What would a project be without a good Scapegoat? The real value of a scapegoat is to accept blame. It's a specialty, and I claim there's a huge market for this service.
The role of Scapegoat has been in place for decades, just known by different names: Total Quality Manager or TQM, Business Process Reengineer or BPR, Subject Matter Expert or SME, Database Modeler, MS Project czar, or the more inclusive title of Contractor. They all mean the same thing at the end of the day: Scapegoat. It's just that in the past they've had to do actual work enroute to getting blamed. But that doesn't make sense because they're all tired out when blame hits, and don't respond well to it. Better to have them avoid any work so they're fresh and ready when blame hits.
The Unsung Hero provides a light-hearted look at ourselves as project managers and helps us sort it all out.
Barry Otterholt, CMC, PMP has been meddling in project management for 25 years. His experience spans the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. He teaches project management at Northwest University and does a bit of therapeutic writing on the subject which can be viewed at www.stoufferco.blogspot.com.
If you would like Mr. Otterholt to speak at your event or host a panel discussion, please contact him at SpeakingInquiry@StoufferCo.com.
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