Page 82 - Straight Talk On Project Management IV

Under which condition would you perform more work?

So, the actual task is identical – build a Lego kit, the pay structure was the same for both groups, not
surprisingly though, the Meaningful Group built many more Bionicles than the Sisyphus Group. In
numbers, the most frequent quitting point for the Meaningful group was after making 10, and for
the Sisyphus group, it was just 4.
You could say adding meaning to a task (or knowing what the meaning is) more than doubles
productivity.

You could also conclude that recognition for a job well done also drives greater productivity. The
Meaningful group’s work for there for all to see whereas the Sisyphus group’s work was instantly
dismantled – a metaphor for the power of feedback if ever there was one! IT Project leaders can
drive better results and give meaning to the work of their team by acknowledging each milestone
and celebrating each interdependent ‘cog’ as it falls into place along the way!

In conclusion, it seems that meaning and purpose are much more important than we often think. I
guess it applies to all aspects of our lives, but as this is an IT Project Management blog, let’s make it
an IT Project priority in 2020. Let’s project manage with meaning and purpose – who wouldn’t want
to more than double productivity?

Ensure that you and your team understand the meaning and the purpose of every aspect of your
work delivering IT Projects, give recognition for each little win along the way, and success will follow.

Sources:

sciencedirect.com
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167268108000127

apm.org.uk

https://www.apm.org.uk/body-of-knowledge/context/governance/

richardnicholls.net

http://richardnicholls.net/?post=episode-176