Comments on: Project Leader, Manager, or Monitor? http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor People, Processes, Hardware and Software that deliver results every time, every where. Wed, 19 May 2010 21:01:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kendall Miller http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-1005 Kendall Miller Wed, 06 May 2009 16:06:45 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-1005 People often think they want a leader, but really don't in a given situation. The point is that you have to asses a specific project and say what is the right PM role for the success of this project done at this time in our company? There are serious risks to having a highly technical PM, namely that they can become too focused on the inside of the project instead of managing up and out. It's a mistake to believe that a project can be viewed by a company as successful just because it met requirements - I've made that mistake before personally where I focused solely on delivering our functional requirements as fast as possible period. In the end the problem was that while we did it, the lack of evangelism up and out meant that our project wasn't viewed as a success by upper management (who wouldn't have ever read the specification anyway). No matter how the PM role is defined on a project, someone has to be ensuring that there is consistent customer / stakeholder excitement about the project and what it will enable when delivered. That may not be best done by the PM - perhaps a lead designer, or some other party; whoever has the right interpersonal skills, relationships within the team and with management, and understanding of the project. People often think they want a leader, but really don’t in a given situation. The point is that you have to asses a specific project and say what is the right PM role for the success of this project done at this time in our company?
There are serious risks to having a highly technical PM, namely that they can become too focused on the inside of the project instead of managing up and out. It’s a mistake to believe that a project can be viewed by a company as successful just because it met requirements – I’ve made that mistake before personally where I focused solely on delivering our functional requirements as fast as possible period. In the end the problem was that while we did it, the lack of evangelism up and out meant that our project wasn’t viewed as a success by upper management (who wouldn’t have ever read the specification anyway).
No matter how the PM role is defined on a project, someone has to be ensuring that there is consistent customer / stakeholder excitement about the project and what it will enable when delivered. That may not be best done by the PM – perhaps a lead designer, or some other party; whoever has the right interpersonal skills, relationships within the team and with management, and understanding of the project.

]]> By: Kendall Miller http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-1004 Kendall Miller Wed, 06 May 2009 15:54:24 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-1004 There are two separate things going on in the scenario you describe. The first is the most serious: by keeping the team from coalescing as a team, the PM can ensure that there is no one to credibly challenge decisions. This isn't being a leader at all. The second sounds like a judgment call on your part: It's how you perceive their technical skills vs. your skills (or someone else that you perceive as a benchmark). The underlying problem is that the PM isn't letting people play their role on the project. What you describe is a classic trap for people that are or were highly technical and because of that prowess get raised up into a leadership role. The challenge they have is the tools and expertise that got them to that point will no longer work in their new position. Instead, they need to delegate decisions to the folks that now have the role. Now, what strategy would I suggest? If you are in a team that is not being allowed by its leader to act as a team - work together, discuss problems together, and have an opportunity to collaboratively discuss the commitments being made on behalf of the team then... Get another team. Leaving that team sends a loud and clear message about the PM's ability to lead. Just be sure when you do it isn't just because you don't agree with the decisions. If they have the responsibility to make certain decisions, they have the ability to make decisions you don't agree with. For a less drastic step, take the PM out to lunch and try to get a good sense of why they believe what they're doing is the best way to get things done. You probably don't know what directions of pressure are coming from above and around the PM. Perhaps they're stopping 80% of all change requests and you never even see it. I've found it to be invariably fascinating to interact with people outside of work - because they're the same person but with their guard down, so you can get a better feel of how they prioritize, make tradeoffs, and what's really important to them. There are two separate things going on in the scenario you describe. The first is the most serious: by keeping the team from coalescing as a team, the PM can ensure that there is no one to credibly challenge decisions. This isn’t being a leader at all. The second sounds like a judgment call on your part: It’s how you perceive their technical skills vs. your skills (or someone else that you perceive as a benchmark). The underlying problem is that the PM isn’t letting people play their role on the project.

What you describe is a classic trap for people that are or were highly technical and because of that prowess get raised up into a leadership role. The challenge they have is the tools and expertise that got them to that point will no longer work in their new position. Instead, they need to delegate decisions to the folks that now have the role.

Now, what strategy would I suggest? If you are in a team that is not being allowed by its leader to act as a team – work together, discuss problems together, and have an opportunity to collaboratively discuss the commitments being made on behalf of the team then… Get another team. Leaving that team sends a loud and clear message about the PM’s ability to lead. Just be sure when you do it isn’t just because you don’t agree with the decisions. If they have the responsibility to make certain decisions, they have the ability to make decisions you don’t agree with.

