How to be a successful eXtreme project manager. Yeah, right...

I’m having a grumpy day so I’ll warn you

• Warning 1: Do not waste your time listening to this month’s PMI-ISSIG webinar; “How to be a Successful eXtreme Project Manager” by Doug DeCarlo. It is 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 16 seconds of pure pain…

• Warning 2: Some coarse language ahead.

You’ve been warned…

I just suffered through this month’s PMI-ISSIG webinar; “How to be a Successful eXtreme Project Manager” by Doug DeCarlo and, although I will claim the PDU to repay my suffering, I suggest you give it a pass; PMI-ISSIG should have done so too.

This webinar is bullshit.  I tried keeping an open mind but just could not; 10, 20, …, 45 minutes pass and nothing of substance is said.  Actually nothing of substance is ever said.  Basically the listener is being hammered with psycho babble and motivational crap about unleashing passion; you might as well use “The Secret” as your foundation for delivering successful projects.  One example of a quote from the webinar:

The most important day of your life is not the day you are born, but the day you find out why.

The originator of which Mr. DeCarlo does not identify.  WTF does this have to do with project management, eXtreme or not?

The whole webinar has really close to nothing to do with projects, project methodologies, project managers, leadership, or anything.  It is pure mush; really.  When it does talk about borderline useful stuff (from minute 45 to 54) it could have been said about any project management approach and calling it eXtreme is window dressing.

It that is what he sells, I hope his hourly is damn low.  I’m thinking that Mr. DeCarlo should retire, find a quiet spot far away from civilization, and bang on his drum to his heart’s content…

Now that I’ve taken this off my chest I feel much better.  I’ll go wipe the foam that’s coming out of my mouth…

What do you think?  As always questions and comments are welcome.

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Comments

[Glen B. Alleman]

I like you more and more every day.

[Patrick Richard]

Thanks!

I'm still grumpy about yesterday's experience and since his address is available, my mind wandered to thoughts of grid refs and howitzers...

[Geoff Crane]

Ready....aim....KAPOW!!!!! /thud

Dude I feel similarly. ;-) This is what happens when buzzwords are given food. Thanks for that! :-)

[Patrick Richard]

Geoff,

My pleasure! I made it my duty to save the whole PM world from wasted training time...

[Craig Brown]

Love this post !!

[Patrick Richard]

Craig,

Thanks for dropping by. I do read your blog religiously (well, you know what I mean...)

[Craig]

Thanks Richard. Appreciate your comments :)