I find myself under a lot of pressure in my day job at this time but am trying to stay calm and do what I need to do to get things done. I know I can rely on the rest of the team to do the right things so I can let them get on with it.
The urge to try harder when things don't quite go right is a common one, but a project manager trying too hard is a sure sign of insecurity and incompetence. When we are in control and know what we are doing we are relaxed and at peace with ourselves and our project.
The Way
The wise project manager knows that trying to rush things gets you nowhere. He knows that fame will complicate his life and compromise simplicity in his day to day work. He knows that selfishness obscures his deeper self. Therefore he avoids all these things. He does his work and moves on.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Standing on tiptoe is not steady.
Being self-centered is not enlightened.
Being self-righteous is not respected.
Boasting is not being grown-up.
Those who follow the Tao,
Call these surplus food or baggage.
Something found bad.
The followers of the Tao avoid them.
One thing I have observed over the years is that a wise project manager does not spend all his time talking about problems and issues. He gets on and does something about them and only speaks when it is necessary. He demonstrates what needs to be done by his behaviour rather than by what he does.
The poor project manager tries to impress his team and project stakeholders by talking about what he is doing, but it carries little weight. Being dramatic or egocentric neither does any good nor looks good. When we try and force things to happen, those things will go wrong. So what is the right way?
The Way
When we do the right things by following the Way, we will be rewarded and the right things will happen. So the wise project manager trusts his team and in turn the team trust him.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
To talk little is natural.
A whirlwinds does not last all morning.
A rainstorm does not last all day.
Why is this? Heaven and earth!
Even heaven and earth cannot make things eternal,
So how is it possible for man?
He whose concern is Tao,
His path is Tao oriented.
He who is virtuous,
Experiences virtue.
He whose concern is error,
Loses the way.
When you are at one with the Tao,
The Tao welcomes you.
When you are at one with virtue,
Virtue welcomes you.
When you are at one with error,
Error welcomes you.
He who does not trust enough
Will not be trusted.
Things are very hectic at the rugby club at the moment, lots of things to try and sort out including preparing our budgets for next financial year. The last project (extension to the spectator viewing area and safety barrier) was completed successfully and we got a grant from the RFU towards the work, which was nice. Car park improvements and an electronic scoreboard come next. Meanwhile we've an away game down at Lanner, in deepest Cornwall on Saturday so a fun day out for all.
The Paradox of Letting Go
When the going gets tough it is sometimes hard to let go, yet when we stop trying, things fall into place all by themselves. Poor project managers drive themselves and their team harder but that is not the way.
The Way
The wise project manager adopts the Yin or feminine approach. By giving up trying and going with the flow they can overcome obstacles and achieve their objectives. When we give of ourselves we become more. When we feel exhausted we will grow strong again. But most importantly, when we desire little a great deal will come to us. Let go in order to achieve, this is the wisdom of the feminine.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Yield and overcome,
Bend and be straight,
Empty and be full,
Wear out and be renewed,
Have little and gain,
Have much and be confused.
Therefore the sage embraces the Tao,
And is an example in the world.
Not by nature conspicuous,
Therefore they shine bright.
Not by nature aggressive,
Therefore they achieve recognition.
They do not quarrel,
So nothing can quarrel with them.
Strange the saying “Wrong is the model for perfect.”
Can this be an empty saying?
Be truly whole,
And return to the Tao.
Welcome to 2017
I trust you all have a happy and rewarding year. As usual I will be dripping in my thoughts, meditations and opinions as we go, with a little bit about life (or the continuous learning program as I like to think of it).
Speaking of continuous learning, I was contacted by Emily of Master of Project, regarding their training courses. I promised to take a look and I did. They do seem to have some good courses, both in terms of learning and towards accreditation, plus a very nice web site. Well done Emily. I will test out their free Agile Scrum Overview and report back. Meantime their web site is at: masterofproject.com if you are interested.
For myself, I have a number of small projects on the go at the moment and was reflecting on the fact that projects can sometimes get very confusing and it is not always easy to see the way. If the way was simple, it would be easy to see that one option would be right and another wrong. But projects are not like that, they tend to be noisy and confused, with competing calls for attention coming from all sides.
Poor project managers tend to jump every time someone yells. Wise project managers calmly point out that to jump would impact on other activities and asks the jumpee to consider which other project activities they would like to be put aside to allow the jumper time to plan and execute the jump on their behalf.
The Way
If we accept that everything is connected in some way (even the people asking us to jump), then we are always potentially on the way. If we struggle and fight against what is happening then we will surely loose the way. If we accept, in silence, that things are the way they are, then we move forward along the way. So in times of turmoil the wise project manager holds onto the belief that everything happens according to one universal principal.
Be calm and clear, and think about the results of taking actions before reacting. Then take the actions that will gently steer the project back towards its objectives.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
The greatest virtue is to follow only the Tao.
