I recently made a game-changing investment at home – an extra centre table, dedicated solely for my daughter’s creative pursuits: stickers, clay, painting, and all other “critical deliverables” she can dream up. The main coffee table, of course, remains reserved for guests, clean and presentable – at least in theory.
This setup is not just child-proofing; it’s project management at its finest. Think of the backup table as the ultimate Sticker Station – where the real work and mess happen.
In the workplace, there’s always that one “project desk” everyone’s expected to admire – immaculate, organised, maybe even reflective enough for performance reviews. But experienced project managers know the truth: real execution happens on the backup desk. That’s where chaos, innovation, and (occasionally) glue sticks meet tight deadlines and shifting requirements.
My daughter’s desk – let’s call it the Real PMO – hosts sticker marathons, playdough sprints, and the occasional spill incident. Yet, it’s here that creativity flourishes and actual progress is made. The “guest table”? It’s the power suit. The PMO desk? That’s where the magic (and mess) really happens.
So, next time your project plan looks like a toddler’s art project – colourful chaos and all – remember, that’s where true innovation and progress hide. If your PMO isn’t a bit sticky and if you’re not occasionally peeling off a sticker from your elbow, are you even running a real project?
