17: Facilitation

Project 2013 in easy steps is now ready to upload. I'm just waiting for the publishers to set up an account in DropBox for me to upload it to.  

The Way
Lao Tzu tells us that there are four types of leaders and that equates to project managers:  

The worst are the weak, ineffectual ones that have been promoted to their level of incompetence.  

Next are those that are feared and who get their way by threatening and browbeating their team.  

Then we come to the charismatic leaders, who lead from the front and are popular, but they are not wise project managers, for the team will be too reliant on them.  

The wise project manager is barely noticed.  He does not intervene unless it is absolutely necessary and allows the team to run itself.  He trusts in his team and they, in turn, trust in him.  Greatness does not come to those who go looking for it, it comes out of humility, for this is the way of the project manager.  

When the best ruler governs,  
The people are barely aware he exists.  
The next best is a leader which they know and love.  
Then one who is feared.  
The worst is one who is despised.  

If the ruler does not trust the people,  
There will be no trust in him.  
The best ruler doesn’t talk, he acts.  
When his work is done,  
The people say “We did it!”  

“The Way of the Project Manager” by John Carroll (ISBN 978-1481076111), is published by CreateSpace and available from Amazon in hard copy and on Amazon Kindle.