Introduction

I have come to think of project management as the language of getting things done. It strikes me as being very much results oriented; focused on the end item deliverable product or service. And for project managers who fully embrace the techniques of breaking work down into manageable tasks the focus involves not just achieving the final outcome, but accomplishing all of the intermediate activities as well. This, after all, is the foundation of the best practice of critical path management.

So why then do we encounter project management situations involving procrastination? Are some project managers putting off doing things because of habitual carelessness or laziness? What is the impact of procrastination when it does occur? How can we recognize procrastination; and how can we prevent it?

For project management procrastination is when a planned task or activity does not begin when scheduled or when an action or decision is not made when it needs to. For the project manager procrastination may occur because of personal attributes such as carelessness or laziness, however, it is doubtful that a significant number or project managers with these characteristics remain project managers but for so long. Procrastination for project managers who have remained in the profession for a significant length of time is more likely to occur for other reasons; it is more likely to occur as a result of wishful thinking (if I just wait a bit things will improve), or as the result of fear (if I act now I may make a mistake), or as the result of a strategy to reduce risk (if I delay the odds of success improve).

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About the Author Michael O'Brochta Michael (Mike) O'Brochta, who has managed hundreds of projects during the past thirty years, is also an experienced line manager, author, lecturer, trainer and consultant. He holds a master's degree in project management, a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and is certified as a PMP®. As Zozer Inc. President, he is helping organizations raise their level of project management performance. As senior project manager at the CIA, he led the project management and systems engineering training and certification program to mature practices agency-wide. Mr. O'Brochta's other current work includes the development of standards and courseware for the new Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers, project management office formation and management, the development of project management life cycle methodologies, project management maturity assessments, project management occupation development, and the creation and delivery of successful project management classes and workshops for participants at various knowledge levels. He serves at the PMI corporate level on the Community Development Management Advisory Group and at the chapter level where he built and led the international PMIWDC Chapter-to-Chapter program. Mr. O’Brochta has written and presented papers at every PMI North American Global Congress during the past decade as well as at many international, and regional conferences. His recent presentations at PMI conferences in Denver and Sao Paulo drew the largest audiences at those conferences. Topics that he is currently passionate about include how to get executives to act for project success and great project managers. Since his recent climb of another of the world’s seven summits, he has been exploring the relationship between project management and mountain climbing. Mike can be reached at mobrochta@zozerinc.com

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