Customer Reviews

Project Lessons from The Great Escape (Stalag Luft III)

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One of the most dramatic escape attempts ever carried out by prisoners of war took place at Stalag Luft III in eastern Germany in World War II. It was a prison camp populated almost exclusively by allied airmen shot down over Germany. Nearly all were crew members of bombers that were devastating the German cities. The German population considered them to be criminals and there were many instances of downed fliers being brutally killed by the revenge-minded civilian population. Therefore, if a POW was to escape from the Stalag, there was little possibility of being aided by the civilians if it were to become known that he was the member of an Allied air crew.
The POWs in the camp were well organized and controlled, in many ways the camp represented a village isolated in the region but in contact with the outside world. Red Cross parcels arrived on a regular basis and there was a strict military chain of command that was respected by both the POWs and their German military guards. Within this context, the POWs planned and carried out an elaborate tunneling system that allowed several hundred POWs to flee the camp.
In this book, the author relates the project of escaping from the camp to other major projects in less life-threatening circumstances. There is the process of setting the overall goals, soliciting and examining all possible options, making a decision regarding what option to pursue, managing the project, setting the timeframe for termination, acquiring and efficiently allocating limited assets, and carrying out the escape attempt. Of the hundreds of men who fled the camp on the night of March 24, 1944 only three made it back to allied territory and over 50 of those captured were executed by the Gestapo. What was considered the greatest point of success was that immediately after the escape, 70,000 German soldiers were tied down in the search and re-capture of a few hundred men.
While I agree that some of lessons of the great escape can be applied to the modern business world, one must be very careful in too tightly winding the analogy. I cite the following reasons why some space must be maintained.

1) This project was carried out in a time of war, being bombarded by memos and business plans is nowhere near the threat of death by bombs and bullets.
2) The men in Stalag Luft III were under military discipline, where the order of a superior officer must be obeyed. Attempting to relate military command structures to civilian processes is a difficult one to do right.
3) The POWs in the stalag were not able to leave, not even request a transfer. This will impart a cohesion that cannot exist in civilian life, where a person is free to quit and pursue another job.
4) Being airmen, the POWs in Stalag Luft III were more intelligent, educated and highly trained than most other members of the military. Given the large number of POWs in the camp, this meant that nearly every skill would be present.

An entertaining and informative book that connects the Great Escape to the PMBoK (project management book of knowledge) knowledge areas in a way that teaches you without sounding like a classroom textbook. Our department's group of PMPs will be using this book as reference during our weekly lunch and learn sessions to discuss how we can better plan our contingencies. The book has taught me that almost any obstacle can be overcome with some basic brainstorming and resourcefulness. I would highly recommend this book.

Project management is a discipline that has much written about it, both conceptual and practical, enough to fill any interested individual's library. This book, by the well-known leader of the Lessons from History series, gives new depth to the implementation of project management in a controlled, dangerous environment. Also, it is a great lesson from history, showing that even under extreme duress, people can work together to achieve commonly shared goals.

As another reviewer mentioned, the participants in the stalag escape project were all military men and officers imprisoned by the Germans, so their situation is very different from business and their need to adhere to rules and regulations was much greater than we who work on a project for an organization. However, many of the techniques employed and many of the lessons learned in the Great Escape can be used in some form by project managers and participants regardless of the situation, and others can be adapted to an extent.

Finally, this book, like all of Mark Kozak-Holland's books, is well-written and enjoyable to read. I think any student of WWII history would find this interesting, as will any practioner of project management.

Excellent book, I almost read it cover to cover after viewing the original movie. The actual story portrays the harsh realities the POWs faced in real life as opposed to the heroics of Steve McQueen in the movie.

Having studied Project Management in several courses this book is the most interesting application of project management I have read. Thanks for an interesting read.

Colin Konrad

Are you looking for book to help show other how to identify and use project management principles? Seeking examples of project management principles or categorizations? You have found it. I teach at the Graduate School level and we used the book, its story, ideas and examples to understand project management. My students read the book, praised its content and examples. We liked how the author made it project management practical. He showed us how to recognize issues and use it today.

Project Lessons from The Great Escape is a fascinating read! Mark's use of a familiar story (thanks to The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen and Sir Richard Attenborough, MGM, 1963) is an excellent way to illustrate the nine knowledge areas of the Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK). As a former F-15E Weapons System Officer (WSO) with combat during DESERT STORM and past President of the PMI Central Virginia Chapter (PMI CVC) I was captivated by Mark's analysis. While true that what happened in Stalag Luft III can't be too tightly tied to today's business environment; the illustration of the importance and cohesiveness of the nine knowledge areas remains. The story is a great means by which to illustrate modern project management methods and provide a springboard for conversation to leverage the lessons of the past and apply them to today. I highly recommend this book and others from Mark's "Lessons From History" series.