The Project
Just finished the second draft of “Project Program and Portfolio Management in easy steps” and it is currently being checked by my better half (who has an uncanny knack of spotting my punctuation mistakes). She is also checking that it is understandable to a non-technical business manager. Once that’s done I will be asking for some peer reviews from some technical colleagues. Am I worried?
Some people fear life, some fear death and some waver between them. Lao Tzu tells us that each of these three groups represents thirty percent of people. Applying this to project management we could say that fear of failure and apprehension about success, together with wavering between them causes tension. This in turn causes people to make mistakes in critical situations, which can have fatal consequences for the project team.
The Way
The wise project manager represents the ten percent that have the wisdom to accept that these polarities are simple facts and so enjoys the dance of existence. The wise project manager knows that everything comes and goes so there is no point in grasping for or clinging to things. Why worry about what might or might not happen?
A ferocious dog will go for an excited or anxious person, while a conscious and centred person can walk past unharmed. The wise project manager does not worry about success or failure and this freedom keeps him safe from harm.
Between birth and death,
Three in ten are followers of life,
Three in ten are followers of death,
Also three in ten are of a nature,
Which actively leads to death.
Why is this so?
Because they live a substantial life.
It is said that he who has a good grip on life,
Meets no rhinoceros or tiger on his path.
Rhinoceroses can find no place for their horns,
Tigers no place for their claws,
Why is this so?
Because he has no place for death.
Note: In terms of Tao death does not exist, it is just a transition from one state to another.
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