I was reading up on project management looking for some data on the causes of project failure and I came across a PCI Global Survey - Taking the Pulse of Project Management - worth a read though the more interesting stuff (for me) was on page two.
They detail 6 Key Issues and Complaints but they nail it in the very first line.....
“Project Managers are pragmatic people.” (my emphasis)
Exactly! Pragmatic! Not emotionally intelligent! Year after year of surveys show that projects continue to come in late, out of scope and over budget. The reason - really pragmatic people ‘leading’.
The issue with practical, pragmatic and so called logical people is that they are convinced that things should happen in a certain way - like what’s on their plan.... However, all the evidence shows us that human beings are absolutely useless at predicting - rubbish! (checkout Dan Ariely’s Black Swan if you want to be lectured at on the subject)
We’ve all heard it but most of us don’t get it - the Prussian Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke the Elder was right when he said (paraphrased) “No plan survives first contact with the enemy”
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying that you shouldn’t plan, von Moltke considered the main task of leaders was in the extensive preparation of all possible outcomes - not the ones they think should happen.
So pragmatism as a key trait in project leaders? Wouldn’t be at the top of my list!
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