Hi Reader,

Have you ever turned snow into a project?

Growing up about six hours north of Toronto, Canada, winter was not just a season but an opportunity to create something from nothing. My friends and I would gather outside often with a plan to construct, carefully cutting and stacking blocks of snow to build elaborate forts.

Somehow, I always ended up in charge, making sure everyone stayed focused and the walls went up as planned. Our goal was simple: build it high, strong, and clever enough to keep us hidden from the kids down the street who liked to pelt us with snowballs.

One year, my neighbour Kelly and I even managed to add a roof. Looking back, it was probably not the safest, especially because it was engineered by a pair of eight year olds. At the time, though, it felt like a masterpiece.

This experience taught me something I did not fully appreciate then. Even the simplest materials, when paired with a clear vision and teamwork, can become something remarkable.

I can tell you it was a lot of work, and it kept us busy for hours. These were the days when you could stay outside until the streetlights came on, and only an hour or so later would your parents start calling for you, which says something about my age.

Working with snow as a project material wasn’t easy. It’s unpredictable and moisture dependent. One day you have the perfect snowball, and the next it could be a hard, icy bullet capable of sending the kid down the street to the emergency room.

Creating tracks

Years later, I found myself back in the snow, though this time the projects weren’t forts but ski trails. Recently, I enjoyed a couple days of quality snow time in the woods of Quebec with family and friends. I didn’t build a snow fort this time, but I did enjoy another favourite winter pastime of mine: cross-country skiing.

If you’ve ever tried a winter sport like cross-country skiing, you may not realize how much work goes into maintaining the snow. The best skiing is on tracks, which are carefully groomed grooves in the snow that guide your skis and let you glide smoothly along the trail.

On our first day, we didn’t go to a place with groomed trails. Instead, we made our own on the lake in front of our chalet, which was fun but exhausting. We started with a “first pass,” trudging through snow past our ankles with skis sinking deep. Each snowfall meant starting over, and all that effort was just for around one kilometre of trail.

The next day, we traded our makeshift trail for an upscale cross-country ski resort with a French name that sounded like a winery. The difference was immediate. The trails were perfectly maintained, with tracks already set as for us. Skiing there felt smooth and effortless, letting us simply enjoy the glide of our skis.

Behind the scenes

So often, we don’t see the work happening behind the scenes. This experience was a clear reminder of just how much effort goes into creating something, whether it’s a ski trail or a project at work. Just as maintaining ski trails takes planning, effort, and teamwork, so too do the projects we manage in our daily work.

I know how much work went into a single kilometre of trail; now imagine managing many kilometres, day after day, in changing conditions. It reminds me of the kinds of projects I manage on a daily basis.

Whether it’s a snow fort built by children or a complex project managed by adults, the principles of dedication, collaboration, and persistence are the same, and they are what turn an ordinary task into an extraordinary accomplishment.

P.S. Projects Pivot is hitting the road! Stay tuned as we explore more projects on the road, accompanied by my (new-to-me) DIY camper van named Mary. 🚎

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