“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
Robert Heinlein, Time Enough For Love
…and I was inspired to rewrite it for a speech I was giving as:
“A project manager should be able to create a plan, define a scope, write a report, comfort customers, receive bad news, deliver bad news, make a budget, calculate earned value, optimize a schedule, fire a friend, recruit an enemy, give a speech, listen carefully, communicate clearly, persuade a team, accept praise, admit failure, interpret the PMBOK Guide creatively. Specialization is for engineers.”
Andy Crowe, 2006