"So you do what, exactly?"

You must have been there - at a wedding or dinner party, or (more likely for me, these days) a whole-class village hall birthday party...when the 'what do you do?' question comes up. 

Not very glamourous, is it – as a job title, I mean.

For a long time, for me the easiest answer was simply, "I'm a project manager. I manage projects".

Well, I'd think, at least it's got the feel of Ronseal to it!

Albert Einstein once said something along the lines of 'if you can't explain it simply, then you don't understand it well enough'.

But I'm not sure that's the case for project (or programme, depending on your preference) management.

What we do isn't simple. We simplify complex things.

Granted, I may not be invited into school on 'careers day' with all the doctors, fire officers and chefs. Nor will I have anything 'real' to admire at the end of the day - other than a Gantt, if I'm lucky.

But I do love my job. And I know that good project management can effect real change.

And that's enough for me.