How I Fell In Love With Project Management

Authored By Enintsoa Randrianirina

I didn’t start my career as a project manager. I was deeply immersed in the world of IT engineering, code troubleshooting, database administration, and user support. I loved the clarity of technical work: clear inputs, defined outputs, logical paths. Or so I thought.

Then came the project. A digital transformation initiative that didn’t just require writing code, but coordinating people, planning tasks across departments, negotiating, aligning with leadership expectations… and keeping everything on track while nothing went according to plan. Suddenly, my clear, structured world cracked open to reveal another layer—one where nothing was ever entirely in your control, yet everything still depended on your decisions.

That’s when I discovered project management. Not as a title or a method. But as a mindset. And I fell in love.

Why?

Managing projects felt like swimming in a sea of uncertainty while juggling complexity. It wasn’t about having the perfect answer; it was about making progress despite not having all the answers. It was like solving a giant, moving puzzle… except sometimes you have to invent the missing pieces yourself. It was terrifying, thrilling, and oddly satisfying. And it still is.

The Project That Changed Everything

Let me take you back to that project, my unplanned entry into the world of project management.
We were building a centralized platform to manage population demographics in a public organization. The technical side? Clear. We had the tools, the architecture, the roadmap. But implementation? That was another beast entirely.

I quickly realized that success wasn’t just about clean code or tight architecture. It was about people, and people don’t follow blueprints. Teams had different priorities. Some were enthusiastic, others skeptical, and even openly resistant. I thought technical arguments would persuade them. I was wrong.

When the Questions Changed, So Did the Results

So I started asking questions. Not just “What’s your requirement?” but “What’s making this hard for you?” “What’s the risk you’re worried about?” That’s when everything shifted. I wasn’t just “delivering a system” anymore. I was helping people solve their problems, in their way. And that felt... different. It felt like leadership.

The deeper I got into the project, the more I realized: there is no one-size-fits-all answer in project management. You start with a plan, sure, but it’s just a hypothesis. The real plan unfolds as you go. Some days you execute, other days you redesign the whole approach. Some challenges come out of nowhere. Some you don’t see until it's too late. And sometimes you are the problem.

The Puzzle with No Edges

It’s like building a puzzle with moving pieces, and sometimes you discover a piece is missing, so you have to shape it yourself. That’s what managing a project is really like: adapting, aligning, responding. Not controlling the chaos, but navigating it with intention.

Winning Over the Impossible Stakeholder

There was one particular stakeholder, a senior leader with a reputation for being nearly impossible to convince. He had strong opinions, a packed schedule, and little trust in IT-led initiatives. Every meeting felt like a test. Initially, I tried to present facts and technical justifications.

It didn’t work.

Then I changed my approach. I stopped trying to ‘win’ the argument. I started listening, really listening. I let him express his concerns fully, without interrupting or defending my position. I repeated what I understood, asked clarifying questions, and acknowledged the impact past failures had on his trust. I used emotional intelligence rather than relying solely on logic.

Over time, something shifted. He began engaging more, asking questions instead of resisting. That’s when I knew I had gained his buy-in, not through authority, but through empathy.

What Project Management Really Is

So I finally understand what Project Management is about:

• It’s not about being in control. It’s about helping others move forward even when you don’t have all the answers.

• You manage people more than tasks. Communication, trust, and empathy matter more than any Gantt chart.

• The plan will change. That’s not failure. That’s feedback.

• Project management is storytelling. You keep the team connected to the “why” when they get lost in the “how.”

• Progress beats perfection. Always.

• Sometimes, leadership looks like listening. Or staying calm. Or being the first to say, “I don’t know, let’s figure it out.”

And I’ve fallen in love with it…

Conclusion

Project management didn’t come to me through a textbook or a certification. It found me in the chaos of a real project, when nothing went as planned. It taught me that leadership isn’t about control, it’s about connection. That progress is often made in the messy middle, and that true impact comes when you lead with curiosity, humility, and empathy.

That’s why I fell in love with project management. Not because it’s clean or predictable, but because it’s real.

Contributor Bio

Enintsoa is a certified PMP, TOGAF, and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt project leader with a strong background in IT and public sector transformation. As founder of Luminea Consulting, she leads a PMO agency focused on delivering impact-driven execution and strategic alignment. With a passion for clarity, collaboration, and value creation, Enintsoa helps organizations navigate uncertainty with confidence and purpose. When she’s not solving delivery challenges, she’s likely exploring new frameworks, mentoring emerging PMs, or finding structure in everyday chaos.

Connect on LinkedIn: Enintsoa Randrianirina