Donna Fitzgerald

A member of the Gartner Blog Network

Donna Fitzgerald
Research Director
3 years at Gartner
31 years IT industry

Donna Fitzgerald is the role service director for the Program and Portfolio research area. Her responsibilities include helping companies improve their program and portfolio management capabilities. Ms. Fitzgerald uses her personal experience… Read Full Bio

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The Many Shades of Gray

by Donna Fitzgerald  |  June 18, 2009  |  Comments Off

 It occurred to me this morning that we might need to be clearer about what the difference is between an apprentice, a journeyman and a master PM.   

An apprentice works with black and white.  He believes all knowledge comes from an authority and must be followed exactly.

A journeyman works with shades of gray.  She finds that there are at least three different perspectives on every ‘rule” she ever learned and knows if she lives long enough she’ll probably find a circumstance where each one of those variations will be true.

A master works with black alone because black is the sum of all colors.  He is comfortable with oppositions, contrasts and subtleties and takes them all in stride, celebrating their richness.

 

You can generally recognize a Master when you meet him or her.  It’s the apprentice with 15 years experience that tends to be the source of the problem.  

 

Thoughts?  Comments?  Opposing Opinions?

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