Why is Project Management Hard

This question was asked on Quora. My response is here:

Perhaps you could let us know which parts of project management are hard for you. Chuck Cobb provides an answer on Quora with which I agree: it is always about delivering an output for acceptance by a client, employing - and managing - a range of people and resources (cranes, office space, IT systems, suppliers, finance for example). Chuck mentions Agile but many of the issues faced now in Agile environments were and are present in what are called Waterfall projects.

Most of the issues are people-based. As PM you need to provide some sort of credibility that you are in the right job. You need to enthuse, gain trust, demonstrate that you can lead them to victory. But even the simplest of projects - baking a cake for example - has multiple stakeholders all of whom need to be satisfied with the end result.

Do you and your team have a goal, a real objective that can be defined? Are there steps to it that you can define? Can you agree - whether using Agile or Waterfall - on significant milestones for review, acceptance, and moving on? Can you agree interim changes that really matter, while maintaining the client’s vision for the end product? Can you manage the client so that they do not require endless changes which will take time and cost more and deflect from the original objective?

Lastly, if it is all becoming fruitless - perhaps a competitor or some political or other engagement is preventing completion, or the project simply no longer provides its expected benefit - are you able to say that the project should stop?

The core ingredients are people and planning at the heart of which are communication and control. They are much the same whether organising a wedding or building a refinery, port or power station.

Which of these is difficult for you? Why?

If you need help managing projects, a mentor or coach, please contact me. barry@tuckwood.co.uk