Fast forward to today...
Ignore the past and just press play...
Trudging forth through the political morass of government work, it easy for most to hesitate and question if the present course of action is the optimal route; only to be swallowed up by inaction. Welcome to my life as a Project Manager. In time constrained environments, too many sacrifice precious time pondering if the direction provided to them is in the best interest of the Project. I recall vividly what it's like to be in their shoes, and that's the reason I endeavored to leave behind my tech career to start leading instead. It is not that I have forsaken all the knowledge acquired over 15 years in the pursuit of new competencies. Thus frustration can set in when time is limited and all I want to say is trust me...
Alas I cannot take the easy road and tell them, "Just because I said so." Instead I spend an inordinate amount of time teaching and mentoring to help them understand the elusive big picture. Time ticks, tasks become delayed, and I end up spending my evening completing the tasks I couldn't complete at work. Compound that with complaints that some work a little more than 40 hours a week when I'm usually over 60. It can be challenging to not say a word, put the game face on, and press forward through the schedule. Then again, that captures what I call the "joys of leadership". |