Unlocking project success, one game at a time!

Get to know The Project Management Game of Stakeholder Management and my unique approach to quality and impactful learning.

I pride myself on this innovative approach to project management education, utilizing scenarios to enhance stakeholder management skills. 

About the Game: 

   This is a game specific to managing stakeholders and navigating organizational structures because I consider it the most important project management skill to master. 

   This is a “choose your own adventure”. In this adventure, or game, you meet Chuck, the project manager. Chuck is given a project and a list of stakeholders. As you read along you will be presented with situations and asked to make a choice.

   Based on your choices Chuck will go down a winning or losing path.

   A stakeholder is anyone affected by a project. Best practice dictates seeking their support, yet every project faces individuals who resist its success. I've observed that many negative stakeholders fear the project's success will negatively impact their careers or personal agendas. Such stakeholders can sabotage projects, organizations, and careers.

   There are processes to categorize stakeholders as supportive, neutral, or negative and there are techniques to convert negative stakeholders. In my experience the only way to hold a negative stakeholder in check is through accountability. 

   My projects typically exist within functional organizations, where project managers have limited authority and functional managers wield significant power. These managers often prioritize sustaining business or advancing their careers over the changes demanded by a project. The functional structure is common in many companies.

   This game is meant for amusement, reality sharing, education and/or case studies. If you are new to the profession or working in a business then it will give you an understanding of what can go wrong for a PM, and if you are an experienced PM then I hope you find these scenarios hilarious.

   The stakeholders and scenarios in this game are completely fictious and not a description of any one company or project I have worked in the past.

   The game represents choices I would make and may not be what other professionals would choose. 

   This site is dedicated to my spouse who has listened to many stories over the years, not represented in this game of course, and to my three sons who are entering the workforce: may your negative stakeholders be few and unimpactful.

Use this link to start the game. Good Luck!