Confusing Process and Goals

It’s easy to hide in the corner and update task statuses instead of leading the projects you’re responsible for. That’s shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

Scott Berkun said:

“… at some point the project managers begin to believe the data and the process are the project.”

They may develop the belief that if they just follow a certain procedure to perfection and check the right things off the checklist, the project is guaranteed to succeed.”

If only that worked (and I love a good checklist). Projects succeed because of the people working on them. Your people need your guidance, advice, and decision-making.

“Manage the team not the checklists. If the checklist helps you manage the team, great. [Otherwise,] you’ll be using your team to help you manage your checklists.”

Source: Scott Berkun, The Art of Project Management, p13

Written on March 21, 2022