This is an excellent example of an “agile” project management in which the bind that connects all people is the common goal – clearing the street. In Agile Project Management, everyone is united by a common understanding and agreement of the objectives. Furthermore, project managers often wear multiple hats – project managing, removing debris, cutting tree limbs, ordering pizza, etc. In fact, PMs are more like facilitators and lead by examples. Optimal utilization of resources is less by command and control then what makes most sense. Three lessons can be drawn here for all PMs: 1) the power of a common goal; 2) the power of setting an example; 3) the agility in which the project is done without resorting to detailed plans and resource allocation.

Te Wu’s comment on the below article titled, “How to turn a crisis into a project management and leadership opportunity”

Christian Youngblood for CIO writes:  In our normal routines, managers attempt to plan every detail of a project to ensure success. Life, on the other hand, is always interfering with that plan and presents us with an unlimited supply of disasters and the occasional crisis. This is my story of a small, natural disaster and how one neighborhood prevailed.

There was nothing unusual about the drive home. It had been a long, hot day but the temperature had recently dropped several degrees because of an afternoon storm. I was down to my last turn before reaching my street when I noticed a few cars stopped ahead. Apparently, that afternoon storm had been much stronger than I realized as it managed to knock some large trees all the way across the road. We weren’t going anywhere.

Decision time

I believe all of us are bombarded with these situations from time to time. They may show themselves in the form of a crisis at work (the data center has lost power) or something less significant at home (the washing machine won’t drain). The way that we manage these situations, big or small, are all opportunities to refine our skills, while learning lessons so that we can do better the next time.

My house was only about 200-feet past the tree. I had options. I could park my car alongside the road, go home, and enjoy my life until the situation resolved itself. However, I chose to grab my chainsaw and see how I could help. Nobody else had taken the lead so I took it upon myself to form a plan: start small, cut enough for a car to pass, move all the branches to the side of the road, and make it easy for the professionals (Department of Transportation) to do their part later.  SNIP, the article continues @ CIO, click here to continue reading….