The Tao seems wild and obscure.
So obscure, so wild,
But within it there is form.
So profound, so dark,
But within it there is essence.
This essence is very real,
And within it there is truth.
From the very beginning until now
Its name has never been forgotten.
To observe the source of all things.
How do I know the nature of the source?
Because of here and now.
It's always good to look back and review how things went as part of an experiential learning process, so this is my review of 2016 and no don't worry, I'm not going to mention Brexit or Trump!
January began as usual with me opening Topsham outdoor swimming pool on New Year's Day (I'll be doing it again on Sunday morning). The rest of January was taken up with worrying about storm Gertrude and flooded rugby pitches.
February things started to pick up and we were able to play a few games. Not a lot else seemed to be happening!
March saw the publication of a white paper on why projects really fail, while on the rugby front Exeter Chiefs needed to bounce back from a bad loss to Leicester, and Topsham needed to keep up the pressure for a play-off spot.
April spent two weeks in Jamaica, saw a good bit of the island and met some great people. While back at home Topsham RFC secured promotion from Devon 1 to the Cornwall and Devon league, brilliant!
May saw the start of the cricket season (yawn) so I turned my concentration onto what we can do to make sure projects go right (rather than looking at why they go wrong).
June looked at the steps we need to take to implement successful project management.
July discussed the soft skills of project management.
August looked at building a good team and pre-season training started at long last.
September saw the need to stay calm and how we should measure success in project management, while the new season kicked off well.
October saw things building up to Bonfire Night, our biggest fund raising event at the club and another great team effort.
November the fifth was a great success and hopefully we captured all the lessons learned for next year! I also started walking rugby taster sessions at the clubhouse.
December and thoughts turn towards the Christmas and New Year (two weekends with no rugby at Topsham), but fortunately Exeter Chiefs kept us entertained, making it into the top four after a poor start to the season.
So that was my 2016 in a nutshell.
Here's wishing you all a very happy and successful New Year.
All is quiet at the rugby club this weekend, no rugby, because it's Christmas! I was going to do a post on something quite profound but I decided against it so here's a quick run down on where things are:
The extension to the viewing area and wooden safety fence are completed and are looking good.
On the walking rugby front we have a group of eight people so far who are keen to give it a go, so we are going to continue the indoor taster/training sessions on Fridays in the new year. We should also be getting some publicity on it in the New Year so hopefully it will begin to take off. We need to get a few more people so we can start playing 5 a side outside on the mini rugby pitch.
So looking forward to the New Year with our first walking rugby session on Friday 6th January and our first home game on Saturday 7th January: our Men's 1st XV against Withycombe.
So Happy Holiday to all over the pond and a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to those on this side of the pond and down under.
Cheers,
John.
Projects teams tend to start out with boundless enthusiasm. They are going to change the world (or at least a small part of it) for the better. It’s usually as we get to the middle stages of a project that the problems start to emerge. The project manager’s role is to facilitate and clarify conflicts. But this is not something we get taught, it relies on common sense (which is difficult to teach) and traditional wisdom (which has to be gained).
The Way
When the going gets tough a poor project manager will often rely on theoretical models and processes, but these are only tools and templates. The wise project manager responds to what is happening in the here and now. He is happy to serve others. The wise project manager does not make a fuss; he is quiet and reflective. The wise project manager prefers what is common and natural for this is traditional wisdom.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Give up learning, and put an end to your anxiety.
There is little difference between one and another.
Is there a difference between good and bad?
Must I fear what others fear?
The people are excited,
As if enjoying a sacrificial feast.
As if climbing up to the terrace in spring.
But I alone am quiet and uninvolved.
I am like a new born babe.
I alone am bereft as if homeless.
Everyone has more than they need,
But I alone seem left out.
I have the heart of a fool,
Very confused!
Other people are bright,
I alone am confused.
Everyone else has a purpose,
But I am ignorant as a rustic.
I alone am different,
And am nourished by the great mother.
Just realised I haven't posted anything for a month! Sorry about that but pressure of work at the day job (Treasurer of Topsham RFC) has been telling lately. Talking of which we had our first taster session of Walking Rugby at the clubhouse yesterday afternoon, great fun had by all and some good exercise, I was certainly feeling it by the end.
Self Improvement
There are any number of books and courses that promise to make you a better project manager, but of course no book or teacher can make you a better project manager. There are no rules or techniques that can develop these qualities, you need to discover things for yourself.
The Way
A poor project manager may go on lots of courses but this will only make him a sadder person while making the people selling the courses richer. The wise project manager develops and improves through practicing silence and meditation.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,
And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.
Give up kindness, renounce morality,
And the people will go back to filial piety and compassion.
Give up cunning, renounce profit,
And robbers and thieves will disappear.
