Archive for category The Project Manager

Dealing with Project Charters

Posted by Thomas in The Project Manager on October 4th, 2005

I read an interesting piece today over at 4PM. Essentially it was a “PM Thinks > PM Says versus Exec Thinks > Exec Says” type of article around the topic of Project Charters

The topics covered were:

  • PM Authority
  • Risk and Assumptions
  • Change Control

,

No Comments

On Project Management

Posted by Thomas in The Project Manager on September 10th, 2005

While browsing a PM book recently I came across the following point:

Provide executives with project sponsor information, not project management information.

I’ll have to dig into this a little deeper.

,

No Comments

Starting out

Posted by Thomas in The Project Manager on September 8th, 2005

So I’m slowly working myself into my new job. There’s plenty to learn as the area I’m working on is not familiar at all.

I sat in on a project telco today. Something that a PM said to an Ops person just made my day:

We’re focusing on keeping you alive, not the quality of your living

It’s a total confidence builder!

,

No Comments

Double bind

Posted by Thomas in The Project Manager on November 6th, 2003

What is it about people who seek out situations where the only possible outcome is rejection. It is as if they - consciously or not - want confirmation of their sense of inappropriateness.

Could they not just get a life and stop embarrasing, annoying or otherwise irritating the rest of us! I mean really! These people press upon the rest of us what is known by psychologists as a “double bind“. Essentially they’re experts at throwing you into paradoxical communication. If you do the right thing and reject their proposals you confirm their sense of inapproriateness. If you accept their proposals they (and you) will think you’ve done it not to hurt their feelings. Whichever way you go, you’re sure to get the wrong end of the stick.

For a nice illustrative guide to the double-bind visit this site.

No Comments