For a project manager, it’s always sailing season

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

I discovered this quote on the August page of my monthly calendar. It was attributed to country singer Jimmy Dean (yes, of Jimmy Dean® Brand pork sausage).

The concept has been attributed to various sources from as far back as 1738, but these are his exact words. I’m not a country music fan, and I don’t eat pork sausage, but I do find this quote inspiring.

As a project manager, I sit daily at the tiller, adjusting the sails depending on which the way the wind is blowing. Sometimes I’m able to steer it in a straight line for weeks at a time. But I’ve never worked on a project that didn’t wind up being buffeted by breezes, and sometimes gales, that threw the project “off course”.

When speaking to team members, I try to replace the words “off course” with other less value-laden terms, like “a slight change in direction” or “a brief stopping point”. However, anyone who has sailed knows that tacking is not always easy. In a strong wind, turning the bow of the boat across the direction of the wind takes brute strength. If you’re not careful, you or a passenger can be hit by the boom.

In sailing situations, the person steering the boat needs to remain calm and let everyone know what is happening. On a project, these changes in course can be tracked by status reports and updates to the project schedule.

I’ve been working on a project that is experiencing significant delays due to forces that, like the wind, are beyond my control. My job has been to 1) manage the cross-winds by keeping my hand on the tiller; 2) communicate frequently with the passengers to let them know what is happening; and 3) send up a flare by changing the project status from “Green” to “Yellow”.

Despite the zig-zag course of this project, I know we will get to our destination. That is the challenge and the inspiration of project management.

I took the photo below from the beach on Cape Cod in July. It sailed in a straight line for a long time.

Later, I watched as the boat attempted to turn about and listed from side to side until they finally furled the sails and paddled to shore. The end wasn’t pretty, but they reached their destination!