing the gates of heaven,

Can you play the role of woman?

Understanding and being open to all things,

Are you able to do nothing?

Giving birth and nourishing,

Bearing yet not possessing,

Working yet not taking credit,

Leading yet not dominating,

This is the Primal Virtue.

09: A Good Team

2011-11-25T12:34:00.000Z

I have just finished the first draft of chapter one of my new book "Agile Project Management in easy steps". It reinforced my thinking on this particular topic as in an agile project environment the team are empowered and trusted.

I have always been impressed by how well people can work in a project team if you respect them and let them get on with it. My last project team were all very professional, sure some were better at some things than others but they were all good and capable of working well and they knew their stuff. It was a real pleasure and a privilege to work with them. A good team is better than a spectacular team.

The poor project manager tries to micro-manage and become a superstar. But few superstars are down to earth and they soon get carried away with their own importance then, sooner or later, they go haywire and crash.

The Way

The wise project manager settles for good work and lets the team have the floor. The wise project manager does not try and take the credit for what happens and has no need for fame. A moderate ego demonstrates wisdom. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Better stop short than fill to the brim.

Over sharpen the blade, and the edge will soon be blunt.

Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.

Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.

Retire when the work is done.

This is the way of heaven.

08: Go With the Flow

2011-11-18T16:29:00.000Z

Pushy project managers may think they are being effective but they will have a bad impact on the team. Much better to be relaxed and go with the flow that way the team will be positive and motivated. That’s not to say that you can be incompetent and get away with it for the team will soon find you out. Just be fair and honest with the team and they will respect it.

The Way

The poor project manager is pushy and causes resentment. The wise project manager is like water. Water goes anywhere freely. It is yielding and flows naturally. Because the wise project manager does not push, the team does not resent or resist. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The highest good is like water.

Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.

It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.

In meditation, go deep in the heart.

In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.

In speech, be true.

In ruling, be just.

In business, be competent.

In action, watch the timing.

No fight: No blame.

07: Selflessness

2011-11-11T09:59:00.000Z

I am currently working through the revisions to Project Management in Easy Steps. The second edition is going to be titled Effective Project Management and is due for publication in February, with Agile Project Management to follow in March. Revising this material brought my mind into focus on this week’s chapter of the Tao.

A poor project manager, who is selfish and thinks only of himself, will soon alienate the rest of the team. Or, worse still, the rest of the team start to develop similar characteristics. It stands to reason that a good, supportive project manager will make the whole team feel better. And if the team feels better they will perform better.

The Way

The wise project manager shows enlightened leadership through service. He puts the well-being of the team above that of himself. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Heaven and earth last forever.

Why do heaven and earth last forever?

They are unborn,

So ever living.

The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.

He is detached, thus at one with all.

Through selfless action, he attains fulfilment.

06: Reflection

2011-11-04T16:22:00.000Z

My publisher has just asked me to update ‘Project Management in Easy Steps’ for a second edition and also write a new one ‘Agile Project Management in Easy Steps’ with the possibility of ‘Time Management in Easy Steps’ and ‘PRINCE2 in Easy Steps’ to follow. So much for retirement! Now back to reflection.

Much has been written about what a project manager does but little on the way the wise project manager does it. We have all probably met 'hard' project managers, who drive their team and themselves, but it is maybe more difficult to recall the 'soft' project managers, the ones who achieve quietly and seemingly with little effort.

The Way

So what are the soft skills a project manager needs to get things done?

Influencing: the wise project manager knows he doesn’t have authority over the team, so he needs to build trust and respect to get things done.

Delegating: the wise project manager knows he can't do it all himself, so he lets go and trusts the team.

Negotiating: life is full of trade-offs so the wise project manager is prepared to understand other peoples' needs as well as those of the project.

Motivating: the wise project manager knows that people need to be encouraged and praised and thanked for what they have done on the project.

Building: the wise project manager knows that team spirit is a wonderful thing, with it everyone will push together.

Soothing: there will be difficulties and difficult people; the wise project manager stays calm in these situations.

The wise project manager brings out his feminine side (unless of course she already happens to be one of the 20% of project managers who is a woman, in which case sister, be thankful and be yourself). I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The valley spirit never dies;

It is the woman, primal mother.

Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.

It is like a veil barely seen.

Use it; it will never fail.

05: Equal Treatment

2011-10-28T12:34:00.002+01:00

When it comes to project team members, it is normal that some will be better at certain things than others. Some will be very competent at what they do and others less so. Some will be more dedicated and some less so. I always have to smile when people raise Belbin roles as a pre-requisite when selecting project teams. “We must have a completer/finisher” is the usual cry but in my humble opinion you are lucky to get people with the technical skills you need, let alone team skills. At the end of the day the project manager usually has to work with what he gets.

Having said that, it is important not to pick favourites and only use the ‘best’ people. Of course critical tasks need to be performed by people who can handle them but it is still important to treat all team members equally. The good project manager remembers to do this when thanking the team for their hard work at major events. Of course we should recognise any outstanding contributions but it’s important to thank everyone for their work.

