The perils of overconfidence
The decision to sanction a large complex project is usually the culmination of a long process of study and analysis. Senior managers have decided to…
ViewHobby horses for courses
Harnessing project mindfulness within your team is a key pillar for achieving a project outcome with the desired ROI. We all have the ability but…
ViewMiserly pursuits
‘Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves’. It’s nigh on impossible to reach adulthood without this old proverb burning into…
ViewThe trouble with heroism
Executives around the world complain about spending all their time ‘putting out fires’. Even those at the sharp end often feel their effort is…
ViewKeep things simple
‘Welcome to Texas,’ said my new boss. ‘We don’t want any British bureaucracy. Just cut to the chase, so the guys will follow.’…
ViewProject value over corporate aspiration
In Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, Bill asks Mike, ‘How did you go bankrupt?’ ‘Two ways,’ Mike replies. ‘Gradually and then suddenly.’ Many executives…
ViewHow much resilience do you need?
There’s an old joke about two wildlife cameramen filming a lion. When the lion spots them and takes an interest, one of them…
ViewProject value over corporate aspirations
Strategy is often framed in terms of how you win. But what does that mean? On large complex feats of engineering, you’re…
ViewWhat do puppies and projects have in common?
We all know ‘a puppy’s not just for Christmas’. It’s a long-term responsibility. Yet the sad reality is that people need an…
ViewTime for better foresight
‘We invest in management teams, not in companies.’ We hear this a lot from investors in energy projects. It seems like sound advice. After all,…
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