7 and in this book.
Chapter 2
I’m a Project Manager! Now What?
IN THIS CHAPTER
We’re willing to bet that, because you’re reading this book, you’ve either been asked to manage a project or you’ve decided for yourself that you would like to get into project management. So, hang on tight — you’re going to need a new set of skills and techniques to make sure you’re successful in this role. But not to worry! This chapter gets you off to a smooth start by showing you what project management really entails and by helping to get you into the project management mindset.
Knowing the Project Manager’s Role
The project manager’s job is challenging. For instance, project managers often coordinate technically specialized professionals — who may have limited experience working together — to achieve a common goal. Although the project manager’s own work experience is often technical in nature, their success requires a keen ability to identify and resolve sensitive organizational, interpersonal, and project-related issues. In this section, we describe the main tasks that a project manager handles and note potential challenges they may encounter.
Looking at the project manager’s tasks
Historically, the performance rules in traditional organizations were simple: Your boss made assignments; you carried them out. Questioning your assignments was a sign of insubordination or incompetence.
But these rules have changed. Today your manager (and/or others) may generate ideas, but you assess how to implement them. You confirm that a project meets your leadership’s real need and then determine the work, schedules, and resources you require to implement it.
Handling a project any other way simply doesn’t make sense. The project manager must be involved in developing the plans because they need the opportunity to clarify expectations and proposed approaches and then to raise any questions they may have before the project work begins.
Seek out information because you know you need it
Follow the plan because you believe it’s the best way
Involve people whom you know are important for the project
Identify issues and risks, analyze them, and elicit support to address them
Share information with the people you know need to have it
Put all important information in writing
Ask questions and encourage other people to do the same
Commit to your project’s success
Staving off excuses for not following a structured project management approach
Excuse: Our projects are all crises; we have no time to plan.Response: Unfortunately for the excuse giver, this logic is illogical! In a crisis, you have limited time and resources to address the critical issues, and you definitely can’t afford to make mistakes. Because acting under pressure and emotion (two key characteristics of crises) practically guarantees that mistakes will occur, you can’t afford not to plan.
Excuse: Structured project management is only for large projects.Response: No matter what size the project is, the information you need to perform it is the same. What are the end goals? What do you need to produce? What work has to be done? Who’s going to do that work? When will the work end? Have you met expectations?Large projects may require many weeks or months to develop satisfactory answers to these questions. Small projects that last a few days or less may take only 15 minutes, but either way, you still have to answer the questions.
Excuse: These projects require creativity and new development. They can’t be predicted with any certainty.Response: It’s true that some projects are more predictable than others; however, people awaiting the outcomes of any project still have expectations for what they’ll get and when. Therefore, a project with many uncertainties needs a manager to develop and share initial plans and then to assess and communicate the effects of unexpected occurrences.
Excuse:
