The Bar Stool Analogy

As a project manager especially in a consulting environment you are balanced sometimes precariously on a three legged bar stool…..Each leg of the bar stool symbolizes an aspect of your work life that if not managed actively and well can result in disaster for you and your project.  The three legs symbolize – Your client, Your team and Your up line.  You Mr. or Ms.  Project Manager are sitting on top of this stool…..your job at the highest level is to keep these three legs in harmony…..In a particularly bad week or project phase you can probably afford one of the legs to go out of balance for a short period of time (ie you make a calculated gamble say to burn the team at a higher than tolerable velocity to meet a deadline, or you convince a customer to get his pet project in the next quarter, or you convince your boss to relax that profit target for this quarter in order to improve next quarter).  So three in balance is ideal….Two legs unbalanced for short periods are ok but could spell disaster if not actively managed with you falling off and getting your ass bruised and three out of balance means you getting rolled off the project or fired is not far away in your future….So work for balance AND work on balance…. You are a trapeze artist like the Flying Wallendas…timing is everything. Make it count. Live every project day like its your last working day on earth…..the results will be fantastic!!