The Way

The wise project manager does not try to protect the team members from themselves. The light of awareness shines equally on what is good and what is bad. One person is as worthy as the next.

Knowing this the wise project manager does not pretend to be special. He does not gossip about others or waste breath arguing the merits of competing theories. Silence is a great source of strength. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Heaven and earth are ruthless;

They see the ten thousand things as dummies.

The wise are ruthless;

They see the people as dummies.

The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.

The shape changes but not the form;

The more it moves, the more it yields.

More words count less.

Hold fast to the centre.

04: The Way Is Not a Thing

2011-10-21T10:50:00.002+01:00

The Way is not a thing; it is a single unifying principle or law. The Way is about how things happen. Some poor project managers believe that if they follow a methodology, such as PRINCE2 or PM-BOK, then they are running their project the right way, but this is not the way.

The Way

The way cannot be found and it cannot be learned, it is just there. Nothing comes before the way, nothing made the way. The way simply is. The wise project manager does not therefore search for the way, he runs his project in harmony with the way by following natural law and the single principle. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.

Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!

Blunt the sharpness,

Untangle the knot,

Soften the glare,

Merge with dust.

Oh, hidden deep but ever present!

I do not know from whence it comes.

It is the forefather of the emperors.

03: Being Oneself

2011-10-14T11:21:00.000+01:00

Some project managers are only happy when they and the project team look busy. They like to see the team working hard, working late and rushing about. But is that effective? I only feel happy when the project team is relaxed and everyone has time to smile and share a joke.

The Way

The poor project manager is ambitious and desperate for success. He wants advancement and this will create havoc for the project team. The wise project manager concentrates on making sure the team have what they need to do the work and protecting them from interference.

Getting things done doesn't have to be frantic and the team don’t have to be busy. If we just act 'as ourselves' and co-operate with one another the team can achieve great things. The wise project manager is more concerned that what the team does is effective and this is simple wisdom. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Not exalting the gifted prevents quarrelling.

Not collecting treasure prevents stealing.

Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.

The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies,

by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.

If people lack knowledge and desire,

then intellectuals will not try to interfere.

If nothing is done then all will be well.

02: Opposites

2011-10-07T12:22:00.002+01:00

Trying too hard to achieve something will often end in disaster. I have seen project managers who have driven themselves and their project team into the dust by trying to achieve the impossible. I once received some excellent advice from a ski coach “why not try softer rather than trying harder. Imagine that the handles of the ski poles are little canaries in your hands”. Several dead canaries later I finally stopped trying and it worked! Of course I immediately got very excited at my success, crossed my skis and crashed!

Project managers that drive themselves and their team think that they will be admired for their efforts. In fact they are often laughed at. People who tell you how good they are by telling you how hard they work are likely to be very insecure. People who try and impress you with the complexities of their job are probably confused by it themselves.

The Way

Now consider the opposites. People who don’t try too hard will usually achieve what they are working for because they are working within the limit of their competence. People who admit that they are always learning from what they do are the ones with the real knowledge. People who make things seem simple and easy to understand are the ones who really know what they are talking about.

The wise project manager allows things to happen and unfold at their own pace. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.

All can know good as good only because there is evil.

Therefore having and not having arise together.

Difficult and easy complement each other.

Long and short contrast each other;

High and low rest upon each other;

Voice and sound harmonise each other;

Front and back follow one another.

Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.

The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,

Creating, yet not possessing,

Working, yet not taking credit.

Work is done, then forgotten.

Therefore it lasts forever.

01: The Way

2011-09-30T09:42:00.002+01:00

Projects begin with an idea and at that time very little is known about the project, it is just the beginning. From this beginning many things will unfold and happen, these things will make up the project. We may call them stages or phases or tasks or activities but they are just the things that will happen.

Starting with a blank slate and no expectations the wise project will begin to see things as they unfold. The poor project manager focuses on the work or tasks that need to be accomplished and will become lost in the process. The wise project manager focuses on the results (deliverables) and facilitates the achievement of them. It doesn’t matter what has to be done or the way that it has to be done, what matters is that it is done.

The Way

The way of the project manager is about how things happen on projects. It is not a process, although we may use elements of process, it is a principle. A process such as PRINCE2 can be learned but that does not make someone who has learned it a wise project manager, the way cannot be learnt, it can only be known. So this is a quest for that knowledge, a meditation on project life. There is no real name for this so we won't attempt to find one; we will just observe the mystery of what unfolds on the journey. There will be darkness but, hopefully, out of this we will begin to know how things happen. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.

The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.

The named is the mother of ten thousand things.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.

Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.

These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness.

Darkness within darkness.

The gate to all mystery.

00: Ending and Beginning

2011-09-23T16:24:00.000+01:00

Chapter 81 is the last chapter in the Tao so last week’s blog was the end of the series. But it is a cyclical process so out of the ending comes a new beginning.

