Santa’s merry mishap – A project management Christmas tale

It was the day before Christmas…..

Santa woke up with a smile, happy at the thought of soon delivering presents to all the kids in the world, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would see their enchanting smiles on their faces upon discovering what he and the elves had prepared for them under the Christmas tree.

He went down to the factory…and a marvellous scene unfolded before him!

Elves were quickly placing gifts in the Christmas gift bags while cross-checking their lists to make sure they didn’t miss anyone. Reindeers were practicing their takeoffs, striving to improve their time while remaining in sync. There was even a bit of friendly arguing with Vixen, who, with a particularly jolly mood that morning wanted to show off his strength by holding Dasher’s and Blitzen’s tail, thus slowing them down!

Everyone busy, but happy, under a controlled level of stress.

Mrs Claus, wearing that wonderful, magical smile that had stolen his heart ages ago, approached Santa. She tenderly kissed his cheek and handed him a cup of hot cocoa in his favourite mug.

Santa smiled back, sat on his favourite sofa, admiring the joyful chaos around him. Just as he raised the cup to his lips to enjoy a sip of cocoa,

…….an alarm sound filled the air.

What happened???

Santa looked at the elves and saw Ben Elf running around like a headless chicken. The rest of the elves arguing with each other.

Reindeers running around, looking under the tables…..except for Vixen who was practicing his weightlifting….

Breath in…Breath out…

Santa’s project management instincts kicked in….he slowly switched off the blaring alarm and quietly called Ben Elf, gently inquiring what had happened.

“W…W…We l…l….lost Jason’s gift!!!” stammered Ben Elf in distress.

The Meeting

Santa identified his key stakeholders (Stakeholder Management) as:

• Ben Elf, the leader of the elves,
• Rudolph, the leader of the reindeers,
• Mrs Claus, who had a talent for providing moral support and encouragement, and
• Frosty the Snowman, who had a way of staying cool under pressure,

and called them for an urgent meeting.

In an instant, they unanimously agreed on the ultimate goal (Goal Setting): “Pack Jason’s gift in the Christmas backpack by 22:00” – which aligned perfectly with Santa’s overall objective of spreading joy to all the kids in the world!

However, Ben Elf remained very sceptical.

“How can we retrieve Jason’s gift in such a short time?! Have you forgotten how large this place is?

“We’re still sorting and packaging the gifts of the other kids….I simply don’t have enough elves in my team to do both! Let’s give him one of the standard toys from the stock”, argued Ben Elf, in a panicking voice.

Santa was reluctant to give Jason a different gift as this is not what he desired…yet, at the same time, he did understand Ben Elf’s concerns.

And…there was not enough time to build Jason’s toy again!

The Plan

(Time Management & Planning)

Conscience of the time restrictions and available resources, the team agreed to narrow the search to the Toy Factory, Packaging, and Recreational areas (Scope Definition). They also decided that 80% of the elves would continue working on the ongoing packaging and sorting exercise, with the rest assisting in the search (Resource Management). Ben Elf confirmed that utilising 20% of his team for the search would have a slight impact on his timeframes, but he and his team would still be able to pack and sort all the gifts by 22:00 (Impact Analysis).

“But will the gifts maintain their pristine wrapping?” (Quality Management) – Santa inquired.

“Fret not, Santa! The presents will remain as beautifully wrapped as ever!”, promptly replied Ben Elf.

They also discussed the possibility of not locating (Risk Management) the gift by the stipulated time. If this were to happen, Santa agreed to give Jason an alternate gift, accompanied by a small, personalised note. To achieve their goal, they all agreed that packaging of the alternate gift should commence at 21:00, an hour before the deadline’s goal.

Finally, they agreed to form three different teams, each one assigned to a particular area.

(Communications Plan) “But how are we going to communicate with each other? Shall I ask Dasher, the fastest reindeer, to be our messenger?” asked Rudolph. “Yes! And I will use my magical jingle bell to signal the time remaining – each chime signifies an hour!” suggested Santa.

Everyone embraced the plan – let the gift hunt begin!

The Search

As the teams set forth on their quest, Santa considered different strategies to keep the Christmas spirit alive. He played cheerful melodies, made regular visits to each team, and humorously sang Christmas songs with his hoarse voice. He knew that maintaining a positive and festive atmosphere was crucial during the search.

In the midst of the search, Mrs Claus distributed warm cups of cocoa to each team, providing them a brief moment of respite to recharge their bodies and spirits. The tense couple of hours became more manageable, thanks to the calming effect of the cocoa.

Frosty the Snowman, with his cool and collected nature, offered words of encouragement to all the teams. His presence brought a certain level of calmness.

The atmosphere, although tense, was great – all united towards a common goal…that, of bringing joy to Jason.

Finally, just 3 minutes before 21:00, a huge cry echoed throughout the North Pole….

It was Ben Elf……he had found Jason’s gift!!!

….in the fridge….next to the milk and cookies!

Amidst the laughter, everyone returned to complete the final touches before Santa and the reindeers took to the skies.

But before taking off, with a twinkle in his eye and a large “Ho, ho, ho”, Santa thanked everyone for their hard work and dedication despite the twists and turns of the night.

This self-made up Christmas tale mirrors the unpredictable nature of projects in the realm of project management. The discovery of Jason’s gift in the fridge serves as a reminder that projects, no matter how meticulously planned, may encounter unexpected deviations.

The resilience of the team, the diverse skill sets, the ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges, and the unwavering commitment by everyone encapsulate the core principles of successful project management.

Yet, another noteworthy aspect in this Christmas tale significantly influences the projects’ success. Mrs Claus’s role in procuring hot cocoa supplies and Frosty’s cool-headed reassurance show how crucial it is for organisations to keep the teams’ well-being, morale, and motivation a priority in everything they do. Without these, Jason’s gift would never have been found.

In the spirit of the season, let this festive tale inspire us to approach our projects with the same sense of unity, resilience, dedication, and human touch demonstrated by Santa and his team.

Happy Christmas!