Lessons For An Accidental Profession

lessons for an accidental profession:
J.K.
J.K. Pinto
Pinto and
and O.
O. P
P Kharbanda,
Kharbanda, March
March –– April
April 1995
1995
shehan anthony-olivia kalubowila-ravi de mel

1.1 What are the reasons the author advances for project management to
be considered an’ accidental profession?’
• Few formal or systematic programs exist for selecting and training project
managers even if the firm specializes in project management work.
• Few individuals grow up with the dream to becoming a project manager.
1.2 12-rules/ lessons that offer a useful way to understand the challenges
faced and some ways to address this concerns.
1.2 the twelve guidelines are presented in no particular order. Our order
by level of importance and reasoning.
1. Understand the context Understand the problems, opportunities, and expectations of
a project manager.
of project management
2. Understand who the Understanding who are your stakeholders and what their
stakeholders are and agendas, as power plays a major role and balancing each
what they want parties demands becomes critical
3. Understand what success Understanding what success is meant to different

means stakeholders becomes important, this success is defined by
four components: budget, schedule, performance criteria,
and customer satisfaction.
4. Accept and use the The project manager needs to accept the political nature of
political nature of the an organization and use it to his/her advantage
organization
5. Build and maintain a Cooperation among team members is vital, with out it
cohesive team nothing can be achieved
6. Use time carefully or it Time is the heart of project management, it has to be

will use you managed efficiently.
7. One look forward is “What If?”, Having a contingency plan is important to face
worth two looks back any changes to the project blueprint.
8. Lead from the front The role of the leader is critical to PM, a strong and flexible
leader will strength the team.
9. Recognize project team Recognize that project teams will have conflicts, but this is
conflict as progress a natural part of group development.
10. Enthusiasm and despair PM must project a positive image as your team will develop
are both infectious attitudes based on the emotions you exhibit—both positive
and negative.
11. Remember what are you Else you might forget where you are going,
trying to do Don’t get bogged down in minutiae and lose sight of the
purpose of the project
12. Above all plan plan and Planning makes perfect, keeping mind not to over plan.
plan
2.1 Where would you place yourself in figure 2?
“Accept and use the political nature of the organization”
Characteristics of Political Behavior
CHARACTERISTICS NAIVE SENSIBLE SHARK

UNDERLYING
ATTITUDE politics is Politics is necessary politics is an
unpleasant opportunity
INTENT
avoid at all cost further departmental self serving and
goals predatory
network expand manipulate use fraud

TECHNIQUES tell it like it is connection use and deceit when
systems to give and
necessary
receive favours
bully misuse
FAVORITE TACTICS None- the truth negotiate bargain information cultivate
will win out and use friends and
other contacts
3.1 A few of the guidelines are related to the need to understand the reason
for the project in the first place . Which guidelines would you place in
this category? Why is this so crucial?
• Understand who the stakeholders are and what they want
• Recognize project team conflict as progress
• Enthusiasm and despair are both infectious
• Remember what are you trying to do
3.2 It becomes crucial as it is not checked time to time the focus of the project is
lost
4.1 Why, in lesson 9, is always thinking about ‘what if’ so
important
“one look forward is worth two looks back”
• The reason being when outlining a project if the project manager does
not look at contingencies the risk of failure of the project is greater as no
one can control the future having contingencies would reduce the risk of
a uncontrollable event.
• We cannot control the future but we can actively control response to it.
5. Lesson 12 warns about not planning enough, but also about
spending too much time planning How do you draw the line?
• There is a thin line between planning to much and not enough
• The project manager must plan it in such away that the main focus of the
project is not lost.
Example – Its like planning to cook dinner for a friend, but not having
the food ready when he sits down to have dinner at the table.

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lessons for an accidental profession:

shehan anthony-olivia kalubowila-ravi de mel

• Few individuals grow up with the dream to becoming a project manager.

3. Understand what success Understanding what success is meant to different

6. Use time carefully or it Time is the heart of project management, it has to be

Characteristics of Political Behavior

CHARACTERISTICS NAIVE SENSIBLE SHARK

network expand manipulate use fraud

• Understand who the stakeholders are and what they want

• Recognize project team conflict as progress

• Enthusiasm and despair are both infectious

• Remember what are you trying to do

“one look forward is worth two looks back”

• There is a thin line between planning to much and not enough

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