If these three are not sufficient in themselves,
Consider natural simplicity,
Cherish nature’s work,
And let things take their course.
Bonfire Night
The biggest fund raising event of the year for Topsham Rugby Club is November 5th. I was very heavily involved last year but this year I am leaving it to the team to organise. There will be a lot of pressure but I have trust in them to get it done.
There is often a lot of pressure at key times in a project. A poor project manager gets caught up in this pressure and consequently loses 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 before doing anything.
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 returns to first principles. He needs to calm the team, reassure them and bring them back to the way.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
When the great Tao is neglected,
Humanity and righteousness arise.
When wisdom and knowledge appear,
They beget great falseness.
When there is no peace within the family,
Filial piety and maternal love arise.
When the country is confused and in chaos,
Patriotism is born.
Lao Tzu tells us that there are four types of leaders and this seems to apply quite well to project managers, see how many of the four you have come into contact with:
Weak Project Managers
Ineffectual project managers that have been promoted to their level of incompetence. They struggle to get anything done and are generally seen as losers. Consequently no one wants to be in their team and we can all agree they are poor project managers.
Feared Project Managers
These guys get their way by threatening and browbeating their team. Any good people in their team take the hint and move somewhere they will be more appreciated. While the bad ones will try to imitate their behaviour or worse still toady up to them. Again I am sure we can all agree that they too are poor project managers.
Charismatic Project Managers
These are the interesting ones. Typically they lead from the front, are popular and can even have fans, but are they wise project managers? Take them away from their team and the team will stumble as they have become too reliant on the project manager. They are not usually poor project managers, but they are not wise project managers.
Wise Project Managers
The wise project manager is barely noticed. He does not intervene unless it is absolutely necessary and allows the team to run itself. He facilitates with a light touch and delegates wisely. The team gets on with its work without fuss and bother.
The Way
The wise project manager 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.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
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!”
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 any more 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 it, briefly. But it is short lived and they are usually brought back to earth by their own vanity.
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 often is admired. Not because he strives for it as he doesn’t, but because he supports the rest of the team and they admire that.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Empty your mind of everything.
Let the mind rest at peace.
The ten thousand things rise and fall,
I watch their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the origin.
Returning to the origin is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy causes confusion.
Knowing constancy, one is open-hearted.
With an open heart, you will be open-minded.
Being open-minded, you will act in a kingly manner.
Being kingly, 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, you are ready.
The good project managers I have known have tended to be subtle, responsive and had a good knowledge of what was happening on their projects. The poor ones tend to rely on methods and techniques to try and stay on top of their projects and they have usually struggled.
I am a great believer in the effective learning cycle. This is an iterative process that suggests we learn best if we go through four stages of the cycle: plan something, do it, reflect on how it worked and then draw conclusions from it about what we will do next time. On a project this works at the task level, the stage level and the project level. It's why we do reviews and document the lessons learned.
The Way
Reflection helps us to see how things happen. When we reflect we are grounded in the infinite. 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. The wise project manager is not trying to be enlightened, because he is enlightened
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
The ancient masters were subtle and profound.
The depth of their knowledge was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it,
All we can do is describe their appearance.
Careful like men crossing a winter stream.
Wary like men aware of danger.
Honest like uncarved blocks of wood.
Open like a valley.
Can you wait patiently,
Until the mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain still,
Until the right action arises by itself?
The sage does not seek fulfilment.
Not seeking, not expecting,
He can welcome everything.
Topsham RFC
There is a lot going on at the club at the moment both on and off the pitch. The next big event is Bonfire Night, and as it falls on a Saturday this year and our 1st XV are at home it could be massive. I'm leaving the details to the Bar and Events sub-committee this year but I'm also making sure I'm aware of what's going on.
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.
Try softer rather than trying harder. Stand back, let go of trying and we will begin to understand what's going on. Let go of trying altogether and then things will really start to work out.
The Way
So 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. So stay in the present and attend to what's happening now.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Look and it cannot be seen.
Listen and it cannot be heard.
Grasp and it cannot be held.
These three are indefinable,
Therefore they are joined as one.
Grasp the strangeness which is Tao.
Mindful of what exists now.
Knowing the ancient beginning,
Is the essence of wisdom.
I have long been interested in how we measure success in project management. The standard answer is of course: deliver the project on time, within budget and with all the required features and functionality delivered. On agile projects it is: with all the required features and functionality that can be delivered in the available time and budget.
Of course the project should also deliver benefits to the business in line with the business case, although strictly speaking, that is not the project manager’s responsibility. So maybe a poor project manager would stop there.
But of course true success can only 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 a poor project manager concentrates on getting the project in on time and within budget. A slightly better project manager adds delivery of the required features and functionality. But the wise 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”
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Love disgrace as if frightened.
Honor misfortune as the human condition.
Why love disgrace as if frightened?
