Do you have a good project manager on a bad project, or a bad project manager on a good project? Both of these situations may well appear the same on the surface. How can you tell if the project manager is the problem or if the project is the problem if you have no historical basis for either of these? Beyond the development of project plans, network diagrams and earned value charts there are the core characteristics that make a project manager effective.
The first thing that needs to be checked is the communication of the vision and project objectives. While vision and project objectives are to be defined by project sponsors and/or senior management, it is the duty of the project manager to further communicate these details to the project team. If the project manager is not clear on these objectives it is also the duty of the project manager to attain that clarity. As the CIO, senior manager, project sponsor or whatever your title, you can validate the communication of these items by spot checking the team members. If you are not sure what the right answers are then fix yourself first.
If the project team seems to have a good understanding of the project, then someone has done a good job of communicating this information. Consistency in the answers typically points to good communication by the project manager.
The second thing that needs to be validated is the project manager’s relationship with the project team. As with any leadership position, people will tend to follow those that they trust and feel that they can work with effectively. In the words of Stuart Smalley, “You’re Good Enough, You’re Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You.” Project managers need to be liked to a certain degree in order to lead the project team. A project manager who is not liked will be ignored, and functional managers will take control of the project. The net effect is a loss of coordination and increased power struggles.
Watch the interaction of team members with the project manager to see if they are lining up behind the project manager or ignoring the project manager and doing their own thing.
Finally, the project manager’s duty is to inspire the project team. If the project manager walks around moaning and groaning all day that the project is in trouble and will never meet the dates this WILL become the reality. The project manager needs to have a positive attitude 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They must present this attitude to the project team to motivate and inspire the team to succeed. Positive mental attitude will get the most out of your people and this must start with the project manager.
Worry less about your project manager’s abilities with the hard skills to develop plans, and worry more about how well you project manager is communicating objectives, building relationships and inspiring the project team. Most project managers, especially those who are certified PMPs, can develop project plans but it is the ones that can get the team to perform more effectively that will create greater project success.
