PM Tales #2: Charting Uncharted Courses - The Fairy Tale of Modern Project Navigation

PM TALES: STORIES OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT MANAGERS

Your source for inspirational and actionable insights from the world of project management.

In This Issue:

• Exclusive Interview with Marisa Silva: The Lucky Project Manager
• Fundamentals: The 5 Essential Pillars of a Project: Unsexy but Fundamental for Success
• Innovation: Project Managers, Fear Not: AI Won’t Replace You, It Will Elevate You to Superhero Status!
• Join Our Community for More Stories

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MARISA SILVA

From Fortune to Strategy: The Story of the Lucky PM

Our featured conversation this issue is with Marisa Silva, the Lucky PM , who shares her journey of joy, optimism, and serendipitous success in the field of project management.

[Valerio] Marisa, we are immensely appreciative for your generosity in sharing the wealth of experience you hold. Thank you for contributing to this edition of PM Tales and enriching our community with your stories. Let's start! Your self-description as “the Lucky PM” immediately conveys a sense of happiness, optimism, and zest for life. Could you share the story behind this nickname?        

[Marisa] Thank you, first of all, for such kind words. I do try to share my passion and leave my mark in the community and feel I’m an optimistic at heart! Not really a story but there are three main reasons for my luckiness. First, I think that chance or luck plays such an important role in what happens in our life and projects, even if we prefer to ignore it. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time and I think that, although talent is fundamental, we need to acknowledge fortunate accidents too. Second, there’s this saying that goes as “there are no good project managers, only lucky ones: the more you plan, the luckier you get”, which I fully agree with because luck also requires hard work and preparation. Finally, because I’ve been very lucky to grow and learn with amazing colleagues, clients, organizations, and project teams. And, of course, I call myself “The Lucky Project Manager” because “The Lazy Project Manager” was already taken!

[Valerio] Your connection between luck, talent, and fortunate accidents is enchanting. As you know, I recently read your book entitled “Bedtime Stories for Project Managers,” where fairy tales interweave with project management wisdom. How does this book bring together fairy tale stories and project management concepts?        

[Marisa] I have always been fascinated by stories. It’s such an easy and enjoyable way of sharing a message and it brings me sweet memories since my passion for reading started with the stories my parents read to me as a child. As for Bedtime Stories for Project Managers, the idea arose when I was shadowing a trainer colleague who used the story of the stone soup (very well known in Portugal) to make a point about scope creep. I found it such a clever idea that I then started looking for other metaphors that would make the understanding of project management easier. The book brings together fairy tale stories and project management concepts and this helps readers to establish relationships between ideas, to look at a known model from a new fresh perspective, and to consolidate knowledge, thus I believe it can suit anyone, from experienced practitioners to someone who that wants to know a bit more of what project management is about. From the popular “red riding hood” story to the “Bed of Procrustes”, stories provide an opportunity to reflection and imagination – for children as well as for grown-ups.

[Valerio]?I have to add that reading it has finally given me some insight into explaining my work to my children. What Daddy does is help the 3 little pigs to better plan and execute ?? ?You mentioned the challenges of prioritizing customer expectations and the need for effective communication. In setting up PMOs from scratch, what have been some of the main challenges and triumphs you’ve encountered?        

[Marisa] I think that, at the end of the day, organizations struggle with the same challenges and have the same pain points regardless of size or sector – lack of efficiencies, lack of visibility to make informed decisions, lack of resources and predictability. The biggest challenge for PMOs is then to build a catalogue of services that meets the expectations of their customers, the right priority at the right time, and to communicate it effectively. All services will be valuable to someone working in the PMO, of course, however, it should be the customer to define the priorities. Make no mistake: the PMO is a service to be provided, not a department to simply be compliant with. Also, most people still do not know what a PMO does or can do. We need to communicate more and better if we are to be their critical but trusted friend.

Working as a consultant, it’s not uncommon for me to get to an organisation just to learn that internal staff was aware of the problems already and had even considered viable solutions, however, that tacit knowledge is often neglected, not valued or sometimes it doesn’t even reach the decision-makers. Have a look at the ‘iceberg of ignorance’ model – it’s so sad that there’s such big of a disconnect between what people in the field know and do and others at the top! Thus, for organizations to know when it is time, they just need to do a simple thing: listen. Listen more, listen better. A main challenge is, therefore, poor knowledge transfer and that still remains for many. As for triumphs, it’s a particularly rewarding feeling when you see people using the toolkit you have developed or when they are following your recommendations from a project health check. I love that feeling that my small contribution is impactful to that organization and that the PMO is now critical to the business.

[Valerio] Considering the rapid advancement of digital transformation, how do you see PMOs evolving to keep pace with these changes and how has this influenced your own approach?        

