Why don't some people like project management?
And other mysteries.
I’m coming out of hiatus to ask a question. I would love to hear your perspective. I am not setting up a straw man to knock it down; I would really like to answer this question.
Why do people try to avoid project processes and project structure while trying to reach their business goals?
My natural tendency1 is structure, sometimes an overdone strength.
Throughout my career, I’ve made bank on cleaning up the mess after failed projects and guiding successful projects in difficult circumstances.
The thing which always gets me is that none of this is magic. A little bit of structure, a few project management tools, some cost control, some steering and a dedicated project manager and the problems in most projects melt away like the snow. So why not do it?
I’ve compared it several times to people who lift heavy items with their back and not their legs. Sure, they may get away with it without injury for a while. But why take the risk?
These are some reasons I have heard:
Project management adds unnecessary complexity.
If the specialists have clear direction, then project management is just overhead.
Project management adds time.
Project managers aren’t subject matter experts, so how can they add value?
I get that sometimes if something is incremental to existing operations or has a really small scope, you don’t need a huge process overhead.
But the level of avoidance I see? Help me understand. What would make the need for this more palatable in an operational organisation?
(Yes, I have some ideas, but I’d rather hear from others than air my own views. Whatever I think is likely to just be a confirmation of my own bias anyhow.)
Happy Sunday!
According to the Strength Deployment Inventory test