The Project Manager's Life: Team Pride

Some projects present problems that seem to be insurmountable. The team works night and day and it may seem like all is lost. Perseverance and creativity, however, frequently save the day. As if someone performed a miracle the application works and the project is successfully delivered.

Perhaps those who were not directly involved cannot appreciate the result and they may not be forthcoming with the praise that is merited. The project team knows, however, and amongst themselves they can take pride in what they have accomplished.

Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi has captured just such an occurrence the following couplet:

We shall show this miracle in the dark of the night
If the lamps are not lit, our hearts we shall light*
Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi

अँधेरी रात को यह मोजिज़ा दिखायेंगे हम
चिराग़ गर न जला तो अपना दिलजलायेंगे हम
अहमद नदीम क़ासमी

اندھیری رات کو یہ معجزہ دکھائیں گے ہم
چراغ گر نہ جلا تو اپنا دل جلائیں گے ہم
احمد ندیم قاسمی

मोजिज़ा / معجزہ = miracle; गर, अगर /گر ,اگر = if

Whether your project team gets the recognition it deserves or not, let your hearts glow with pride for you know what you have accomplished.

* Manish Modi brought this sher to my attention and provided the English adapation.

Listen to this sher in the poet's own voice at:
http://urdulife.com/mushaira/urdu/mushaira.cgi?anq_g2

The Project Manager's Life: Leadership

Thanks go to Atul Abhyankar for brining this very famous sher to my attention. Perhaps this sher by Majrooh Sultanpuri is so popular and frequently quoted (and misquoted) because it addresses a personality trait that people in general admire, leadership. This sher, however, seems to address a specific type of leadership. It is the leadership that is innate or charismatic rather than that which is merely declared.

I set out all alone toward my destination, but
People came along and it became a caravan
Majrooh Sultanpuri

मैं अकेला ही चला था जानिब-ए-मंज़िल मगर
लोग साथ आते गये और कारवां बनता गया
मजरूह सुल्तानपुरी

میں اکیلا ہی چلا تھا جانبِ منزل مگر
لوگ ساتھ آتے گۓ اور کارواں بنتا گیا
مجروح سلطان پوری

The most successful project managers are really project leaders. They set out on their project missions and quickly form a project team that has a common “destination.” They are also successful in obtaining the following and trust of client personnel over whom they exercise no direct control. They know what they have to do, how to go about doing it, and steadfastly lead the way. They start alone and quickly form a caravan of followers.

----------------------------------------------------

A word about the shaayar (poet):

Majrooh Sultanpuri (1919-2000), whose real name was Asrar Hasan Khan, was an eminent poet and film lyricist. Some critics view him as one of the greatest Urdu poets since Faiz Ahmed Faiz. His takhallus (pen name), majrooh, means wounded or smitten. During a career spanning 55 years, he wrote lyrics for about 350 films.

For audio recitations by Majrooh check the following site:
http://www.urdulife.com/mushaira/urdu/poet_index.cgi?msp_majrooh_sultanpuri