For a less drastic step, take the PM out to lunch and try to get a good sense of why they believe what they’re doing is the best way to get things done. You probably don’t know what directions of pressure are coming from above and around the PM. Perhaps they’re stopping 80% of all change requests and you never even see it. I’ve found it to be invariably fascinating to interact with people outside of work – because they’re the same person but with their guard down, so you can get a better feel of how they prioritize, make tradeoffs, and what’s really important to them.

]]> By: Codemonk http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-1003 Codemonk Wed, 06 May 2009 15:31:10 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-1003 Mr. Miller, What strategy would you suggest in following situation: 1) PM has a tendency of breaking a team into isolated nodes oh him or her + a developer. Neither node of such structure is aware of goals or progress of other nodes. Withing the project, the PM has infinite freedom of fact manipulation when reporting project status to the executives, the practice to which (s)he resorts skillfully at any sign of a problem. 2) PM has a tendency of greatly overestimating his(er) technical skills and instead of dedicating his(er) time to production of complete and comprehensible project specifications, spends time producing rookie engineering errors resulting from lack of skill and inability to expand focus. Mr. Miller,
What strategy would you suggest in following situation:
1) PM has a tendency of breaking a team into isolated nodes oh him or her + a developer. Neither node of such structure is aware of goals or progress of other nodes. Withing the project, the PM has infinite freedom of fact manipulation when reporting project status to the executives, the practice to which (s)he resorts skillfully at any sign of a problem.

2) PM has a tendency of greatly overestimating his(er) technical skills and instead of dedicating his(er) time to production of complete and comprehensible project specifications, spends time producing rookie engineering errors resulting from lack of skill and inability to expand focus.

]]> By: craig brown http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-314 craig brown Thu, 01 May 2008 11:57:14 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-314 This is a great artivle and I like your thinking, however I have to challenge a coule of your assumprions. Firstly the language of project leader vs manager and monitor loads up the reader with a natuarl bias. Of course we want a leader. But in fact, what sort of leader do we want? One that interferes with professional people's work? If you are the PM your technical skills have probably not kept as up top date and honed as someone who is still working in that role. And if you are in a complicated sociopolitical environment shoulodmn't your PM be more focused on stabilising the requirements and stakeholder expectations than on micromanaging the code? These are just a coupe of points that cause me to recommend readers stop and think before they unthinkingly nod in agreement with the points you make. All the best. Craig Better Projects This is a great artivle and I like your thinking, however I have to challenge a coule of your assumprions.

Firstly the language of project leader vs manager and monitor loads up the reader with a natuarl bias. Of course we want a leader.

But in fact, what sort of leader do we want? One that interferes with professional people’s work? If you are the PM your technical skills have probably not kept as up top date and honed as someone who is still working in that role.

And if you are in a complicated sociopolitical environment shoulodmn’t your PM be more focused on stabilising the requirements and stakeholder expectations than on micromanaging the code?

These are just a coupe of points that cause me to recommend readers stop and think before they unthinkingly nod in agreement with the points you make.

All the best.
Craig
Better Projects

]]> By: Dwayne Samour http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-263 Dwayne Samour Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:51:31 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-263 I agree wth you. I think that being a Project Leader is the most important thing that leads to project and team success. The thing is it can be hard to become a real project leader, when there are so many routine operations connected with hendling MS Project and other similar tools. Now the situation seems to be changing. I've found this interesting post and I recommend you to read it http://www.wrike.com/projectmanagement/03/25/2008/Bridging-the-Three-Gaps-in-Project-Management I agree wth you. I think that being a Project Leader is the most important thing that leads to project and team success. The thing is it can be hard to become a real project leader, when there are so many routine operations connected with hendling MS Project and other similar tools. Now the situation seems to be changing. I’ve found this interesting post and I recommend you to read it http://www.wrike.com/projectmanagement/03/25/2008/Bridging-the-Three-Gaps-in-Project-Management

]]> By: Duncan http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-259 Duncan Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:55:59 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-259 I enjoyed reading your article, as an IT project manager myself I can relate to much of what you are saying. I enjoyed reading your article, as an IT project manager myself I can relate to much of what you are saying.

]]> By: PM Hut http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-255 PM Hut Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:07:54 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-255 Hi Kendall, I love this article, very well written and concise. Hi Kendall,

I love this article, very well written and concise.

]]> By: Jason Rakowski http://reliable.esymmetrix.com/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor/comment-page-1#comment-247 Jason Rakowski Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:53:16 +0000 http://kendall.srellim.org/development/project-leader-manager-or-monitor#comment-247 Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. . Jason Rakowski Good Layout and design. I like your blog. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. .

Jason Rakowski

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