[Marisa] I think we should be very proud, as a profession, of what we achieved to date but there’s more we can still do. The PMO needs to reinvent itself in light of digital transformation advancements. How to do effective assurance remotely? How to coach the project teams and facilitate workshops now that everyone is working on their own? How to use AI to free up time in repetitive tasks? How to convey impactful messages to our stakeholders? These are questions that should be in any PMO’s mind at the moment. We crave flexibility and the PMO should act as a servant leader and enable that flexibility if it wants to be recognised as a valuable business partner. I believe that we will see PMOs acquiring strategic relevance and dedicating more of their time to value-added activities such as data analysis and predictive assurance (rather than just data collection and reactive assurance), project selection and prioritisation, or capability-building. The PMO brings processes, practices, lessons, people together. We are integrators at heart, silo-breakers – thus, whether we will be calling it PMO or something else, centralised or de-centralised, I believe that this integration remains a fundamental quest of any organisation, now or in the future.

[Valerio] Definitely agree, as integrators and supporters of collaboration, PMOs are pivotal in driving organizational success, and their evolution is crucial for the future of the whole project management environment. Could you share a pivotal lesson or moment in your career that has significantly influenced your approach as a project manager?        

[Marisa] In the very early days of my career, working as Project Officer, I very much operated in a command-and-control type of environment, fully empowered by the senior management team and where requests coming from the PMO were to be followed without dispute. Timesheets were to be completed every week and if you missed one or had an incomplete Charter for your project, that would have an impact on your salary. I was demanding and chasing all the time and I’m pretty sure that at one point I was probably the most hated person in the company. I’d become arrogant and disconnected from the real purpose of my role – to serve and enable. For me, that was a strong lesson and since then I made it a mission to educate others on the importance of building relationships, co-creating change, and positioning PMOs as a critical friend and a servant leader. When working in project we need to remember more often that first and foremost we are (just) human.

[Valerio] Your words underscore an important life lesson and resonates with the principles detailed in David Marquet's "Turn the Ship Around." It highlights the transformation from a strict command-and-control environment to a more empowering leadership approach, fostering excellence and crew happiness. I know that you are a servant leader not only as a PMO but also as an educator and keynote speaker: so, what core advice do you find yourself giving to aspiring PM professionals?        

[Marisa] “Build your network and strong relationships!”, that would be my advice. Having a reliable and diverse network to support you, challenge you, advice you, learn from, it makes a difference, and it certainly made it in my career. I’m not just talking about chasing everyone on LinkedIn but actually getting involved with the community, in an institutional or more informal way, and building real connections. Grow and nurture your network. The same applies to the day-to-day of projects: ultimately, it’s the support, or lack of it, from stakeholders that can make or break your project. So, trust me, your project success is all about building those relationships.

[Valerio] Great. Looking towards the future, how do you envision the field of project management evolving, and what skills do you think will become crucial for PMs?        

[Marisa] Looking ahead, I think that project management is gearing up for exciting times. We are creating the future through our projects, after all! Imagine a world where projects are run with the latest tech wizardry, teams work from everywhere, and are adaptable to use different toolkits.

First up, digital tools are taking centre stage. Remote work seems to be here to stay, so being capable of managing teams scattered around the globe is a must. Closely related, is the ability to use AI to make your project life easier. Some say AI may replace us in a couple of years, but, honestly, I’d be more concerned about being replaced by someone that knows AI better than I. We need to be able to learn new competencies in this domain. Also, data is the new gold, so if you can spin insights from numbers, I’m sure your future will be successful.

Other key trend to keep an eye on is sustainability and how more and more we are being asked to have a ‘responsible project management’ mindset, one where project managers are thinking beyond delivery and focussing on the project legacy they will leave behind. Finally, I would also stress the importance of project management bricolage, that is, the flexibility to mix and match different approaches and methods to find the best fit for the project. Having the emotional intelligence to lead a team and deal with stakeholders is not sufficient; spoiled with so many options out there, now we also need the intelligence to decide what is ‘just enough’ and ‘just right’ for our projects.

Ultimately, in this ever-changing landscape, one thing's for sure: project managers need to be the ultimate chameleons, always learning, adapting, and having a talent for bringing people together.

Cheers to the future of project management! May all your projects be lucky! ??

[Valerio] Thank you, Marisa, for sharing such insightful and inspiring experiences. Your journey and expertise give us important takeaways for project management professionals, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and a strong focus on building relationships. Your dedication to evolving the PMO role and taking a servant leadership approach is truly commendable. Your vision for the future of project management is thought-provoking and presents an exciting outlook for the field. Much success to your future endeavors, and may all your projects be lucky, too! ??
        

Show Notes

Bedtime Stories for Project Managers is available in several languages; you can get your copy here.

THE 5 ESSENTIAL PILLARS OF A PROJECT

Unsexy but Fundamental for Success

Discover the foundational elements that are critical for any project’s success. These five pillars may lack the glamour of high-profile strategies, but their robust and reliable nature makes them indispensable.

Read the article

PROJECT MANAGERS, FEAR NOT: AI WON’T REPLACE YOU

It Will Elevate You to Superhero Status!

Embrace the future with confidence as we explore how artificial intelligence is set to transform project management – not by taking your job, but by enhancing your capabilities and helping you achieve the extraordinary.

Read the article

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

If you're passionate about project management and enjoy tales of success, challenge, and inspiration, like the stories from Marisa Silva, don't miss out on our next issue of PM Tales.

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Thank you for reading PM Tales – we hope you found inspiration and valuable knowledge in this issue!

As Marisa said, may all your projects be lucky! ??

See you next month!

Valerio