Similarities Between Parenting a Newborn and Project Management

crazy-baby-milk.JPG(Posted anonymously on behalf of a program engineering manager at a fine, upstanding organization where it would be best if his name was not used.)
Things are going well on the home front. I am beginning to draw a lot of correlations between parenting a newborn and succeeding at work. A few examples:

1) Works well under pressure

HOME = able to change explosively poopy diaper on a screaming, flailing infant

WORK = able to update really crappy presentations and analyses under ridiculously short deadlines while being yelled at by upper management

2) Understands and satisfies demands of customers

HOME = At slightest squeak or cry, dash through the house to the infant and use parental decryption algorithm to decipher and then satisfy their needs.

WORK = At the smallest of complaints, jump on phone/car/plane to listen to customer and then work extensive hours to temporarily pacify their needs until the next crisis.

Maybe there’s some book material here? Nah, probably should stick to engineering….

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