There are two types of people in this world: project managers and task managers.
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I’m a project manager. Everything I do — from making coffee to launching a company to fixing my marriage — is a giant endeavor of some sort. I have a plan, I understand the steps, and I get shit done. Not all projects are successful, and I don’t log most of my work into project management software. But I have multiple “projects” in quotes happening throughout my life.
Most of my friends are task managers. They have lists and chores, and they strive to get shit done by the end of the day. Carpool, dry cleaners, launching a new product, planning a massive vacation. Those aren’t projects; they’re tasks and efforts that are part of the larger project that’s life. Adulthood is best when you can take something off your list.
It’s an interesting distinction, I think. Are you a project manager or a task manager? And does it matter? Does one approach help you make decisions that lead to success? Well, “who the fuck knows” is what I’m finding out. What we think we know about work and decision-making versus what we truly know are two different things.
There’s a ton of research that takes a heavy, academic approach to work and failure. There are think tanks and professors who want you to get lean, agile, and embrace change. But very few of those organizations ask questions in simple English — and without an agenda — about how projects and tasks get completed and who’s to blame when life falls apart.
So while my life is falling apart and I’m wondering what the hell I’m going to do with myself, I’m asking those questions in this survey.
I don’t have a purpose or point to my life except to learn more about what’s happening in the world of work — and project management — and see if I can be helpful. So, I’m embracing that role and starting our research. We are pretty close to closing our survey, the first in a series, and digging into the data.
Help our team learn more about project management and work so that I can get back to work on something meaty and helpful.
While I’m happy to spend my summer on the porch with the cats, in the North Carolina humidity and under the pretty string lights while sipping champagne, I can probably do more with my time and efforts. Here’s the link to our survey on project management. Please take it and share it.
And thank you!