I've recently been an observer on two strikingly similar projects, massive programs really, that have had two strikingly different outcomes. In the first week of this year I received memos from the heads of each program, and they couldn't have been more different.

One memo invited me to a demonstration of the project output. The other warned me that project delays would trigger cascading time constraints across several, previously unrelated products.

For decorum and for keeping my own self employed (in both my day and night jobs), I'll not name the principals or the projects or even what company housed them. Suffice to say that I am working on a project with a client and that work brought me into the orbit of these two other projects.

Both projects are for the same company. Both projects deliver content online. Both projects started at the same time. Both projects were proselytized as important sources of new revenues, as breakthroughs essential to the business model in this age of change.

Really, the difference is in the project directors.

One project was headed by a gregarious personality capable of witty judgments on the impact of digital content. The other project was headed by a person prone to pessimistic declarations against the status quo; she is someone quick to point out that for all the hype, digital revenues are quite low. Honestly, I like both of them as people-- the first's wit and candor is energizing and the other's groundedness is refreshing.

But they are still two very different people. The first project manager is prone to declaring that a visionary response is needed to gain advantage in the current climate. The other is reserved and proclaims only a gentle, incremental plan.

The first project manager gives slides filled with a montage of numbers, declaring the importance of vision and her analysis. The other gives slideless presentations and says of the plan, "I get to sit in a room and listen to smart people solve the problems for me."

As you can guess, it was the incrementalist project director who crossed the finish line. She delivered within two years, she delivered a product capable of transacting revenue, and she has enough left over from the scope sheet to fill a couple release cycles of updates funded by those revenues.

The other project director? Well, she's given me a headache trying to realign my project to account for resource constraints caused by her tardiness.

Still, I might prefer being her, since I have to observe that every time she travels the T&E bill always seems to equal one of my paychecks. The successful project manager seems more concerned with being in the office listening to those smart people hash out the issues. How boring, success.