Practice Two: Adjust Project Practices to the Specific Context

Malcolm Forbes, the publisher of Forbes magazine, made the following insightful observation: “What is strength in one context can be a weakness in another context. I’m persevering—you are stubborn. I am flexible—you are weak. I am practical—you are opportunistic... It depends on the context.”

The current practice is a key practice that significantly affects all other practices. Indeed, the rationale behind the design of this book is to help the reader understand how successful project managers deviate from the common “one best way” approach and adjust their practices to the specific context of their project. Avoiding the “one best way” approach does not imply, however, that there are no “wrong ways,” that “anything goes,” or that you must always “start from scratch.” There is always the need to strike a balance between relying on the accumulated knowledge of the organization, on the one hand, and enhancing the flexibility and creativity within each individual project on the other.