I was minding my own business when I noticed a tweet by Alistair Cockburn. He clearly thought something was funny so I figured I’d check it out. What awaited me was this video. If you understand Agile or just interested about it, you should spend the next 3 minutes and 14 seconds enjoying a creative perspective on why Agile might not work for you. It’s very tongue-and-cheek. The slideshow it was based on was located on the PMI website. Since the site was updated, it isn’t clear where it went.
On this last day before our son starts his first day of public education, I look back and realize 5 years have passed in a blink of an eye. Project management can be a challenging profession but nothing can compare to being a parent. Sure, I feel guilt if I screw something up on a project, but in the end it’s just money. What if we screw up our kids!? Because my wife and I figured family was more important than work (and money), my wife put her career on hold to ensure our son got the attention and nurturing he deserved. Our perspective and optimism of the future is represented in an awesome video created for the AARP U@50 video contest. You may have seen it before. It’s worth the 2 minutes.
If anyone is looking for a technical writer, armed with a masters degree and years of experience, my wife may consider some part-time work. One thing is for certain, you know she has her priorities straight.
I have to again give credit to 37signals. In their book Rework, they pointed out the 800 pound gorilla in the room, over and over again. This video is a “gorilla” I’ve been dealing with for the last 15 years.
I usually arrive at the office around 06:30 or 07:00 (2 hours before anyone else). Why? I’ll probably get more done in those 2 first hours than I will the rest of the day. Though I only check my email at the top of each hour, I still deal with meetings and people “dropping by” to ask me questions or to tell me about the newest restaurant in their neighborhood. Interruptions mean you don’t get work done. I’m not saying you shouldn’t make your customer happy. I’m saying you should be able to get it done without working late.
Tell me if this sounds familiar. Some of your co-workers show up at the office around 09:00 (closer to 09:30) and then take a 1.5 to 2 hour lunch break. They then don’t understand why you turn down meeting requests scheduled for late in the afternoon or don’t respond to emails sent to you after business hours. Just because someone is unable to manage his or her work, I am not going to feel guilty for not working late. Before I had a family or understood work-life balance, I didn’t hesitate pulling an all-nighter at the office. Now it just looks like poor time management.
So, are you working late tonight? Do you really have work you need to do are are you just trying to make yourself feel better by creating work for yourself? I’ll make you a deal. Drink your preferred caffeinated beverage around 05:00 and get to the office no later than 07:00. You’ll probably have the most productive day you’ve had in months.
Hello, stakeholders, look at your PM, now back to me, now back at your PM, now back to me. Sadly, he or she isn’t me, but if he or she stopped making things up as they went along and switched to proven methods, he or she could deliver results like me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a meeting with the PM your PM could deliver results like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s a a signed SOW with two features you love. Look again, the features are now delivered. Anything is possible when your PM uses proven methods and not make them up. I’m on a horse.
Thank you to Old Spice and the Old Spicy Guy for this inspiration.
Hello, ladies, look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped using ladies scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re on a boat with the man your man could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again, the tickets are now diamonds. Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.
We’ve all had it happen to us. We were able to get a signed agreement in hand, identifying agreed upon scope of work. Everything for a fleeting moment is right in the world. Then it happens. That one stakeholder (you know who they are) comes to your desk and asks. “Can we add this one little tiny feature?” or “Can we make this one tiny little change?”
Are you kidding me? This reminds me of when my son asks if he can have dessert when he hasn’t eaten his dinner. Though you can’t be as abrupt with a stakeholder like you can with a 4-year-old, the answer should still be the same. No.
Though you should not be an obstructionist, we could all learn a little from Dr. Cox in this case. His (command) mitigated speech is all he needed. In the real world, stride to be a win-win negotiator and be aware of the mitigated speech being used to conduct your negotiations.
I was minding my own business when I noticed a tweet by Alistair Cockburn. He clearly thought something was funny so I figured I’d check it out. What awaited me was this video. If you understand Agile or just interested about it, you should spend the next 3 minutes and 14 seconds enjoying a creative perspective on why Agile might not work for you. It’s very tongue-and-cheek. The slideshow it was based on was located on the PMI website. Since the site was updated, it isn’t clear where it went. 
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