We never love everything about our jobs, right? And, while I would call myself a pretty good consultant and project manager – there are key aspects of the project management world – very critical activities that have to happen – that I’m not always that good at unless I try very hard or that I like to do all that much. I’ve narrowed it down to three things that hate the most about project management to present here today. Ok, hate is pretty strong…and I dislike others using it (especially my kids) so I will say here are three things about project management that are my least favorite concepts because they tend to contradict some of my life tendencies. But, they are necessary and I force myself to do focus on them a little harder than I otherwise would.
Here are the three things about project management that I probably my least favorite areas of PM responsibility…
1) Dealing with resources – the act of being responsible not only for your own activities but for those activities that others under you are responsible to you for
2) Schedules – the act of sticking to a regular weekly regimen of activities that can be planned for and counted on
3) Organization – the act of maintaining structure on an ongoing basis
Yes…I just mentioned the three primary things that a project manager has to deal with on each and every project. Three things that project managers have to deal with almost daily. Ouch! I’m like the old saying….”The cobbler’s children go barefoot.” I’m not that bad, actually…but probably close at times. My wife has commented on more than one occasion about her utter disbelief that I can be so organized on projects and maintain schedules and be so successful at leading project resources and be somewhat chaotic in my personal life.
There’s no question that my ability to maintain schedules, deal with organization/clutter, and manage resources is much better in my professional life than in my personal life. There, I’ve said it. It’s out in the open. I’ve had to work hard at it and it’s paid off in my professional career as a project manager. I will say that being one who is not afraid to stray from complete organization and structure has definitely paid off in more than one crisis situation on projects. It allows me to think outside the box when others who require complete and utter structure at all times can’t get to that point of thinking and will sometimes just go down with the ship because they can’t see the opportunity right in front of them.
Summary / call for input
The three things I’ve listed in this article are keys to being a good project manager on a daily basis…yet they are often on my list of least favorite things to do.
How about our readers? Is it just me or are there other project managers out there just like me? Nearly every independent contractor I’ve ever hired to perform work on my houses has had unfinished work sitting around for long periods of time on his own home. How many of you out there mirror your organized professional life in your personal life? How many are a bit more chaotic and random at home while being well structured and organized in your professional life? Please share and discuss.
