ABSTRACT

Consulting in project management has left numerous impressions on me. One is that many project managers today don’t seem very satisfied. Sometimes I am not very satisfied. Some project managers are experiencing doubt as to whether this career is for them. Others are permanently changed from being caught up in an extraordinary project that went sour, ruining careers and reputations. Surprising? No, we know the statistics and witness the extraordinary sacrifices project teams and project managers sometimes have to make to deliver projects. On the other hand, projects often positively influence the lives of project managers, their customers, and their extended communities. Those projects seem to have moments when a few people make remarkable contributions that positively alter the direction of the project. Their unique fingerprints cover the project, and they have left their individual, personal mark and influence behind. A forensic project scientist can see the positive, indelible impact these leaders have had.