How The Cartoon Dilbert Can Actually Give You Insight Into Successful Project Management

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One of the reasons Dilbert is such a successful cartoon is because we can all see the truth in it. Though exaggerated and taken to an extreme, Dilbert often showcases all too real management problems and issues that coworkers have with each other. So what lessons can we learn from the dysfunctional world that Dilbert inhabits?

A recurring theme in Dilbert revolves around team members who are marginalized in some fashion. They are ignored, misunderstood, or in other ways made to feel as if their contributions are unnecessary, perhaps even deleterious to the project at hand. Yet what project can afford to have team members who are willing but unable to pull their own weight, due to mismanagement? Or worse, team members who have been so marginalized for so long that they no longer have an interest in contributing, and become dead weight on the team? These days in particularly, with projects being staffed very lean and productivity expected to be high, these are not situations that will lead to project success.

In order to determine more precisely what the issues are, the project manager needs to figure out if the problem lies more with the worker or with management. In other words, does the team member have the right skills for the position on the team? Then, assuming that he does, is the lack of contribution due to disinterest because of management, or simply underutilization? While these problems seem similar and have the same root cause, that of missteps by project management, in the first case the worker needs to be motivated to contribute, while in the second management needs to realign its methodologies in order to get the most and best out of each team member. In both cases, and attitude adjustment on the part of project management is needed.

So what can the project manager do in order to ensure success? If a team member has become discouraged due to lack of interest in his or her skills and ideas, the quickest way to turn that situation around is to make that person feel like a valued member of the team. Seek out his opinions, give him responsibilities appropriate to his skills, and in any other way possible, let him know that his contributions are necessary to the success of the project. If a team member is being underutilized, the project manager should determine why this has been the case and rectify it as soon as possible. Has the project manager become used to relying on only certain team members to get the work done? While according others responsibilities may sometimes require a leap of faith, most workers will step up to the plate when asked to do so. Project managers looking to have a highly functional team should give these approaches a try. Project managers in search of more motivational techniques should take a look at these PDUs for PMPs. PMCAMPUS also offers a great leadership and people management PDU for project managers that can offer more insight to becoming a great leader.

What valuable project management lessons have you learned from Dilbert? Come share them with other project managers and project managers in training on our LinkedIn Group!

About the Author:
PMCAMPUS is an online leader in PMP Exam preparation. Since 2005, we have trained thousands of PMP exam candidates to pass their PMP exam on the first try. We are leaders in online training for PMI's -PMP certification, CAPM certification and PDU PMP recertification.



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