Carl's Corner
by Carl Pritchard, PMP, PMI-RMP, EVP (December 19, 2011)

Santa Claus the Project Manager

What makes the annual holiday visit from Old St. Nick so successful? It’s a project, and the man plans it and plans it well. Specifically, Santa shows many of the traits of the best project managers, and has deployed them effectively for a long, long time.

How do I know? There's evidence in the music!

As a team leader, he's able to win hearts:

"I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, undernear the mistletoe last night..."
- I Saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus

And He know how to provide rewards:

"He's got a bag that's filled with toys for boys and girls again."
- Here Comes Santa Claus

As a scheduler and planner, he operates in a timely fashion:

"He'll come around when the chimes ring out"
- Here Comes Santa Claus"

As a risk manager, he's forever vigilant and watchful:

"He's making a list and checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice..."
-Santa Claus is Coming to Town

As a change manager, he's nothing if not resourceful:

"Then one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say: 'Rudolf with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?'"

When it comes to procurement? He's running in the right circles on contract administration:

"...Sign your "X" on the line, Santa Baby and hurry down the chimney tonight."
-Santa Baby

As problems arise, he seems to have an innate ability to cover his tracks...at least most of the time:

"At the scene of the attack,She had hoof-prints on her forehead, And incriminating Claus marks on her back."
-Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

Is it conclusive? No, but one lyricist after another seems to concur the jolly old elf might be eligible for an honorary PMP®.

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