Structured or Unstructured?

  Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)  

I recently had a leadership profile completed on myself. I learned that I am a very unstructured person. I was disappointed because as a project manager, I thought that this was the kiss of death.

Being unstructured meant that there was no way that I could "manage" a project because of the structure needed to get through making a project plan with all of the encompassing work breakdown structures (WBS), timelines and reporting that needed to be done.

Being disappointed, I sat back and reflected on the projects I have managed and realized that in spite of being unstructured, I somehow managed to successfully complete projects that I was leading. So, what does "unstructured" mean, and why should I care?

As project managers, we must all get to know ourselves better. If we are to perform at our peak, we must understand our strengths and weaknesses. In the case of project management, realizing your propensity for being either unstructured or structured is important, as both characteristics are needed to successfully complete most projects.

It is vital to understand that if you are unstructured in nature, you must compensate for this or you will fail. Why? Most big projects need some structure, most obviously in the form of the project plan.

You can compensate for being unstructured in a number of ways. The first is self-discipline, the most painful option. Being …

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