Project Management Lessons From Rush

I am not a terribly balanced person. The term "moderation" is a little unfamiliar to me. My friends know this about me and, of course, needle me incessantly about many of my foibles. Don't worry about me. I can take it.

Perhaps the biggest target on my back over the last twenty or so years has been my unadulterated love of Rush, the Canadian power trio criminally not elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Don't get me started on this one ... I mean, come on, over 30 million albums sold!)

Anyhow, I doubt that many of you would care to read about a post about Rush in and of itself. Fortunately, I can relate the band's lyrics to many aspects of everyday life--or at least my everyday life. And my life involves IT projects.

Can someone say segue?

Disclaimer

As much as I love Rush, I’m not silly enough to think that the band’s virtuoso drummer and lyrical genius Neil Peart ever penned even one song directly about project management, GUIs, databases, and organizational change. While Rush has addressed technology in songs such as Virtuality and Digital Man, the band has tended to write about matters more existential, visceral, cerebral, political, and social in nature. Fortunately, Peart’s lyrics are profound enough to allow for multiple interpretations, especially by an obsessive-compulsive Rush fan.

Without further ado, here are my top four Rush lyrics relevant to IT projects.

Far Cry