What's the difference between bacon and eggs?

Years ago, one of my staff came back from a project management course with this question.

The question was asked related to the difference between a good and a bad project manager. The difference is the hen is involved, whereas the pig is committed. The pig only gets one chance to do the job right.

That's what you should look for in a project manager or any supplier. Are they just involved, using up your money, or are they as committed as you are to deliver. If they aren't as committed as you are, you will get poor service, or at least not what you are looking for.

I have seen so many IT projects that fail to deliver on their "commitments". When it doesn't work, there are plenty of excuses. No IT project goes perfectly. There are always unknowns. As a supplier, you can't know everything that's going on in a company and even if you do, something will crop up.

Good planning and preparation will help. Experience with things that have gone wrong in the past will help. The thing that will ensure that you deliver is the attitude that "I have made a cpommitment. I must make it work."

What are you: a pig or a chicken?