Project Management: The Ultimate Balancing Act?

Have you ever felt that people expect a project manager to be some kind of superhero, swooping in to deliver everything perfectly as planned?

The harsh reality is somewhat different: there are many thousands of tiny, often invisible, interconnected actions and micro-decisions taken by hundreds of people that determine a project’s level of success, making it impossible for one person to control everything.

As I reflected on this, I thought of 14 factors that can shape how a project runs. Some of these can be adjusted in response to lessons learnt or emerging needs, while others are simply givens—factors we have to navigate rather than control. Each factor represents a spectrum, and projects often fall somewhere between these extremes, rather than at one end or the other.

It is important to occasionally reflect on these with your teams and stakeholders to identify any adjustments needed to keep the overall system balanced and running efficiently. Understanding the relationships between these factors is crucial because any imbalance could lead to unrealistic expectations about what is achievable.

It can be a tough ship to sail. That’s why the role of a project manager goes beyond frameworks like agile or waterfall; it’s about taking people on a journey. Aligning stakeholders, empowering teams, and fostering shared understanding requires relentless effort and attention.

Despite the challenges, it’s also what makes our role so rewarding. No two projects are the same, and every successful delivery is a testament to a team that learned and improved together. That’s why I love facilitating workshops and discussions; the teams often hold the answers, thoughtfully considering the factors mentioned above, and helping humble project managers like me better understand the reality of our situation! :-)

I’d love to hear your views on this.

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