Numpties, dead wood, column dodgers etc

[d000hg]

Why is it my job to manage the project?

There's your job, and your 'job'. The latter is what you do to make sure you don't end up with the blame and the boot.

[Freamon]

But have you been in the situation when you are just working with a bunch of oxygen thieves on a project?

Not directly, but there's one at the same client right now in fact: http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...t-get-rid.html

Did the column dodger get tulip canned?

Nope, he refuses to leave, despite several subtle and not so subtle attempts by the consultancy to get him to walk.

[TheFaQQer]

PALI!

[TheFaQQer]

No It Isn't!

It was until someone deleted a post.

You're not quite in the BrilloPad league, yet, though.

[Mich the Tester]

There aren't really any numpties on this project, in fact I've rarely worked with so many thoroughly competent technical and business people; the big problem is Project Managers and Line Managers with the social skills of dogpoo and the emotional stability of a long stay patient at Broadmoor Hospital, who fail to understand that gaining the trust of (and the signature of) acceptants is not simply about showing lists of deliverables and what you've delivered, but about inspiring in your acceptant or customer a feeling of trust; that cannot be achieved with excel sheets, and certainly not by flying off the handle every day, but only with good social skills combined with understanding the acceptant's business and demonstrating some empathy with the people who will be using the software.

I actually don't mind too much; I'm fairly experienced in dealing with unstable personalities, regularly gain advice in such matters from Lady Tester, who is trained and highly experienced as a psychiatric nurse, and I usually get hired because a project is in trouble. It can however get a bit tiring when alongside being responsible for my own temperament and emotions, I have to manage three other people's temperaments for them, including a board member of a blue chip company, who really should know better.

[MarillionFan]

Back in at clientco on Monday on another 3 monther. Had a chat yesterday to see what I was working on and they've given me Project Poison Chalice. A project based out of Canada due to complete May 2012. Clientco have agreed to do a piece of work that a previous outsourcer spent £1M on, failed to deliver and got kicked off the contract. Clientco have won it for £400k and stuck me down as lead. I knew I shouldn't have gone to the initial design meetings.

[Churchill]

Back in at clientco on Monday on another 3 monther. Had a chat yesterday to see what I was working on and they've given me Project Poison Chalice. A project based out of Canada due to complete May 2012. Clientco have agreed to do a piece of work that a previous outsourcer spent £1M on, failed to deliver and got kicked off the contract. Clientco have won it for £400k and stuck me down as lead. I knew I shouldn't have gone to the initial design meetings.

They're obviously looking for someone to add some gravity to the project.

[Mich the Tester]

Back in at clientco on Monday on another 3 monther. Had a chat yesterday to see what I was working on and they've given me Project Poison Chalice. A project based out of Canada due to complete May 2012. Clientco have agreed to do a piece of work that a previous outsourcer spent £1M on, failed to deliver and got kicked off the contract. Clientco have won it for £400k and stuck me down as lead. I knew I shouldn't have gone to the initial design meetings.

Just remember what I said in my last post; you need to gain and keep the trust of the ultimate acceptant of the software; you do that with interpersonal skills; defending yourself with 'cover-my-ass lists' and powerful arguments won't achieve that; the lists of delivered products should back up that trust, not the other way around. It'd be interesting to research how many projects have failed to deliver due to socially inept project managers.

[MarillionFan]

Just remember what I said in my last post; you need to gain and keep the trust of the ultimate acceptant of the software; you do that with interpersonal skills; defending yourself with 'cover-my-ass lists' and powerful arguments won't achieve that; the lists of delivered products should back up that trust, not the other way around. It'd be interesting to research how many projects have failed to deliver due to socially inept project managers.

I agree. Most project managers are no more than glorified organizers/secretaries. To properly run and deliver a project you need to be fully engaged with the business and with your own teams. Interpersonal skills are key. The CYA or non-comittal brigade kill projects and non-delivery/descoping/failure etc stems from that. I think the lead BA is better placed at dealing with the stakeholders than the PM.