Gantt Says. How I Became The Project Kid.

 

I learned Project Management from Mr. Miyagi from the movie The Karate Kid. Actually, my  Miyagi was French, knew nothing about karate and everything about wine. But they both talked in weird English sentences. Myagi had "Wax on. Wax off." My mentors favorite being: "Gantt says."

I think he really talked to his Gantt charts.

There is something creepy comforting in blaming Microsoft Project for all your project problems. It's not your fault that people are over allocated just to make the deadline. It's not your fault that the resources are not available. It's not your fault that the deadline is months later than expected.

"This are just the facts. 'Cause Gantt says so. Now that we have established that, we can easily look at the problem."

In some disturbing way this talking to the Gantt chart as a third person can help separate you from your project and planning problems. You are not your plan. And that's correct. Because Herr Gantt is your plan.

So. One of my early lessons in Project Management was the use of externalization. “This process of externalization allows people to consider their relationships with problems, thus the narrative motto: “The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem.” as used in Narrative Therapy.

And then they wonder why I became a Project Shrink.

Working physically with something that represents your problem area helps you to explore your relationship with the problem.  Planning Poker for example lets participants interact with stories and estimations. Quite literally. Moving around cards. Kanban boards with post-it notes have the same function.

The concept also applies to culture.

Remember The Travel Guide To [your organization]? In this exercise you are asked questions about your organization that explore your relationship with its culture. You talk about habits, rituals and anecdotes. The interaction with with these cultural elements help you shape a new narrative.

By creating something, in this case a Travel Guide and drawing maps, you externalize your relationship with the organizational culture. This allows you to explore the connection from a small distance, taking a step back from the sensitive topic.

The trick of treating Herr Gantt as a third person, is just that, a trick. A powerful one. Just be aware that The Others might be a little annoyed when you just keep referring to calendars and sock puppets as your new imaginary friends that tell you how to run the project.

"When are you ready?"
"Well. Gantt says next year."
"Who?"
"The chart I have imaginary conversations with. You'll like him."

Not sure if that is a good career move.

Bas de Baar is a writer who draws about people in transition. He loves to make visual maps and travel guides for the collaborators of our brave new world.