Project management: a philosophical approach

“Beginner’s mind” is a term in Zen philosophy. Compared to the mind of an expert, the mind of a beginner displays openness, eagerness and a lack of preconceptions; from a Zen perspective, all very good things. On our first day of swimming lessons, for instance, we are open to practicing and learning new skills. We know that we have much to learn, and it is important to pay attention to the teachers.

Not so with experts. As Shunryu Suzuki puts it in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.” Limiting your possibilities is, well, limiting.

In a time when learning new skills, finding new ways to succeed and transforming our organizations is at the top of everyone’s agenda, the path of the beginner is worth following. Considering all possibilities with the openness of a beginner will move us beyond problem solving to creating solutions we may never have thought of before.

One of our most familiar business tools for solution development – one we tend to approach with an “expert” mind – is project management.

Project management is an invaluable tool in the work world. A good project plan is the difference between customer satisfaction and disappointment. It is a living, constantly changing process that facilitates learning. Most visions, especially innovative ones, will not come to life if not implemented through a formal project plan.

Start with vision

I recently experienced my own crisis of “expert” thinking. A new component of my business required compilation of data, management of databases and creation of graphic representations of the data – a departure from my usual facilitation, writing and process analysis. The data-driven tasks began piling up. I became frustrated and did not have confidence in the results I was producing.

Then a wise colleague asked me, “Are you practicing what you preach?”

It immediately became clear that I had not done the proper analysis of the process, developed tools, and executed a project plan for this component of the work as a beginner would. Upon completion of the process, I realized that my “expert” approach had produced inefficiencies, redundancies and unclear expectations.

Here are the tasks to begin basic project management:

1. Define the vision.

2. List the tasks.

3. Determine if any of the tasks are dependent upon each other, meaning they must be completed in a defined order.

4. Assign resources to complete each task.

5. Determine the time frame for completing each task.

Voila, you have a project plan!

There may be those “experts” who say, “Been there and done that. Project management is too time-consuming, requires complicated software, and is beyond the scope of my project.”

Not so fast with the myths and judgments, expert! There are no projects too small to take a project management approach. Technology is an important leverage point, but project plans can also be created with Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and other basic tools.

Simple solutions yield results

Some organizations must build the principles of project management into everything they do, though even small tasks and activities can use simple project management solutions to yield optimal results.

“Technology fills a very important role, but it was only a year ago that we started using special software designed for our industry,´ said Ryan Keiffer, CEO of A-Train Marketing Communications. “Project management is critical for success, but it can be done simply and effectively without fancy tools.”

The value of using even the most primitive project management approach yields wide-ranging benefits for the client, the team and the system:

n System-wide collaboration including stakeholders to create and evaluate the plan provides clarity, highlights unknowns and gives a realistic view of the outcomes.

n Everyone on the team will have the opportunity to learn and grow.

n Project management discipline contributes to positive organizational change.

In my experience, the process of project management is more important than the documentation of the plan. Taking the time to collaboratively analyze a vision, prepare project plans and track progress are 21st-century leadership skills. The use of a project management discipline produces accountability, clarity of purpose and an ability to make realistic commitments.

Think of a challenging situation in your organization. Train your mind to view it as a beginner and see what possibilities arise. There are times for expertise, and there are times to be open to these new possibilities.

Shirley Esterly is a master facilitator who assists her clients to explore opportunities for innovation, strengthen collaboration and build sustainable practices. Her company, QuantumWest, is based in Greeley and she can be reached at [email protected].