PLAYFUL PARALYSIS

A Moral Story on Project Management

Once there lived a pious and mighty king by the name of Shuraamaditya. Ghughubasha was his kingdom where his subjects lived happy and creative. Beautiful and innovative things of his times adorned every nook and corner of his kingdom. He was envy of other kings who would love to plunder and get rich, heavily tax the countrymen so that they were always debt-ridden, sick and impoverished beyond recovery. Anyone who knew Shuraamaditya and his lovely kingdom would devise plans to destabilise Ghughubasha. But then, Shuraamaditya had his own ways to effectively control and role out good governance.

One day, he was so unhappy and bored by praises showered on him that a pall of gloom descended on him. His jester couldn't cheer him up! His musician failed to string the best note to liven him up! It was then that his principal secretary sprung with a great idea that failed everyone's imagination. “Saheb Maharaj”, said he, “why not call our consultant Nicanandaji and ask him to suggest something that'd blow away everyone's imagination?” Saheb Maharaj's eyes brightened up and the consultant was roped in for suggestions. He was person with impeccable integrity and devotion towards what he did.

Nicanandaji – some called him Saheb, some Nicananda Babu while some simply addressed him Nicananda! He arrived as designated and took his seat in the courtroom of the great Saheb Maharaj. Everyone's eyes were glued to Nicananda and his team who did massive brainstorming burning midnight lamp, peering over idea after idea and juggling thoughts that would crisscross the think-tank's pool of imagination. There was complete silence when Nicanandaji rose to address the gathering. He suggested that a project on creating an epic on good governance may be taken up that touched everyone's lives. This would help alleviate problems and encourage troubleshooting at all levels. The meeting ended with thunderous claps and Nicanandaji was asked to formulate the project subject to approval of the project approval committee of the kingdom after which he and his team retired to the hermitage that was an attache' of the king's ministry for strategic affairs.

Within a week, Nicananda and his team toiled hard and placed the proposal before the evaluators for their assessments and approvals. It was found that the proposal was in detail and contained flaws that would and could be ironed out during the course of the project. Nicananda thus entrusted the project with the core team and flagged off on an auspicious day. Pages after pages started to be written that could be the best epic of all times. The characters were designed for development. They characterised and symbolised ordinary patrons with transaction processes pivotal to the common man.

As work on the epic progressed, many members associated with the project either retired or left following better opportunities. Though this took toll on the project, but work never stopped at the office of Nicananda. The pell-mell were creased as the management tirelessly convinced the king's office about the ongoing work. From time to time, the king's emissaries would visit Nicananda's place and enquire and explore into the developments.

As time went by, the assigned staff found out that it was just another burden being offloaded unto them and that they had other works in their offices to do that added and created more value than Nicananda's work. They decided to let Nicananda do his work and they did theirs.

Work on the epic progressed and Nicananda approached the king's office to as the entrusted officials to have a look into the developments so far. He met with rude answers and behaviour that was discouraging enough to stop work. But then, he did not want to fall back on his words and work that the king entrusted.

One day, news came that the king was sick. Nicananda was on his way to the palace when he heard that the king was no more. Alas! Who would now let him work? There was enough resentment not to allow the project progress further. A wheel got formed within the wheel that was drawing everything into it. The king's last rites were performed and his eldest son was enthroned as successor in full gaiety.

It was some time that the crowned king took charge and got to understand the various projects undertaken. The king's coterie got into action in full swing to convince the king to stop Nicananda's work. But then, he had, as a prince, heard about him from his father who respected his works and paid good attention. The kingdom reaped rich dividends from Nicananda's advice and works. He brushed aside his council's advice to do away with Nicananda and called him for a meeting.

A day and time was fixed for this vital meeting. All concerned with the project were asked to be present. Niacnanda arrived with his team and sat on one side while the king waited for his council to make themselves available on the other side. The meeting started with the listing of failures of Nicanada and his team. Nicananda realised that the undercurrents were too strong and would drown him. He took stance and began to list out the deficiencies one by one and the reasons associated with the cause much to the displeasure of his opponents. The meeting concluded as wished the new king to formulate a strategy so that the much of work completed could be of fruitful use. The committee members thanked everyone for being part of the fact finding meeting with a cold feeling that they would like to terminate Nicananda's project.

A time-line was drawn to fix responsibilities. When the minutes of the meeting arrived at Nicananda's table, it was designed with full of actions that was thrust upon him and the king's council escaped thus with this strategy. Nicananda was at his wits' end as to what to do! He started a campaign of perusals with all concerned who took courage enough under the new leadership to disregard him. Questions were even asked about the existence and viability of the project. It was pathetic that the king too relied on the feedback of his council expressing inability to help with the project.

Now, this situation made the council so powerful that they started questioning Nicananda about his works and the way he had deployed manpower under the project. Funding was stopped and everyone engaged without their salaries for months. The project became a nightmare for him. But Nicananda wouldn't let go easily without a big fight. After all, it was his idea that was applauded by all present when king Shuraamaditya was alive and now, taking shape after considerable passage of time. He asked the council to collect all papers related to the project that could be a potential source of information about the sanction of the project and mode of operation with delegation of responsibilities across lines. The task was difficult and there was every chance that vital documents might be tampered to suit the vile interests of the council.

A brief presentation, followed by a demonstration of the work accomplished and, the work in progress was shown to the council who built an opinion and propounded that nothing was going right with the project despite huge investments made from the king's treasury. It was decided with the approval of the king that the attache' office too should be moved to some far off location out of sight of central governance of the kingdom.

Nicananda moved out with his team to the new location never to come back to the existing hermitage till people realised importance of his work.

In the meantime, the unscrupulous had their way into all areas of governance. The king being young could not stop this rummage that had become cancerous. People were disgruntled and started talking and taking ill as this affected delivery of common services.

In the meantime, Nicananda, found this as an opportunity to part publish his work. People started flocking to him and word spread to the king who personally came to see the achievements. He was too impressed at what he saw!