Sometimes reduction works best to tell a story well. Teacher and coach Robert Pol posts haiku that reduces what he knows about project management at the enormously entertaining blog Haiku for Project Managers. He’s assembled some of them into a book, Haiku for Project Managers: Project Knowledge in Seventeen Syllables. It would make a great gift for someone who needs a laugh at the absurdity we find when we work together.

Here’s ten to give you the flavor. Collect the whole set.

Make your point clearly
Starting at the beginning
I’m capturing notes

Don’t respond too quick
Unless you have all the facts
Which you rarely have

Pick a random date
Send it to the leadership
Don’t dare finish late

I changed my schedule
So we could have your meeting
Maybe you forgot

Procrastination
It is not a dirty word
Until you are late

You can ignore me
If it makes you feel better
I’ll keep coming back

Earn the team’s respect
By being the best you can
Or just be funny

Trees move with the wind
Yet we fight to hold a line
Where it won’t matter

I’m in a nice groove
the next meeting wastes my time
must I dial in?

My disagreement
Isn’t based on my feelings
It’s because I’m right

 

Haiku for Project Managers: Project Knowledge in Seventeen Syllables.
Robert Pol
Red Buzz Design
2016, 118 pages

Available from Amazon.