“Progress isn’t made by early risers. It’s made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.” - Robert Heinlein
The 2009 Standish Group report shows more projects failing and less successful projects.
‘This year’s results show a marked decrease in project success rates, with 32% of all projects succeeding which are delivered on time, on budget, with required features and functions’ says Jim Johnson, chairman of The Standish Group, ‘44% were challenged which are late, over budget, and/or with less than the required features and functions and 24% failed which are cancelled prior to completion or delivered and never used.’
So what is going wrong out there? Why are your projects being challenged in this way?
Are you perhaps working too hard to be successful?
Challenge
The whole world is challenged that is for sure!
On one hand we faced the Global Recession, with all the impact that this is having on people and business, and on the other hand we are a dynamic, resourceful and ever evolving world that demands change as part of its survival. And change demands projects and projects demand project managers.
On one hand we have a history littered with significant project failure, although there have been spectacular successes as well; The Standish Report 2009 clearly shows that history may well be repeated in many cases.
Now is the time that is even more critical to succeed, and succeed with a higher level of certainty than seen before, since those projects that will be commissioned in the future, as well as the ones that are allowed to continue in the current climate, will be expected to deliver higher business impact, be under closer scrutiny from senior management and be under far more pressure.
And guess what? Who will be the one that is under the most pressure? You of course!
So surely now is the time that you both want to be the best project manager you can be and to work in the most effective way possible.
Enter the world of ‘productive laziness’
So how can you ensure that your project managers deliver in the most effective way and deliver successful projects?
Learn about the art of productive laziness with The Lazy Project Manager at the Third Annual BPUG International Congress (9th-10th February at the Royal Lancaster, London: BPUG Congress )’
Understand what is meant by the ‘productive lazy’ approach to Projects (and life) and learn how to apply these lessons ‘to be twice as productive and still leave the office early’.
The session will cover the definition of productive laziness, the science behind the theory (yes there really is some), and will share some personal learning experiences that led to the creation of ‘The Lazy Project Manager’. In addition the audience will be led through the three key project stages, one of which the ‘lazy’ project manager works very hard in and the second they should be in the comfortable position of enjoying the ‘comfy chair’ safe in the knowledge that the project is well under control. A specific focus will be made on the third area, project closure, which can be done so much better with very little effort but significant value added for all ‘would be’ lazy project managers.
“Whenever there is a hard job to be done I assign it to a lazy man; he is sure to find an easy way of doing it.” – Walter Chrysler
Peter Taylor is a dynamic and commercially astute professional who has achieved notable success in Project Management; currently as head of a PMO at Siemens PLM Software supplier of global product lifecycle management solutions. He is also very interested in maintaining a good work/life balance.
His background is in project management across three major business areas over the last 25 years, MRP/ERP
systems with various software houses and culminating in a role with KPMG, Business Intelligence with Cognos, and now within product lifecycle management (PLM) with Siemens. He has spent the last 6 years leading PMOs and developing project managers.
He is also an accomplished communicator and leader and is a professional speaker with City Speakers International, as well as the author of ‘The Lazy Project Manager’ www.thelazyprojectmanager.com
***EDITOR’S NOTE: Arras People will also be at the BPUG International Congress in London 9th-10th February. We will provide more details in the days to come, so keep looking to How to Manage a Camel for more information.***
