Risk Conference – The Elephant in the Room

After attending the terrific Australian Institute of Architects RISK 2015 national conference, I – and many others – realised that there was a big, hairy elephant in the room: RISK. A battalion of great presenters felt its various parts, reported what they found, and a few...

Managing Upward 101

Managing people is about influencing their behaviour. There are two “managing upward” scenarios: First, the need to influence the behaviour of a person senior to you, and Second, to influence the behaviour of a secondary client, for example where you are employed by another consultant...

Is there any chance you’ve ever committed one of the “7 deadly sins” of managing Project Managers?

Written by Charles Nelson - December 11, 2019

Recently I upgraded an old post on the above topic. In checking how far back in time this concept went, I did a little research. With full credit to Wikipedia, I found that the concept originated about the 4th C. AD.

I’m not sure if PMs (or those who manage them) have roots that go back that far, but there is ample evidence that modern-day managers of managers stumble into “sinful” territory regularly.

The Wikipedia posts contain extensive material on the 4th of those sins, “pride”, also known as “hubris”.. Here’s Wikipedia’s description, which I have shortened:

“Pride is considered, on almost every list, the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins. It is identified as dangerously corrupt selfishness, the putting of one’s own desires, urges, wants, and whims before the welfare of other people. In even more destructive cases, it is irrationally believing that one is essentially and necessarily better, superior, or more important than others, failing to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, and excessive admiration of the personal image or self . . . and refusing to acknowledge one’s own limits, faults, or wrongs as a human being.”

Fortunately, I’ve encountered very few design firm leaders who fit that description!

However, reading it certainly does bring to mind a certain prominent politician. Any idea who I’m thinking of?