There is a need for project creators to learn how to better delegate projects to project teams. Part of the current difficulty is that what are being called projects are actually problems to analyze or decisions to be made. Problem Solving and Decision Making are not amenable to the standard project management tools. Projects, to put it simply, are decisions that have been approved and now must be implemented. Tools for defining action steps, scheduling, tracking and managing projects are what Project Management Professionals (PMPs) learn.

Another issue plaguing project teams is shifting or conflicting priorities or worse the “everything is top priority” disaster. Multi-tasking kills timeliness.  At any given time there can be only one top priority project, although that honor can change to adapt to evolving contingencies.  But, there should be no confusion on what the priority is now.

In SUM: Organizational leaders – don’t send people to get their PMP certificate unless you are able and intend to define projects for them to do.  Application of critical thinking skills to make high quality decisions and uncover root causes of problems is a prerequisite to launching any project.  Don’t abdicate that role and launch a series of vague initiatives requiring other skills.  The tool sets are distinct having different purposes.