Page 62 - Straight Talk On Project Management IV

SIX!!! 6 lessons for IT Project Management from a great weekend of sport

This weekend I watched some remarkable displays of
sporting endurance where the winners, in both cases,
just seemed to have a little something extra left in their
locker to power them onto victory after long, hard
matches. IT Project Management can be a long, hard
slog too and, with the rate of failures still very high, I
wonder if Project Managers and teams could learn
something.

For context, I am writing this on the Wednesday after
England's Cricket World Cup win at Lords and Novak
Djokovic's Men's Singles victory at Wimbledon. Both the
New Zealand cricket team and Roger Federer must have
been able to feel their respective trophies in their hands
but their opponents had that little added ingredient, more than luck, there was a tenacity, a drive, a
never say die strength that, if you could bottle it, would make you a millionaire.
As a cricket fan, it has taken me this long to process what I saw on Sunday. The match had ended in a
tie which led to a tie-breaker, which also ended in a tie all leading to a super over that delivered a
frenetic end to a match that had sauntered along in slow motion until the last hour. It felt just like a
lot of IT projects that I've seen teeter on the brink over the years - as convoluted, as exciting, as
frustrating, as nerve-jangling, as unpredictable and, ultimately, as satisfactory.

Eoin Morgan's England team were predicted to take this tournament by the scruff of the neck, they
were described by one pundit as "the demolition men" who destroyed teams in their wake, notching
up huge totals along the way. Ahead of the final thought, I knew, in my heart of hearts, that it wasn't
going to be easy. As a cricket fan, you know it never is with England, just like IT Projects are never
easy. I just didn't realise it was going to be as hard as it was, a sentiment that many IT Project
Managers can also relate to.
On the same day, across London at SW19, after almost five hours on court and over 400 points of
tennis, the men’s singles final at Wimbledon was decided by a first-to-seven-point tiebreak. Roger
Federer, now 37 years old, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, out-played Novak Djokovic for much
of the match. Federer hit more aces, he won more points and he broke serve more often. Djokovic
showed why he is the top-ranked male player though, he dug deep. In the 16th game of the final set,
Djokovic executed his game better when it mattered and dominated the tiebreak climax to secure
his 16th major title. Phew!

So, what's this got to do with IT Project Management?

It's simply this. While it's quite right that the likes of Djokovic, Stokes and Morgan get their
adulation, for IT Project teams, long days that make you ache from head to toe are a normal
occurrence. It's what we can learn about endurance, resilience and teamwork that could help you
win with your next IT Project.

1 - Strong Leadership