31: Intervention

Some years ago on a sailing holiday my wife told me that no woman like’s asking a man how to do something as the result will be like “having the tiller snatched out of your hand”.  This seems to be as true of project management as of sailing.  

When a poor project manager interferes in the work of the team, the team members will feel their work is not valued.  The team will be weakened and the team members will become less open, more defensive and resentful.  

The Way  
The wise project manager does not interfere.  He knows that a special awareness is called for if intervention does become necessary.  Delicate facilitation is the way of the project manager.  

Weapons are tools of misfortune,  
They are not the wise man’s tools.  
He uses them only when necessary,  
With calm and detachment.  

Victorious but without glory.  
Those who glorify, 
Are delighted in the killing.  
Those who delight in killing,  
Cannot achieve their ambitions in the world.  

We say that war is conducted like a funeral.  
Those who have been killed,  
Should be mourned in sorrow.  
Victory in war is a time for mourning.  

“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.