Project Managers

The Shape-Shifters of Corporate Life

Project managers have worn many hats over the years what with Waterfall, PRINCE2 and Agile. These days, they might even hide under the trendy title of Delivery Manager. Whatever the name, the job often boils down to front-loading a project so heavily that they burn through their hours before the project is even 25% complete.

I recently reviewed a large enterprise portfolio and noticed something remarkable: 90% of projects with PMs attached were in the red—a polite way of saying “in jeopardy.” The Agile wave hasn’t helped. PMs now moonlight as Scrum Masters, spending their days in endless stand-ups while critical paths vanish into a sea of Kanban cards that make reporting feel like pulling teeth.

Ever worked with a project manager who’s basically a professional calendar enthusiast? They spend weeks building Gantt charts, color-coded timelines, and risk register and the…