There are no heroes in an uneventful journey...

Some colleagues and I were having a chat today - and sharing some experiences of projects... in particular some where we felt unnecessary or excessive risks had been taken...

Particularly, however, we talked about how we had seen projects where it was obvious that one or more risks would become a reality... yet the project manager apparently dismisses this possibility...

And when it does become a reality, the project manager leaps into a frenzy of activity like you had never seen before... coordinating, managing other risks and saving the project from certain doom... to the cheers of the sponsors... even though the problem could have been avoided...

At this point, the project manager is a hero!

Would he/she have been a hero if the project had gone more smoothly? I wonder...

I am a pragmatist... no project can go without some bumps and jolts... In a race, you have to come off the track a few times to find your limits... but I don't drive a full speed down a straight without braking for a chicane... I might come off... but only because I didn't brake enough... not because I didn't brake at all!

Despite this, I believe that many projects can avoid reaching certain crisis points with better risk management... and by knowing when to put ego/fear/worry/complacency aside, take one's head out of the sand and deal with the risks head on!

...One scary story, however, was told at a recent Test Management Forum that I attended. This very issue was raised... The attendee that highlighted this issue explained that one Project Manager he had known actually included creating such crises as part of his career advancement strategy! He would appear to ignore certain risks raised by the project team and then save the day at the last minute so that his achievements would be noticed... what a hero!?!?!

So - my thought for the day is...

"There are no heroes in an uneventful journey

Take from it what you will!