The Project Manager's Life 21

An extremely difficult challenge for a project leader, as we have pointed out in previous postings, is the issue of trust (ऐतबार). When the project team is having troubles and there are delays and cost overruns, it is important to assess people’s position judiciously. It is often difficult when meeting with the client, and even our coworkers, to know on whom we can rely. Many people who come across as our friends are really not there for us in difficult times. Imagine yourself at the conference table and consider what Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi observes.

किस को क़ातिल मैं कहूँ किस को मसीहा समझूँ
सब यहाँ दोस्त ही बैठे हैं किसे क्या समझूँ

शायर: अहमद नदीम क़ासमी

मसीहा - messiah

The Project Manager's Life 20

The underlying foundation of successful projects is based on the concepts of promises and commitments. It is not unusual to encounter unanticipated obstacles during the project’s life-cycle. At such times, it may be tempting for team members to succumb to the temptation to use such obstacles as an excuse for not meeting their commitments. This, of course, can have repercussions on the overall project and we should strive to avoid this. Israar Ansaarii, in the following sher, has praise for those who manage to their commitments despite the obstacles that befall them.

हवाएँ तेज़ थीं बारिश भी थी तूफ़ान भी था लेकिन
तेरा ऐसे में भी वादा निभाना याद आता है

शायर : इसरार अन्सारी

This sher reminds me of the inscription on the main post office of the United States Postal Service in New York City: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

This sentence is attributed to the Greek historian Herodotus (484 BC - 430 BC) and describes the fidelity with which Persian mounted postal couriers carried out their work. It was chosen because it represents the determination of mail carriers to get the job done, come what may.

Good project teams are built on a similar spirit.