Project Management:

Or, Why It’s Like Herding Cats

You didn’t come this far to stop

If you've ever tried to get multiple people to agree on a meeting time, you've had a taste of project management. Now, imagine aligning deadlines, budgets, personalities, and shifting priorities—congratulations, you're herding cats.

Project management is the art (and sometimes chaos) of leading a team toward a shared goal. But unlike leading a parade, where everyone marches in the same direction, managing a project often feels like chasing a dozen independent-minded felines, each with its own idea of where to go and what matters most.

So why do we do it?

Because when it works, it’s magic. Project managers bring structure to the chaos. They balance resources, timelines, and scope, all while keeping stakeholders informed and the team motivated. They ask the hard questions, clarify the fuzzy goals, and translate abstract ideas into actionable tasks.

Yes, people might not always follow the plan. And yes, the plan will change (often). But a good project manager knows that flexibility, communication, and trust are just as critical as a Gantt chart.

In the end, managing projects is about guiding people—not controlling them. It's about creating space for collaboration, keeping momentum, and occasionally picking up a stray cat or two along the way.