Project Management Role: Removing Obstacles

When the role of project manager is brought up in every day conversation, many people think of the task-master, always trying to get status from the team member, reminding him of just how late he is on his task. One can almost picture the PM standing there pointing to...

Strategy: Focus on the Target

Imagine that you are planning a vacation from Chicago to visit a friend in Los Angeles. As part of that trip you decide that driving and seeing the countryside will be a great way to enjoy the trip. A little south of Chicago, you get on Interstate-80 and start heading...

Just Do It My Way

Do you like the toilet paper to roll up from the bottom? Or do you prefer that roll down from the top? Chances are that you have a preference. I deliberately ignore the direction of the role when I replace it (yes, I do replace it). By doing this, it rolls from the...

Too Much Process. Not Enough Thought

When I was a kid, I would watch my mother bake.  She meticulously measured the cups and tablespoons of ingredients to ensure they were precise.  The resulting products were unsurprisingly consistent. When it tried baking and cooking as an adult, I followed the same...

The 2 Biggest Project Management Decisions

Throughout my career, I’ve managed a lot of people and probably mismanaged a few.  I’ve learned from most of my mistakes. I’ve also been managed and mismanaged by many bosses along the way. Any success that I’ve had, I can attribute to the fact that I’ve been managed...