What's the oddest activity you've had to perform while managing a project?

Kiron Bondale
Over the years, I’ve experienced some curious situations while managing projects, but one in particular (in a dyeing facility within the textile industry) remains hard to forget.

We were implementing a new automated chemical dosing control system — with sensors, valves, and integrated PLCs. Everything was going smoothly… until the operator called in a panic: the dyes were being dumped… onto the factory floor!

I rushed to the site, wearing safety boots and a hard hat, and there I was — the project manager — holding a shovel to help contain the spill, while simultaneously validating SCADA parameters and coordinating the automation team.
None of this was in the project plan.

It was a chaotic — and colorful — moment that reminded me of a fundamental truth: in industrial project management, “PM” often stands for “Primary Mover” when things go sideways.

Thanks, Kiron Bondale . Tthankfully the dyes have dried, and no team members were permanently "color-coded"! 😄

We even joked afterward about launching a limited edition of “PMO tie-dye uniforms” — a tribute to those unexpected frontline moments when you're managing valves with one hand and a shovel with the other.

Lesson learned?
Always pack an extra pair of socks… and maybe a waterproof Gantt chart!