08 Jun the kaleidoscope
Lately I have been reading more about project life cycles, and it is very interesting how project management approaches are evolving.
25 years ago, when I started my career in Project Management, I learned a methodology that had specific number of tools to implement, I was concentrated in being a PM Ninja and master those tools, but Clients usually complained, I was intrigued why?… They didn’t want my perfectly executed tools, the wanted the VALUE.
My Master Ninja told me that if I mastered those tools, I was doing my job, but something was missing… then I realize that my client satisfaction and projects results were missing.
Other masters came later in my career path, many of them weren´t even Project Managers, but all of them shared one tool which I call THE PROJECT KALEIDOSCOPE.
I learned by Managing more than a 1,000 Projects, that they communicate if you are willing to listen and see them through this kaleidoscope.
Project Managers can start using this tool as soon as they:
- Stop believing that there is such a thing as a unique method or methodology that they should learn.
- Don´t look up to a Master or a Guru, there are projects to be managed, and there is an infinite number of disciplines you can learn to be helpful to them.
- Understand that project landscape is evolving, a so is the nature of projects, you have to select first an approach, and then design a methodology to manage it.
- Cultivate the art of observing, listen to and understand people, they are the true masters. The right project team and some critical stakeholders have the solution for the project, you just have to lead them toward it.
Use a different perspective, projects are like kaleidoscopes, you can look at them in many angles.