La casa de papel is perhaps one of the best series of the last few years. There is a mix of suspense, romance and even drama in the story of a troupe of renegades led by the genius son of a bank robber, a fan of an anti-system revolution with pinches of Italian resistance.
Throughout the series we see a genius plot and are gripped by the endearing personalities of each of Dali's gang members. Our anti-heroes with capital codenames demonstrate throughout the series several lessons in strategy, war tactics, and management, besides of course being Pros in the art of project management.
Without getting into the merits of right or wrong, below are 5 lessons you can learn from watching the Professor's troupe.
Lesson #1: Planning is necessary.
Every project manager must plan in advance what will be delivered in the project, taking care of risk management (such as an early response to invasion), ensuring the quality of what will be delivered (such as unmarked ballots) and even
planning an effective communication, such as the clear message given to the Spanish people, are fundamental for a good project performance.
Lesson number 2: To always stick to what is planned is dumb.
If there is one thing the agile world has taught us, it is that sticking to the plan without considering the cards thrown on the table by the unforeseen is a waste of time. So don't hesitate to get on your motorcycle and go straight back to the arms of your beloved... if you know what I mean.
Lesson #3: Work with MVP's
More important than having an engaged team and a fantastic plan, is to ensure a Minimum Viable Product - MVP, this allows you to break the project delivery into small deliverables that already add value to your customer(s). In the series we see the professor first concerned with putting the team on the field, then with demonstrating that the movement is peaceful, then he manages to put the group as a resistance, and finally he gives his final shot at the Spanish system. Each point is a delivery of his message and a clear attack on the government system.
Lesson number 4: Environmental factors are your best ally.
In the world of project management, one of the premises that are most often evaluated before starting a project, or even while managing one, are the environmental factors in which the project is inserted, which we can understand as factors that arise outside the project or organization, and that can influence it in a positive or negative way. During the series, the team uses environmental factors as gasoline for its attack, sometimes relying on the renown of a prestigious detective, sometimes relying on the vertical structure of the corporation, or the values of the members of the mint and the expectations that are created around an attack like that.
Lesson number 5: Keep the team together.
A collaborative, high-performing team is critical in any project. And the crucial factors to maintain this performance are: transparency (realize that whenever something went wrong it was for lack of it), autonomy (members should have the autonomy to decide the best way to perform their work), and multidisciplinary notion, so it is important that everyone on the team can help each other to cover eventual casualties, after all there is nothing better than someone to cover for you.
And what have you learned by watching?
Comments