Blessed be the project managers !


Let’s be honest we’ve all experienced leaders who say one thing but do another. Leaders who boast they are strategic, listening, welcoming of diverse opinion and data-driven. Though in practice they often micro-manage, don’t listen to any opinion other than their own, and rather than being data–driven are driven by hunches and gut-instinct. 

We see them everywhere: in our businesses, education systems and even - dare I say it - in our governments. Yes, I’m as shocked as you probably are.

But if you asked these leaders a simple question:

” Are you good at managing a project ?’ 

“ Absolutely ! “ 

Is usually the reply - maybe followed by:

“ How hard can it be ? “

Well in practice, very hard. 

Project management is a skill that is very, very difficult to execute well, for reasons many leaders do not fully appreciate.

When most people visualise a project manager, they have in mind someone who is analytical, task-driven and one at home in the world of checklists, spreadsheets and Gantt charts. Because project management just involves executing as series of tasks in a specific order, on time, surely ? 

Yes, managing a project does involve a degree of “hard-skills”, and technical knowledge, but there is another dimension that is far more important to get that project delivered successfully: the “soft-skills.” 

These, often more fuzzy, competencies include the ability to see a path forward when everything is uncertain, to facilitate, to get the best out of team members - convincing individuals to get stuff done when you have no direct authority - the ability take a step back, get diverse opinion, put the team at the core of the project and most importantly the ability to manage risk. 

It is a tough ask to find individual who can excel in both these skill areas, soft and hard. But research has shown that the leadership behaviour is closely linked to project success or failure [1] and the one behaviour I’d say above all is most closely tied to overall project success:

Humility.

The best project managers know that they don’t have all the answers or even the questions, know circumstances are often beyond their control, build their team to strengthen areas where they know they are weak, and most importantly understand every day they are constantly learning. 

If you are a senior leader, make sure the individuals you are being tasked to deliver your big-ticket items have this aspect of self-awareness. It will be far, far more important that picking the most confident guy with the best sales pitch and the one with the latest flashy piece of software or waving the latest project management certificate. Humility really counts.

But not all projects have to be big-tickets to play a vital part in your organisation’s success. They are handed out every day, but I’m astounded - but not surprised – how often leaders, at all levels, ask their reports to deliver projects but don’t give them not even the basic training in the project management essentials or prepare them for success.

Project management can be rewarding and enriching. You are part of the change process, not only part of what you are attempting to deliver but seeing teams and individuals grow. Certainly, being on a number of great project teams, led by leaders who lived by example, has be a big part of my personal career journey.

So, if you are a people leader dishing out projects to your staff, please give them a fighting chance of success. It’s in both your interests.

Hop over to the Datod training site for access to a practical module that should help you have a better chance of success and then hopefully you’ll really say:

 “ Blessed be the project managers. “ 

matt

[1] Nixon, P., Harrington, M. and Parker, D. (2012), "Leadership performance is significant to project success or failure: a critical analysis", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 61 No. 2, pp. 204-216. 

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