64: Beginning, Middle and End

The Project
I currently find myself at the beginning of one project (Topsham Walking Tour Guides), the middle of another (Sourdough Bread Made Easy) and (hopefully) the end of a third project (Project Program and Portfolio Management in easy steps), which is currently being proof read by the publishers. 

Projects and project teams have different needs and require different skills from the project manager in the early, middle and later stages of a project.  In the early stages team building skills are usually required; the middle stages require problems and conflicts to be recognised and addressed; and the later stages usually require some team motivation.  

Poor project managers jump right in and push too much in the early stages, instead of letting things flow naturally.  The wise project manager lets things take their natural course.  Once the project is underway, they can step back as much as possible, recognising that needless intervention will only confuse the team.  Towards the end poor project managers can again spoil the work by getting too eager and pushy.  

The Way  
The wise project manager does not try to do too much and does not worry about getting the credit for having done something.  Because he has no expectations, no outcome can be called a failure.  

Peace is easy to maintain.  
It is easy to plan things before they start.  

That which is brittle is easily broken,  
That which is small is easily scattered.  
Act before it happens.  
Put things in order before they are confused.  

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  
He who acts with motive will suffer defeat.  
He who seizes will lose.  
Thus the sage acts without motive,  
And so does not fail.