Taking the Plunge

Just to recap, in part 1 & part 2 GenAI presented some stereotypical negative opinions about project managers, executives, and other stakeholders.  In part 3 I asked Gen AI to take on the role and tone of coach and mentor and give each of them advice to overcome their negative perceptions of each other.  Looking back at this, I realize I made a mistake.  After getting the initial response, I should have asked GenAI to elaborate.

Consider the response to the project manager.  "Imagine you're leading an expedition through uncharted territory..."  This does sound like a coach, and the advice is not bad, but it's not enough.  A lot of project managers spend their time in the weeds and details.  They're not often dealing directly with executives, and on the occasions when they do, they may not have the relationship with them to immediately take GenAI's advice.  There may be some relationship building that needs to take place, first, and that can take time.  In this circumstance, a project manager might need their manager, or someone higher up above them, that has a relationship with the executive to allay any concerns and help establish a relationship.

I felt the advice to the executives and stakeholders works.  Parts of it seemed a little generic and incomplete, but 1) I didn't ask for additional information, and 2) that's what I've come to expect from GenAI.  I don't expect it to tell me everything I need to do in any given situation (especially when I don't ask for more), even if I give it all the context I have.  I expect GenAI to point me in a direction and get me started.  I may choose to ignore some of what it says.

What are your takeaways and what would you have done differently?

In Part 1, GenAI seemed to do a fair job of creating caricatures of project managers.  You may have heard or read similar feelings expressed about project managers from others.  Let's be honest, we've all had our moments where we weren't at our best, and not everyone that starts out in the field is a good fit for the job.  But, Part 2 is not about feeling good about ourselves, it's about feeling like we're better than someone else.  Let's see what our snarky AI has to say about executives and stakeholders.

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Alright, project managers, gather 'round! Today, we're diving into the mysterious world of executives and stakeholders—the elusive creatures that make your job so delightfully challenging. Think of them as the VIP guests at your never-ending project party, except they have very specific demands and absolutely no sense of humor.

First up, the "executives". These are the top brass, the big cheeses, the ones who think "strategy" is a magical word that makes everything possible. They're like wizards who cast spells of vision and mission statements, expecting you to turn their vague incantations into concrete results. Need a miracle? No problem! They’ll give you a two-week deadline and a budget that could barely buy a coffee machine. Their favorite pastime? Moving the goalposts just as you’re about to score.

Executives also have a unique talent for memory loss. They'll forget every single promise they made about support and resources, but they'll never forget the one typo you made in that quarterly report six months ago. And when things go sideways, expect them to disappear faster than a donut at an office meeting. But don’t worry, they’ll reappear just in time to take credit if by some miracle the project succeeds.

Now, let's talk about "stakeholders". These are the folks who think your project should revolve around their personal whims and preferences. They’re like a committee of toddlers—everyone wants their toy to be the shiniest, and if you don’t comply, expect a tantrum. They demand regular updates but glaze over the moment you dive into any real detail. They want to be involved in every decision, except the ones that require actual effort or accountability.

Stakeholders have a knack for changing their minds at the most inconvenient times. You could be halfway through a project when they suddenly decide they want everything in blue instead of red, or they need a feature you explicitly discussed and ruled out three months ago. And feedback? Oh, they love giving feedback—often conflicting, always vague, and usually when it's too late to make any changes without blowing up the timeline.

Let’s not forget the infamous "steering committee". This is where stakeholders and executives gather to make decisions—except nobody wants to take responsibility. It's like a game of hot potato, but with your project on the line. Decisions get delayed, priorities get shifted, and somehow, every meeting ends with you having more work and fewer answers.

So there you have it, project managers. Executives and stakeholders: the dream team of high expectations and low involvement. Navigating their whims and fancies is like trying to herd cats in a hurricane, but hey, that’s why you’re the magician, the juggler, the ultimate firefighter. Just remember, when the circus is in full swing, and you’re balancing a dozen flaming torches, someone, somewhere, will be cheering you on—probably from the comfort of their office, with a nice cup of coffee, wondering why you look so stressed.

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GenAI takes no prisoners.  Let's regroup in Part 3 where we'll discuss some ways to overcome misconceptions shared by those discussed in Parts 1 & 2.

If you're reading this, you may be wondering "What kind of title is 'Taking the Plunge'?"  When I started this blog(?) almost 20 years ago, it was as I was preparing for the PMP exam, the idea being that when you find something worth doing, you jump into it and then share your experiences with others so that they can learn from your experiences.  I haven't always held true to that idea, and there have been big gaps between my posts, partly because I've been busy doing other things.  I may write about those, soon.  But first, I want to continue my experiment with GenAI.

I'm going to go a little backwards and share something I've learned from this experiment before explaining what I've done.  Working with AI has reminded me that I enjoy the act of creating much more than having a robot pump out something in a fraction of the time.  I've also learned that AI has its place - not in my creative writing, but that's okay.  Let's get to the reason we're here.

This is part 1 of 3 of an exercise in using AI to tell separate stories and then bring them together to teach a lesson, beginning with the prompt, "Speaking as a sarcastic comedian, how would you explain project management to a group of executives who have had negative experiences with project managers?"  Part 2 will ask our sarcastic GenAI to explain executives and stakeholders to a project manager, and Part 3 will bring everyone together for some bonding and mutual affirmations.  Be warned, some of the best and worst comedy has foundations in painful truths.  I'll let you decide which this is.

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Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed executives, gather 'round! Today, we're going to unravel the mystery of project management—a profession as misunderstood as the Bermuda Triangle and as appreciated as a traffic jam on a Monday morning.

Picture this: you're on a sinking ship, but don't worry, the project manager is here! They won't save you, but they'll document the exact time each deck goes underwater, schedule daily stand-up meetings to discuss how wet your shoes are, and ensure you have a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation on the best way to drown efficiently.

First, let's talk about planning. Project managers are like your overly enthusiastic GPS. They create a route so detailed that it includes a pit stop for every restroom and coffee shop. But when the road is closed, instead of rerouting, they insist on discussing the detour over several mandatory, but thoroughly unproductive, meetings.

Then there's communication. Ah, the art of talking without really saying anything. Our project manager sends emails—lots of emails. You’ll get updates about updates, notifications about those updates, and reminders about the notifications. By the end, your inbox will be a black hole of status reports, none of which actually tell you if the project's succeeding or failing.

And let's not forget risk management. Here, the project manager is like a weather forecaster. They'll predict 17 different disasters that might happen, create a spreadsheet for each one, and then be completely blindsided by a real issue that no one saw coming, because they were too busy mitigating the risk of a coffee spill in the break room.

Finally, there's the wrap-up phase. Imagine a grand finale where nothing works as planned, but don’t worry—there's a detailed post-mortem. The project manager will conduct a series of retrospective meetings to analyze why everything went wrong, carefully avoiding any conclusions that might suggest they, or the process, were part of the problem. And then, they’ll enthusiastically propose the same approach for the next project!

So there you have it, project management in a nutshell. It's like herding cats, except the cats are on fire, the project manager is trying to teach them synchronized swimming, and you're footing the bill for the water damage. But hey, at least you’ll have a Gantt chart to remember it by!

Thank you, and may your next project be slightly less of a circus.