Love because of being unimportant.
Obtain it as if frightened.
Loose it as if frightened.
Why think of honoring misfortune as the human condition?
Misfortune comes from having a body.
Without a body, how could there be misfortune?
Therefore honor life as yourself.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your own self,
Then you can truly care for all things.
River Otter at Budleigh Salterton, Devon
A slow stroll along the beach, ending up with this stunning view (the photo was taken on Christmas Day a few years ago). My favourite way of calming down. It always works!
There can often be a lot of pressure in projects, simply by their very nature and also by task and deliverable inter-dependencies. If that wasn't bad enough, management always want it quicker if not also cheaper and better!
Things are not helped if the project manager responds to management pressure by interfering with the team and creating a lot more pressure in the process. When that happens the team can become quite disoriented and begin to lose its way. The lesson we can learn from the Agile approach is that the project manager stands back and lets the team do it. Even the Scrum Master is there to facilitate and not pressurise the team.
The Way
The wise project manager is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees happening around him. Stay still and calm and be guided by your inner feelings, not what you are being told. The rest of the team will pick up on this and stay centered. When we pause and take time to reflect, the way becomes clearer.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
The five colours blind the eye.
The five sounds deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Galloping and hunting madden the heart.
Desires lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by his stomach,
And not his eye.
He discards the one and holds the other.
The start of the new rugby season is always exciting and for Topsham RFC it is even more so as we have been promoted to the Cornwall and Devon league (the highest we have ever reached). Watching the two pre-season friendlies against Exmouth RFC and Sidmouth RFC (both in higher leagues than us) and seeing the new coach (Chris Whitehead, former Exeter Chiefs hooker) and players starting to work together as a team was great. Our first league match is tomorrow away at Falmouth, so fingers crossed.
The Way
Agile project management is all about empowering the team and that is very much in line with the way. When the members of a project team work together on a project there is a concept of an inner space created by the team. This defines how they work together and even the mood of the team. It is the context for everything which happens within the team.
Poor project managers tend to focus and concentrate on what the members of the team are doing and saying. They are also concerned about what is happening and what people are saying outside the team. The wise project manager knows that it is what is happening inside the team that is important. The silences and inner space reveal the team’s essential mood. Therefore the wise project manager pays attention to the silences.
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Thirty spokes join the wheel’s hub,
It is the center hole that makes the cart useful.
Shape clay into a pot,
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows to make a house,
It is the space within that make it useful.
Therefore advantage come from what exists,
Usefulness comes from what is not there.
A project manager has to do many things. Not taking sides or getting involved in squabbles, helping those involved to resolve the issues themselves is the correct approach. Leading the team without being possessive or dominating. Not taking the credit for the work of the team.
The Way
A poor project manager will try to dominate the team. This will grind them down and stifle their creativity. The wise project manager encourages the team and is supportive, without taking credit for the team’s achievements.
Lao Tzu asks a lot of questions in this chapter of the Tao and as project managers these are the questions we should be asking ourselves, most important can we lead without dominating?
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Can you coax your mind from wandering, and keep to the original oneness?
Can you let your body become supple as a new-born child?
Can you cleanse your inner vision until it is pure?
Can you love all men and lead them without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of Heaven, can you play the role of a woman?
Understanding all things, can you be without motive?
Giving birth and nourishing, having yet not possessing,
Acting yet not taking credit, leading yet not trying to dominate,
This is the Primal Virtue.
Yet more on the soft skills
I have always been impressed by how well people will work in a project team if you respect them and let them get on with it. My last big project team were all very professional. Of course some of them 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. Unlike at the Olympics, in many ways a good project team is better than a spectacular team.
A poor project manager will try to micro-manage the team and want to be seen as a superstar. But superstars can get carried away with their own importance then, sooner or later, they will burn out and crash back to earth.
The Way
The wise project manager settles for good work and lets the team get on with things. He or she does not try and take the credit for what happens and has no desire for fame. They make sure the team takes the credit, as after all, they have done the work. Having a moderate ego demonstrates true wisdom
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
Fill your bowl to the brim,
And it will spill.
Over sharpen your knife,
And the edge will soon be blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade,
And nothing can guard it.
Care about other peoples’ approval,
And you will be their prisoner.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way to serenity.
Still on the subject of soft skills: pushy project managers may think they are being effective but they can have a bad impact on the team. Better to be relaxed and go with the flow, for 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 wise project manager is like water. Water goes anywhere freely. It is yielding and flows naturally. The wise project manager does not push, so the team does not resent or resist,
The Tao
Lao Tzu tells us:
The supreme good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things without trying.
It flows in the low places people reject,
And so is like the Tao.
Giving with fairness and compassion.
Speaking with integrity.
Governing without trying to control.
Working with competence.
Moving with good timing.
Not competing,
So not finding fault.
