Project management is a tricky thing to get right. With large teams and many different types of experts, it takes skilled management to make things run smoothly. Things can go well and things can go terribly. Here is our list of Project Management and Execution Idioms which describe a lot of the different possible outcomes.
| Idiom | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| The early bird catches the worm | Being proactive and getting an early start can lead to success. | We need to get moving fast on this project; the early bird catches the worm. |
| A stitch in time saves nine | Addressing a small issue promptly can prevent a larger problem later. | Let’s address this minor problem now before it gets worse; a stitch in time saves nine. |
| Being on the ball | Being alert, focused, and prepared. | Everyone must be on the ball to meet the tight deadline for this project. |
| Being on top of things | Staying informed and in control of a situation. | As the project manager, it’s important to be on top of things at all times. |
| get your ducks in a row | To be organized and prepared. | Make sure to get your ducks in a row for the upcoming project review. |
| See something through | To complete a task or project successfully. | Let’s see this project through to completion, no matter what challenges we face. |
| Walk the talk / walk the walk | To act consistently with one’s words or beliefs. | Our team is committed to delivering quality work; we walk the talk. |
| Being a well-oiled machine | Working efficiently and smoothly as a team. | With everyone working together, we’re a well-oiled machine. |
| Roll with the punches | To adapt to unexpected changes or challenges. | We need to be prepared to roll with the punches if any unforeseen issues arise during the project. |
| Burning the midnight oil | Working late into the night. | We’ll need to burn the midnight oil to meet the tight deadline. |
| Herding cats | Trying to manage a group of people who are difficult to control. | Coordinating the efforts of so many stakeholders is like herding cats. |
| Throw the baby out with the bathwater | To discard something valuable along with something unwanted. | Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater; there are some good ideas in this proposal. |
| Flying by the seat of your pants | Making decisions based on instinct or intuition rather than careful planning. | We’ve been flying by the seat of our pants on this project, but we’ll need to develop a more structured plan moving forward. |
| All over the place | Disorganized or chaotic. | The project is all over the place; we need to get more organized and focused. |
| Lost in the sauce | Confused or disoriented. | With so many competing priorities, I feel like I’m lost in the sauce. |
| A sinking ship | A failing or doomed project or endeavor. | We can’t let this project become a sinking ship; we need to take action to turn things around. |
| Drop the ball | To fail to complete a task or responsibility. | We can’t afford to drop the ball on this project; it’s critical to our success. |
| Can’t see the forest for the trees | To be so focused on details that one loses sight of the bigger picture. | We need to step back and take a broader view; we can’t see the forest for the trees. |
| Throw good money after bad | To continue investing in a failing project. | It’s not worth throwing good money after bad on this project; we should move onto another more profitable one. |
| Ship without a rudder | A project that is lacking direction or leadership. | This project is like a ship without a rudder; we a clear plan and strong leadership to succeed from here. |
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