Because of my upbringing, I was destined to become an office worker.
My father loves Dilbert. The family bookshelves are filled with classics such as Bring Me the Head of Willy the Mailboy and It’s Obvious That You Won’t Survive by Your Wits Alone.
Scott Adams’ humorous workplace humor has been entertaining millions of readers for 26 years. He also poignantly highlighted workplace problems that many overlook.
Project managers are one of the most devoted toDilbert. Many have worked in offices where they were micromanaged… or are now the bosses.
After scouring through thousands of Dilbert cartoons I have found the best strip about project management humor. Enjoy.
1.
Project managers who have a PMP certification are more likely to succeed than those without one. Project managers must be able to memorize project management terminology, understand project management processes, and have experience managing projects. In some cases, they may also need to have taken project management courses.
PMPs can get too caught up in the minutiae and responsibilities of good processes, so much that they place them above the people with whom they work. Even if other PMPs recommend it, no one wants to waste their time in meetings. Instead of relying on meetings for information, keep yourself grounded with real-time communication.
2.
Many project managers are familiar with the term “resource allocation”, which can also refer to non-human assets.
Project management can be a cold industry. The demands of deadlines and numbers often outweigh the needs and capabilities of your team members. Remember that each member of your team is a person with their own needs and values.
3.
Software that manages risk can be a valuable tool for many companies.
Even the most advanced systems cannot function without the cognitive skills of an individual working on the project (unfortunately the Turing test has yet not been applied to software at risk). Your software will be useless if the data you input is not consistent with reality.
4.
Poor communication is the root of most project failures, according to the Project Management Institute.
Poor communication can be caused by many things, but the most common reason is a poor system. Emailing every thought is not sustainable, but zero communication eventually leads to project failure.
One of the best ways to address communication issues is to invest in project management software. 52% of project managers claim that communication has been “significantly improved” since implementing PM software. You might consider using PM software to optimize communication, such as tools like Wrike, Asana, and Trello.
We mentioned Asana, which is one of the most popular project management solutions in Capterra’s database. These Asana alternatives can be a great place to start if you are looking for similar products.
We all have met this project manager (or boss).
This know-it all attitude is not only unhelpful but also irritating. No one wants to work for a “holier-than-thou” manager in any situation.
Ratbert doesn’t consider the skills of his coworkers in this strip. He wants to do the work while doing the thinking. Project managers can’t expect to be able to solve all problems at once, nor can they expect to have all the specialized skills of their team.
Use your team. Don’t trust your team to do critical thinking.
6.
Similar to the previous cartoon, Dilbert isn’t sure his team won’t sab.