We all like to believe that the world is rational. If we behave in a logical and reasonable fashion, the world will return the favour in kind. Yet so often, we are disappointed when the behaviours that we encounter don’t align with our view of what is a sensible response. Frequently, it is our projects more than anything that illustrate to us just how irrational a place the world can appear. You might try to dismiss irrational behaviours as “just politics,” but understanding how and why people make the decisions they do is key to becoming not just a great project manager - but a better consultant and advisor to our sponsors and key stakeholders.
Think about the last time someone made a decision that from the perspective of your project appeared to be irrational, nonsensical or, at the very least, not designed to be overly helpful. How far back did you have to go? A month? A week? A day? Two hours?
How we navigate through the politics in our projects is the single greatest determinant of project success. While it is tempting to believe that we can ignore politics, they are a necessary and essential part of life. All too often, politics are viewed negatively - as being dishonest, disingenuous or manipulative. While there are appropriate and inappropriate applications of politics, the simple reality is that politics is the essential grease that lubricates our personal interactions. Any time we ask for resources, for support or any other assistance, we are engaging in political behaviour. This is not a value statement, but a simple declaration of fact.
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How to avoid IT project failure | 26-Apr-07 at 7:21 pm | Permalink
[...] degree programs. STS involves many useful action principles but the basic message is that you must consider things like whose politcal turf you are stepping on and whose favored work processes you might be changing [...]