Flying Solo

One of the best experiences I ever had when flying was my first solo flight. Do you remember your first "solo flight" in project management? Are you passing on the experience?

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How to Know When Project Management Has "Arrived"

Has project management arrived as an accepted practice? How will we know when it has arrived? I learned the answer to that question recently. The answer is...

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Ignoring Little Problems

Sometimes it is the little problems and turn into big disasters. In this post, we'll explore a story of why you shouldn't ignore the little problems.

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Reliable Data

One of my favorite experiences as a pilot was the first time that I flew in the clouds on instruments. I had to completely rely on instruments - the reliable data in front of me. Do you think there is a lesson for our projects?

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A Lesson in the Risks of New Technology

You may have heard of the troubles of the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" lately. All fifty or so of these airplanes have been grounded due to a risk of fire from their batteries. What lessons does this provide for project management?

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Become a student of how things work

Do you understand how things work in the organization and culture around you? Is this important?

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3 Tips to Produce an Uneventful Conclusion

"The best landing is one you walk away from" is an old adage told by pilots. That was back from the "golden days" of flying where there was a lot more seat of your pants flying. Is the best project one in which you walk away from? How many projects have ended...well...with a rather high dose of excitement? How do we make those "landings" unexciting and routine?

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Should Project Management Be Boring?

Should project management be as boring and predictable as an airline flight? What are the obstacles to that occurring?

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Using All Available Resources

In 1989, a United Airlines DC-10 provided a lesson in the importance of a team working together and using all available resources at their disposal. How can we apply this to project management?

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Preflight: The Importance of Preparation in Project Management

Many times human nature creeps into our project management so that we launch right into a new project without being properly prepared. A good preflight is an critical part of any flight or project.

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