A colleague at work commented, “You are the most efficient project manager I know. You’re always in control.”
He obviously hasn’t seen me walk my dog, Andy. My dog is a pig headed bull terrier that drags me along on his walk every day. I’ve used every PM soft skill technique I know to coax him to walk properly … nothing works. He gets his mind set on a direction and off he goes with or without me. I give him credit for having goals and moving toward them, but it really hurts my back when he jerks the leash.
In frustration, I usually start yelling, “No Andy … Stop! Heal! I mean Heel!” Periodically he’ll glance up and all I see in his big brown eyes are two big zeros.
Last month I purchased a special walking harness “guaranteed to put control back in the owner’s hands.” I dutifully read the ten page manual from cover to cover and installed the harness on my little precious. Andy then proceeded to pull me on his daily jog through the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the new dog harness actually gave him more leverage!
I am not a quitter so I returned to Pet Smart and purchased a more ominous steel pinch collar. This thing is straight from the Addam’s family dungeon. In theory, the prongs dig into the dogs neck when he pulls. In practice, Andy loves the way it tickles him behind his ears. He seems to be even more excited about our walks now!
The point is … we love to present an image that we are in control, but when you pull back the curtain all of us have someone or something pulling us along in directions we don’t want to go. If anyone thinks I’m always in control, just park your car at the top of my hill at 6:30 am on any morning and I’m certain that my dog will change your mind.
