Making it Happen seems at first glance to just be a humorous skewering of projects and corporate politics, ala Dilbert. The reality is that the lessons and techniques covered are the real deal.
The realization the narrator had of a project being a plan was like a thunderbolt for him. In reality, that realization is just as powerful. Far too often, the focus at the beginning of a project is to 'make progress' and 'get something done'. Without a clear picture of how it all fits together, blind flailing is almost guaranteed to set you back.
The other good lesson that was reinforced by the reading is how important it is to not be afraid to tell the truth to those above you. Far too often, people will just nod and say 'all good' when everything is definitely NOT. I had an experience at a company where the boss had laid out a small assignment for the front-line managers that would take about 30 man hours or so to complete. He then told us that he wanted it done by the end of the week, and my coworkers all chorused their assent. I was the lone voice of reason, letting him know that it just wasn't possible while still doing our normal jobs. Everyone looked at me like I was insane for saying no, but the schedule was adjusted to a realistic level just the same.
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