Are Project Managers Secretly Sorcerers?
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
I have to make a confession. I am, and always have been, a TV junkie. I misspent much of my youth watching reruns of Saved By The Bell, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Cheers, Murder She Wrote, and many, many more. With the advent of Netflix, I’ve had unlimited to access to one of my all-time favorite pastimes, and this weekend, I added a new show into my recent obsessions list: The Witcher.
Now, if you are opposed to gruesome violence or have a distaste for Lord-of-the-Rings-esque fantasy, this is not the show for you. I find it a bit more violent than I would prefer, but I am obsessed with one key thread of the storyline: in this fictitious world, sorcerers turn chaos into order. And, what gives me goosebumps about this is: project managers do the same thing.
That’s right- I said it. Project managers bring order to chaos, and in that sense, it sometimes feels like magic. In fact, I can’t help but wonder- are project managers the real-life sorcerers of the business world? Think about it- we take an amorphous blob of an idea, define it with some scope, set up milestones and deadlines, and all of a sudden- bam! You’ve got a project. An actual, factual, living, breathing initiative that creates something where there was nothing prior.
In a strict departure from the show, we are not part of a world-wide alliance trying to bend everything to our collective will, however, I find I love thinking about the skills involved in project management as having a touch of magic. It’s taken me a long time to realize that not everyone can naturally do what we do- it takes training and practice, and a fair amount of discipline. But when you get it right, and that amorphous blob turns into a successful project roll-out, it can feel just as special as casting the right spell.
And, I’ve never met a person who can’t learn the magic of project management. When I see clients I’m coaching make progress on their projects, or finally figure out how to get their calendar set up to support their priorities, that feels like magic. The sense of joy and pride I see reflected in their eyes when they are meeting their goals and crushing it at work is inspiring, too. It’s one of the things I love most about coaching and teaching others- seeing them grow and be successful in their projects and lives. If you could use a little of that kind of magic in your life, hit me up with a DM- I would love to talk about how I might be of service.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Are project managers secretly sorcerers? Have you ever met someone who seemingly brings order to chaos magically? Or, is this all 100% explainable? I’d love to hear your thoughts!