Introduction

Much has been written about the process of project management from “Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2” and “The Project Management Body of Knowledge” (PM-BOK) to “Project Management for Dummies” and my own humble offering “Project Management in Easy Steps”. But these are mostly about the “what” of project management, the hard skills. I did try to cover some of the “how” in my book, in particular: motivating the team; project management style; teamwork and leadership, but the majority of the book was still on the “what” of project management. These processes can be learned and many project managers can recite PRINCE or the PM-BOK chapter and verse but they are not necessarily wise project managers.

The “how” of project management represents the soft skills and is more a set of principles than a process and this cannot be taught, it can only be understood or known. This became the starting point of my quest for that knowledge, a sort of meditation on the “how” of project life. The “Way of the Project Manager” is based on my observations of how things happen in real projects, set against the background of the thoughts and advice of Lao Tsu.

Lao Tsu lived around 500 BC and was the author of the Tao Te Ching (the book of how things happen). Lao Tzu's wise thoughts attracted many followers but he always refused to set his ideas down in writing, believing that the written words might be regarded as a sort of dogma. He gave no rigid code of behaviour but believed that a person's conduct should be governed by instinct and conscience. He believed that simplicity was the key to truth and understanding. He encouraged his followers to observe and seek to understand the laws of nature.

Lao Tsu was a contemporary of Confucius, and worked as an archivist in the Imperial Library of the Zhou Dynasty (1122–256 BC). Lao Tzu perceived that the kingdom's affairs were starting to disintegrate and decided it was time to leave. He was travelling West on a buffalo when he came to the Han Gu Pass. The pass was guarded and the keeper realised Lao Tzu was leaving for good, so he asked him to write out some of his wisdom so that it could be preserved when he was gone. Lao Tzu climbed down from his buffalo, wrote out the Tao Te Ching, climbed back onto his buffalo, rode off and was never heard of again.

Over the years I have found a great deal of wisdom in the Tao Te Ching that seems to apply to project management. I have tried to pass that wisdom on through the various project management courses I have developed and run but without much success. I now understand that the Way cannot be taught in the same way as project management methodology, it can only be observed and understood by someone who is willing to open their mind. I hope that you, gentle reader, are willing to do that so that you might begin to understand how things happen so that you can develop as a wise project manager.

There are many translations of the Tao Te Ching and the quotations I have included are taken from the translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English (1984). I am also grateful for the insight provided by John Heider’s “The Tao of Leadership”, which helped to point me towards the Way. So clear your mind of any desire or expectation and join me on a journey along the Way of the Project Manager, towards knowledge and understanding.

John Carroll

September 2011

81: The Reward

2011-09-16T11:22:00.000+01:00

Chapter 81 is the final chapter in the Tao. Looking back at the end of my last major project I particularly enjoyed going round saying goodbye and thanking the members of the project team. It was also nice getting their thanks back in return showing that the way really does work. Despite all the problems, the project was successful in what it achieved and the team can take the credit for that as they did it.

The Way

The poor project manager looks for his own success and tries to collect a string of successful projects to his credit. The wise project manager tries to help others to find their own success. There is plenty to go around. Sharing success with others is very successful.

The single principle teaches us that true benefit blesses everyone and diminishes no one. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Truthful words are not beautiful.

Beautiful words are not truthful.

Good men do not argue.

Those who argue are not good.

Those who know are not learned.

The learned do not know.

The sage never tries to store things up.

The more he does for others, the more he has.

The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.

The Tao of heaven is pointed but does no harm.

The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

80: The Simple Life

2011-09-09T17:47:00.002+01:00

Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) is one of my favourite acronyms. As project managers, if we want to be free we must learn to live simply.

The poor project manager eagerly tries every new tool and reads every new project management book that comes out, hoping it will give him the edge. The world is full of new and exciting things. So what?

The Way

The good project manager is happy to use whatever he has and is content with where he is. There is no point in trying to solve a problem by moving somewhere else, changing employers or friends. The good project manager keeps it simple and makes a space for spending time with the team. I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

A small country has fewer people.

Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster than man, they are not needed.

The people take death seriously and do not travel far.

Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them.

Though they have armour and weapons, no one displays them.

Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing.

Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple, their homes secure;

They are happy in their ways.

Though they live within sight of their neighbours,

And crowing cocks and barking dogs are heard across the way,

Yet they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die.

79: Win or Loose

2011-09-02T13:49:00.000+01:00

Looking back at the last time I reviewed this topic I had just completed my last major project at the University of Exeter. Although we had achieved a lot in two years, I felt I had lost as I wasn’t able to achieve everything that I would have liked. But on the positive side the project team were good and they felt, rightly, that they had done a good job with what we were able to achieve, so maybe it was a win after all.

The Way

The poor project manager tries to win any arguments. If he fails to win he pretends to compromise while hiding his true feelings.

The good project manager yields his position gracefully and returns to facilitating what is happening. We are all one; there are no sides to take. The wise project manger goes along with what is happening anyway. I know this, for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.

What can one do about it?

Therefore the sage keeps half of the bargain

But does not exact his due.

A man of virtue performs his part,

But a man without virtue requires others to fulfil their obligations.

The Tao of heaven is impartial.

It stays with good men all the time.