(Posted on July 18,
2009)
As we noted on our Executive PM Challenge page,
we're hearing a lot of nonsense from some middle managers who claim
their executives don't want to talk about quality; only about
projects meeting baselined schedules.
This assertion is
ridiculous on its face., but, since someone, somewhere, somehow has
to stand up for truth, justice and the American Way, it might as
well be us here at Bluejeans Place.
We issue the following project management
challenge to America's middle managers:
We're looking for
any middle manager's written proof that any executive superior to
them directed one or more of the following actions:
- Deleted or neglected
the quality aspects of any project's product in order to meet a
project's baseline schedule
- Refused a request to
extend a project's schedule or rebaseline it so time could be used
to address the project's product quality issues
- Refused a request to reduce the
project scope so the baseline schedule of the smaller project
could be met
- Refused to discuss
the impact of the project's baseline schedule on the quality
aspects of the project's product
Since we're standing up
for truth, justice and the American Way, we will verify all
submissions with the executive concerned. We will also issue a
written challenge to that executive requesting a guest editorial
from him or her.
Our contention is no
executive ever gives those sorts of directions to the staff; the
middle managers, on the other hand, stupidly believe--and tell their
staffs--that's the executive's position!
If a middle manager's
submission is verified by his or her executive, we'll post it within
24 hours on a page titled:
"Learn a New Executive
PM Technique: Getting garbage on
time!"
We will also post a
rebuttal editorial to this "new executive PM technique." We
have the rebuttal editorial title already written:
"Do stakeholders know
they pay for this nonsense?"
Note: The name,
address, position, phone number and organization of the submitter
and executive is required on all submissions.
Editorial
Comment by Bluejeans
For obvious reasons, I
doubt any middle manager will accept our challenge, but
then again, I may be surprised. A Bluejeans Place
editorial several years ago rebutting, point by point, an Internet
chain letter full of bigotry towards all Muslims resulted in at
least six e-mail responses claiming such bigotry is perfectly
correct and acceptable in today's
America! | 
