In this series (Faith in the Eighth), I have discussed the theme of project success - outcomes, benefits, and VALUE delivery as the real work of project management - which I am increasingly calling project LEADERSHIP (because that's what it really must be).
Another way to think of it is as Responsible Project Management - and there is some outstanding thought leadership in this area - you should definitely check out their work here: https://www.responsiblepm.com/
In fact, they have published (amongst many other valuable handbooks) a Responsible PM Manifesto, modeled after the Agile Manifesto, which says that as project managers (I would say project leaders), we value...
I know that many of the readers of this blog - critics and supporters both - understand "People, Planet, Profits & Projects" to be about so-called "Green Project Management" - the name of the book Dave Shirley and I wrote about this topic decades ago. However, if the Eighth edition of the PMBOK(R) Guide tells us anything, it's more about thinking long term, and thinking about your project's success by envisioning its delivering service well into the future.
This showed itself to me in a recent news clip (see video below) about a sinkhole in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. I am not a civil engineer nor a roadway construction manager, but the clip made me think (and I hope it does the same for you) about the construction of this section of roadway and whether the planners took into account the base of the road, the presence of water, the general profile of what was underlying the paved surface, before they considered their project a success.
As project managers we are often so focused on getting the project done on time, within budget, and meeting the 'specs of the moment' - that we fail to think of the project's product in the steady state. In this case, it's the capability of the road surface to safely carry the weight of vehicles (note that these were only basic cars, not trucks or heavy equipment) for the long term.
Admittedly, I don't know the specifics of this situation in Omaha, but I think it can still serve to be a striking visual reminder of the need to think long-term, to think about the product of your product "in service", which in this case may have been doing some sonar testing (yes, I know that costs money, and takes time) and other work to assure that not only will there be a pizza party to celebrate this segment of roadway being completed, but that there will be an assurance that the roadway will deliver value into the future and not endanger people.
Let me reiterate the theme of the blog - indeed, I do think that it is about considering the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit, and yes, it is about preserving species and considering effects on towns and villages and employees and it is about long-term profitability, but in general it is about thinking responsibly and projecting (PUN INTENDED) your thinking into the future beyond the end-date of your project, months, years, even decades into the future when its product is delivering value.
