When I started working in project management, I honestly thought the job was mostly about planning. You know timelines, tools, meetings, follow-ups. I believed if everything was planned properly, projects would run smoothly. That belief didn’t last long.
Real project management, especially in Nepal, teaches you very quickly that plans break, people misunderstand, and things rarely go exactly as expected. And strangely, no one talks much about this part.
So this blog is not about theory. It’s about the things you only learn after being stuck, stressed, blamed, and confused—and somehow still delivering the project.
1.Planning Is Important, But People Matter More
I’ve seen projects with excellent plans fail. I’ve also seen poorly planned projects succeed. The difference was never the tool or the document. It was always people.
In Nepal, communication gaps are very common. A client might say “okay” just to be polite. A developer might say “I’ll manage” even when they are already overloaded. Everyone means well, but assumptions create problems.
One thing I learned is this: If something is important, say it clearly and more than once. And if possible, write it down. It might feel awkward, but clarity saves relationships.
2.Clients Don’t Think Like Project Managers
This took me some time to accept. Clients don’t care whether you’re using Agile, Scrum, or any fancy workflow. They don’t care about sprint velocity or story points. What they care about is very simple:
“Will this work for me?”
“When will it be ready?”
“How much will it cost?”
Once I stopped explaining how we were working and started explaining what they would get, conversations became much easier. Sometimes we overcomplicate things when the client just wants a clear answer.
3.“Small Change” Is Never Really Small
If you’ve worked in Nepal, you’ve definitely heard this line:
“Yo ta sano change ho.”
At first, I used to agree without thinking much. After all, saying no felt uncomfortable. But small changes add up. They affect deadlines, energy, and focus. The problem is not the change itself—the problem is accepting it silently.
Now I’ve learned to pause and explain the impact. Not aggressively, not emotionally—just honestly. Most clients actually understand when things are explained properly. Silence causes more damage than disagreement.
4.Managing the Team Is Emotionally Tiring
No one prepares you for this. As a project manager, you’re constantly balancing pressure from all sides. The team is tired. The client wants faster delivery. Management wants updates. And you’re somewhere in the middle trying to keep everyone calm.
In Nepal, teams are usually small. People do multiple roles. Burnout is real, even if no one openly talks about it. One thing I learned is that listening matters. Sometimes people don’t need solutions—they just need to be heard. At the same time, you still have to push work forward. It’s a difficult balance, and honestly, you don’t always get it right.
5.Meetings Are Useless Without Decisions
Early in my career, I thought more meetings meant better control.
I was wrong.
Too many meetings actually slow things down, especially when they end without clarity. If a meeting doesn’t answer “what happens next,” it probably shouldn’t exist. Now I focus less on discussion and more on decisions. Even small decisions make progress visible.
6.Writing Things Down Saves You Later
In Nepal, a lot of things are decided verbally—calls, quick chats, informal talks. Later, when problems appear, memories don’t match. I learned this lesson after facing unnecessary conflicts. Now I always follow up important discussions with a short message or email. Nothing fancy. Just a simple summary.
It doesn’t mean you don’t trust people.
It means you value clarity.
7.You’ll Be Blamed Even When It’s Not Your Fault
This is something no one warns you about. When a project goes wrong, the project manager often becomes the easy target. Sometimes it’s fair. Sometimes it’s not.
I’ve learned that taking responsibility doesn’t mean carrying everything alone. You have to speak up early, highlight risks, and be honest—even when the news is uncomfortable. That’s part of leadership.
8.Technical Understanding Helps More Than You Think
You don’t need to be a developer, but in Nepal’s IT environment, basic technical knowledge helps a lot. It helps you understand what’s realistic. It helps you ask better questions. It helps your team trust you more. Without it, you’re often guessing—and guessing is dangerous in project management.
9.You Learn More From Difficult Projects Than Successful Ones
The projects that go smoothly are nice—but they don’t teach much. The difficult ones stay with you. You remember what went wrong, what you could have handled better, and what you’ll never repeat again.
Growth doesn’t come from titles or certificates.
It comes from reflection.
Final Thoughts
Project management in Nepal is messy, emotional, and unpredictable. Some days you feel confident. Some days you question yourself.
That’s normal.
If you’re struggling, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at your job. It means you’re learning something that no one teaches properly. And slowly, project by project, you get better.
