AND
Pawel wrote an interesting blog post titled How to Suck as a Project Manager that sparked this topic for me. In that post, Pawel spoke specifically about how keeping procedures is the least important part of the project manager’s role. I have found this to be true as well.
I know many people who believe the “Monitoring & Controlling” parts of project management are the real meat of managing projects. It’s a piece, but a rather small one in the big scheme of things.
So here is my attempt at a list of attributes you may want to avoid as a project manager. Please leave a comment and add one of your own!
The Enforcer
Rules, rules, rules.
As Pawel wrote about, the most important thing to you is that people are following the rules. You may refuse to take action unless someone documents a new process, because without something written down we are powerless. You care more about whether team members are 5 minutes late in the morning than how effective and valuable they are. The question of value is secondary, process is primary to you.
If people aren’t following the process, your first inclination may be to add a few extra steps to that process so that people will follow it better. FAIL
The Modeler
You tend to think the schedules and plans ARE the project instead of just an imperfect model. You would much rather have reality conform to previous plans than change your plans in adjustment to reality.
Spreadsheets and scheduling tools are your life. You are very comfortable playing with these models and will massage and tweak them constantly. This activity takes up most of your day.
Templates are very important to you, to a pathological level. VERY IMPORTANT. Everything must be started from a template, and everyone must be using consistent templates.
The Pushover
You react to the world as if things happen “to” you and your project. Hands get thrown up in the air very quickly when unexpected changes occur. In some ways you are the opposite of The Enforcer because you will not give feedback or take action to ensure that people do follow the rules which add value.
You will be prone to “fitting in” extra scope from the customer without making sure there is additional money and/or time to carry it out. Standing up to “the man” on behalf of your team isn’t something you feel comfortable doing.
The Emailer
You really love email, even though you may say you hate it. Every whim you wish to communicate makes you click “new” in the email program so you can broadcast the good word to everyone.
Perhaps a few minutes after you’ve clicked “send” you realize the message could have been discussed in the team meeting, or you could have just walked over and chatted with someone for a few minutes.
But you probably won’t.
No, the great thing about email is that you can always search through and find a message from 2 years ago and say “See, I told you so! I communicated this to you clearly right here. 26th paragraph down, you couldn’t miss it!”
What are you waiting for? Add your own below!Related posts:
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i think it is necessary to set project rules at the initial stage, hopefully to enable the team to be self discipline but avoid putting too much focus on it, as long as it doesn’t interrupt the project outcome / milestone. The main focus for PM is to achieved the project objective at the end of the day. So, giving a bit of flexibility is good as long as it able to motivate the team.
I have worked with a PM before who was an “emailer”. It was really stressful having a new item on the inbox as I knew it would be no one but her.
Ah yes. Please emailers! Just get up and walk over there or pick up the phone!
This is great! I love it…
I work with The Enforcer.
It’s ridiculous.
The Pushover, I think, is the worst though. How are you to complete a project if scope keeps changing and no methods are followed?
I’d also have to add the non-manager project manager. The person who wants updates randomly on a project s/he comprehends not-at-all, but needs quick talking points before walking into another pointless meeting that keeps her/him from getting involved in the actual project.
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A. PM who is managing a projects but now moving out from one project 1 to projects2 and project2 is at another town, and started getting busy with project2
B. During this period one new experienced lead resource joined for project1 and sitting Location 1 and all other resources located in location2 (i.e. Location2 = Customer site)
C. Above location1 resource was communicated that he would be introduced and explained the responsibility once we meet.
D. Since PM was getting busy and a location1 resource is not aware that this PM is moving out.
E. Mean while PM had given him a task, just keep busy for a while, Location1 resource had lots of problems over the period of time, because no one knows that a new resource / lead had joined in the team. PM was in the loops of all the communication, but PM did not took any action to expedite the activities smoothly. No dedicated task was assigned to the lead as he was waiting to get introduced with the team as per commitment provide by PM. Pm did not have any tracking mechanism, plans were initiated. F. Later the PM got finally moved out project1 and location1 resource was still unaware of the scope, and his all reporting resource including location1 resource was assigned to another PM, Location1 resource had tried to conveyed all the things, but the new PM and their seniors did not consider and forcibly sent location1 resource to other location2 where all resources are working at client site.
G. There too he was not mentored and facilitated / guided by New PM and the Lead, he was just given a junior job to perform upfront. There too no Planning, tracking mechanism, meetings etc.. he was just asked to follow to do. The resource had raised concern with his New PM, unfortunately his request is not getting addressed.
H. His first PM (who moved out) had communicated later after few months that it did not find him taking initiative and thought he could be a best as a team member rather than Lead. Later his designation was moved down and appraisal was made poor performance. The impacted on resource is too high. Trying to convince but his request is not getting considered or addressed by seniors and he is being forced to continue work as a junior
Tip: Note all are good experienced folks including the resource who is very good experienced, qualified, and in his past work in this company he had been excellent rated and had also performed lead and manager roles on multiple projects.
Please suggest reader view on this example.
Why was the lead waiting to be introduced? It sounds like a lot of mistakes were made by the PMs involved too, but a lead shouldn’t depend on anyone to ‘expedite activites smoothly’ or wait to get introduced to his team. It’s not really a lead role if you aren’t leading a team.
unfortunately, I’ve met all of those types you mention, even the combination of few of them
the one I liked had leadership qualities, so it was easy to follow them