Hi Reader,
Many years ago, I had a very predictable job as a health care provider. I left for work at the exact same time and had the same commute. Like clockwork, my colleague Maria would merge onto the freeway just ahead of me every single morning. She drove at a very relaxed pace. I did not. So I would pass her, give a cheerful wave, and continue on my way.
And every single day, she had absolutely no idea it was me. Because she never noticed me waving at her.
Fast forward to now. I’m in my garden and one of my red peppers in my garden has impressively grown a perfect heart shape onto it. It’s obvious and begging to be noticed. My garden is next to a busy walkway. Yet, person after person has walked by my beautiful red heart pepper without noticing it.
Are people not looking? Or are they just not seeing?
That question shows up in our project work more often than we think. Things are happening all around us, yet somehow key details slip by unnoticed.
Like my colleague, who somehow never saw anything outside her direct line of sight while driving.
And it’s not just about missed details. Sometimes it’s a mindset. People expect outcomes without really engaging in the work required to get there. It’s almost as if awareness, ownership, and effort are extras and optional.
Now that I’m done venting, I’d like to offer some suggestions on how to pay attention.
Start small.
Look up from your screen a little more often. Notice who is doing the quiet work that keeps things moving. Pay attention to the details that feel “too obvious to miss” because those are usually the ones everyone assumes someone else is watching.
Ask one more question than you normally would. Clarify instead of assuming. And if something catches your attention, don’t dismiss it as noise. It might be the very thing that saves you time, rework, or a difficult conversation later.
Projects don’t usually fall apart because of one big failure. It’s usually the accumulation of tiny misses.
So the next time you’re moving through your day on autopilot, take a second look.
You might just spot the wave you’ve been missing all along.
Or, if you’re lucky, a heart-shaped pepper quietly doing its thing.
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Barbara Kephart, PMP
Founder and Chief Project Officer
Projects Pivot
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