10 More Quotes That Make You a

Better Project Manager

The Cambridge Dictionaries defines a quote as, "to repeat the words that someone else has said or written". Most people are quoted because they have something insightful to say, something that helps us, and provides us with a better understanding of a particular subject. Over the years a body of useful quotes has been building up from management gurus that can help us become better project managers.

1. "You can’t keep it all in your head. Project control tools are an absolute necessity for the control of large projects". - Louis Fried, 1992

These days most companies use project management software to control large projects. It’s reasonable for the customer to ask to see your project plan, RAID log, risks register and other documents. If these aren’t readily available it gives the impression the project is not being managed properly. Software solutions will help you remain organised, provide up-to-date metrics, and take the time and pain out of updating documentation and calculating statistics.

Here are 10 such quotes worthy of some thought:

2. "Don’t use a sledgehammer to crack a walnut, but equally don’t agree important things informally where there is a chance of a disagreement later over what was agreed". - Colin Bentley, 1997

All project managers need to find the right balance between process and pragmatism. We’ve all been on projects where arduous processes slow work down, with seemingly little reason other than, ‘that’s the way we work around here’. Do sign off requirements with your customer, create a project plan, look at risks and issues, but don’t expect your customer to undertake large ‘one size fits all’ form filling exercises. Tailor to what is needed to run your project successfully and discard everything else.

3. "The functional groups should not be allowed to stretch out the project for the sake of improvement, refinement, or the investigation of the most remote potential risk". - Meredith and Mantel, 1995

This occurs when people on a project take work beyond what is needed or reasonable. In a recent project, testers were spending several extra days testing improbable use-cases on a new website. Ask whether you are trying to build the ‘best’ product or one that fits the requirements of your customer. Some people will indulge their own desire to stretch out the project for their own reasons and satisfaction. Curb this by making sure a clear set of user requirements are agreed, signed-off and shared with all project team members. Make it clear that deviation from the agreed requirements is unacceptable and may result in a penalty.

4. "One good test is worth a thousand expert opinions". - Wernher von Braun, 1972

Testing is an area often neglected or cut in projects. When nearing the end of a project where budgets and time are tight, it’s often tempting to reduce the testing phase and rely on the opinion of your team. However, you will never know the quality of a product or service until you have tested it. We can all speculate on what we think the result will be, but no matter how expert, it’s still only a matter of opinion. Always allow enough time in your project for testing and rework.

5. "The conditions attached to a promise are forgotten and the promise is remembered". - Edwards, Butler, Hill and Russell, 1997

Always document and confirm any agreement you make with your customers and suppliers. If you promise to deliver something as long as certain conditions are met, make sure it’s in writing, agreed and a signature obtained if necessary. As the saying goes, ‘What is not on paper has not been said’.

6. "The P in PM is as much about ‘people management’ as it is about ‘project management’". - Cornelius Fichtner, 2007

Or to put it another way, project management is mostly about managing people. People are your most valuable asset. They will make a project succeed or fail. You are steering, but they are the engine that will take you to your goal. Key to your success is to ensure you have the right people on your project, so if work goes wrong they will save you.

7. "A good plan can help with risk analyses, but it will never guarantee the smooth running of the project". - Bentley and Borman 2001

A plan is not a project, but it goes a long way to helping projects run well. To reach a successful conclusion, many areas of work must come together. Project planning and risk management are just two. As project manager you are responsible for guiding your project much as a sea captain guides his ship through different seas, some calm and some stormy.

8. "Projects progress quickly until they become 90% complete; then remain at 90% complete forever". - Edwards, Butler, Hill and Russell, 1997

This is a phenomenon where the last ten percent of a project is the most difficult and time-consuming. This occurs because the most difficult parts of a project get left until last. It is better to ‘eat the frog first’. If you can clear the difficult hurdles then the rest of your project will be easier and you’ll avoid the never-ending last ten percent.

9. "Business is often about killing your favourite children to allow others to succeed". - John Harvey-Jones, 1990

We’ve all come across projects that struggle on for months, years sometimes, with everyone knowing they’re destined to fail. Why? Is a miracle likely to happen; a genie pop out of a lamp and grant three wishes; or the Tooth Fairy appear and sort everything out? Of course not. We may have invested a lot personally in the project; don’t want it to fail and may still believe in the result; making it hard to let go. We just plod on wasting time and money hoping that it will come right in the end. When the writing’s on the wall, it’s best to kill projects as quickly as possible. It’s tough, but the kindest action to take. Stop wasting time and money and put it to good use elsewhere. Make failed projects a learning experience that help you in your next venture.

10. "Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work". - Peter Drucker, 1993

Most people understand that to achieve any goal, vision or objective you need a plan. However, writing a plan is just the start. Unless that plan is immediately put into action your goal, vision or objective will remain a good intention. History is littered with visions, ideas and dreams that remained just that.

In conclusion... These quotations are the compressed wisdom of

many years experience. Keep them in mind and let them help you navigate your way to a successful project.

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quotes-that-make-you-better.html