Prophets, Oracles, and Project Managers

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 What is common among the three? They foresee the future. 

(Gif from: Giphy.com)

In Greek Literature, Pythia, the priestess to Apollo at Delphi is one of the most famous and well celebrated oracles in Greek Mythology. An oracle serves as a gateway to knowing the will of the gods and delivering the message to anyone who seeks the future and their destiny.


In the same way, the Christian Belief System also employs the use of Prophets as God’s intermediaries to convey divine revelations and sometimes the future. Isaiah, one of the prophets in the Old Testament, prophesied the birth of Jesus Christ as seen in Isaiah 7:14. 


Project Managers, just like oracles and prophets, also predict the future. However unlike oracles, and prophets, project managers  do not act as God’s intermediary in conveying divine revelations. Project managers use different tools and strategies in foreboding what lays ahead. 


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One of the methods used by project managers to see the future is risk management. Risk Management, according to Reynolds (2010), is a systematic process where project risks are identified, analyzed, and managed. Project managers make sure that there are contingencies and back up plans in place in case something goes wrong with the project. This strategy subscribes to Murphy’s law where it states that “if something can go wrong, it will.” 

(Gif from: mccourier.com)

Project Risk Management makes sure that if something goes wrong with the project it can be immediately addressed and solved. It is therefore important that the project manager including the team members involved in the project be on board in giving value to project risk management. As project manager, when team members are reluctant to give importance to project risk management, the mentality of being reactive rather than being proactive should be appropriately corrected.


#ProjectManagersAsOracles

#Future

#RiskManagement


References:


Ancient prophecy: oracles and gods. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.historyextra.com/period/ancient-greece/ancient-prophecy-oracles-and-the-gods/


Reynolds, G.W. (2010). Information Technology for Managers. Cengage Learning.



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