Project Manager: Superman or Entrepreneur? Nina Alimpić, PMP nina@saga.rs Dragana Milojević, PMP dragana.milojevic@pmi-yu.org Belgrade, November 18, 2009
What is Project Management? What is not Project Management?
Project Management is NOT: a Rocket Science. Project Management is nothing but the application of common sense. a Freedom Struggle. Managing a project is not a do-or-die freedom struggle that needs to be won (successfully implemented) at all cost. for the Feeble Hearted. Expecting a Project Manager to be a Super Hero is also not a valid expectation.
Project Management IS: the application of knowledge, skills, tools & techniques to project activities to meet the desired project requirements. PMI PMBOK Guide
The responsibility to achieve the desired project objectives is entrusted on the Project Manager. The Project Manager should be able to apply his and his team s talents, skills, knowledge, tools & techniques to those planned activities that he knows will help: Achieve the predefined project objectives. Balance the demands of the Triple Constraints (Scope, Cost & Time). Ensure a Satisfied Customer.
Role of Project Manager Initiation Planning Execution Monitoring and Controlling Closing
What does Project Manager do? manage by walking around? Creative thinking and effective communication
Trying to Manage a Project is very similar to Trying to Manage the Women in your Life : 1. Apply common sense to your project while managing it 2. Take time to understand your project 3. Realize that each project is unique and has its own unique needs 4. Be ready to devote the right amount of time on your project 5. Respect it and be patient with your project 6. Be aware of your environment and keep your project away from danger
7. Never hold back when it comes to spending money on your project for the right reasons 8. Do not blindly impose your decisions on your project. Make suggestions rather. 9. There are simply too many unexpected variables in a project for anyone to claim to have everything under control 10.Do not forget to celebrate your project success 11.A project is a challenge that you would fall in love with trying to solve
Since each project (woman) is unique in it s (her) nature and needs, you must be patient enough to understand and spend time with it (her); There is no Secret Ready-to-Use Recipe to successfully managing it (her). Each project (woman) needs from you to make an effort to figure out what works best for it (her). Once you figure out the way, do not make the mistake of trying to blindly repeat it on the next one (like one would tend to do with a scientific formula).
Do organizations really understand & appreciate the profession of Project Management?
Job requirements for an IT project manager for a large multi-national bank: If you are an it post-graduate and PMP/CCE/PSP/CISA/CISM Certified Project Manager with min 15 years of it Project Management Experience with complete Functional understanding of the Banking/Financial industry and someone who understands all norms of it Risk & Security and it Networking/Infrastructure and have successfully completed at least 5-6 T24 Core Banking Software Implementations as a Project Manager, please apply soon. If you don t qualify, please refer others you know.
Response to the recruiter was as follows: Sorry. Since I m not Superman, I do not qualify. I d also like to apologize on behalf of superman. Since he s paralyzed, he would not be able to take up this job. Having said that; during my trip to Krypton (a planet where superman belongs) I ll keep my eye open to see if someone qualifies for this job post and will refer him/her to you.
General Management Knowledge: Financial management and accounting Purchasing and procurement Sales and marketing Contracts and commercial law Manufacturing and distribution Logistic and supply chain Strategic, tactical and operational planning Organizational structures and behavior, personnel administration, benefits and career paths Health and safety practices Information technology.
Some attributes (skills) of Project Manager: Visionary Integrity Problem solving Delegation Effective communication Negotiation and Conflict management Motivation Charisma Leadership Competent Creativity Influencing the organization High degree of emotional intelligence (EQ)
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Ability to recognize your emotions, understand what they're telling you, and realize how your emotions affect people around you. Emotional intelligence also involves your perception of others: when you understand how they feel, this allows you to manage relationships more effectively.
Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) - Daniel Goleman Self-Awareness: (confident, don't let their feelings rule them). They know their strengths and weaknesses. Self-Regulation (ability to control emotions and impulses, think before act, thoughtfulness, comfort with change, integrity, and the ability to say no. Motivation They're motivated, highly productive, love a challenge, and are very effective in whatever they do. Empathy (ability to identify with and understand the wants, needs, and viewpoints of those around you, excellent at managing relationships, listening, and relating to others. Social Skills (typically team players, excellent communicators, masters at building&maintaining relationships, rather than focus on their own success first, they help others develop and shine)
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Emotional intelligence is an awareness of your actions and feelings and how they affect those around you. It also means that you value others, listen to their wants and needs, and are able to empathize or identify with them on many different levels.
Leadership Developing a vision and strategy, and motivating people to achieve that vision and strategy Motivation - Energizing people to achieve high levels of performance and to overcome barriers to change Motivating people is best done by rewarding them and letting them grow.
Leader Lateral thinking Empowerment Active optimism Determination to Improve Encouragement of delegation Real potential.
At the age of seven, a young boy and his family were forced out of their home. The boy had to work to support his family. At the age of nine, his mother passed away. When he grew up, the young man was keen to go to law school, but had no education. At 22, he lost his job as a store clerk. At 23, he ran for state legislature and lost. The same year, he went into business. It failed, leaving him with a debt that took him 17 years to repay. At 27, he had a nervous breakdown. Two years later, he tried for the post of speaker in his state legislature. He lost. At 31, he was defeated in his attempt to become an elector. By 35, he had been defeated twice while running for Congress. Finally, he did manage to secure a brief term in Congress, but at 39 he lost his re-election bid.
At 41, his four-year-old son died. At 42, he was rejected as a prospective land officer. At 45, he ran for the Senate and lost. Two years later, he lost the vice presidential nomination. At 49, he ran for Senate and lost again. At 51, he was elected the President of the United States of America. The man in question: Abraham Lincoln.
The key to leadership is having dreams. The key to success is making dreams come true.
If you can dream it, you can do it Walt Disney Disneyland was built in 366 days, from ground-breaking to first day open to the public.
Good Leaders do the right things. Good Managers do things right.
Management is getting people to do what needs to be done. Leadership is getting people to want to do what needs to be done. Managers push. Leaders pull. Managers command. Leaders communicate. Both are needed to make teams and organizations successful.
What exactly does a leader do? sets the vision for us get us to move toward it inspires us generates buy-in, commitment and trust But the actual truth is that he/she: manages the vision of an organization manages your perception of them manages their own behavior and the way he or she expresses attitudes and opinions Everything in life comes back to management. Management and leadership activities, roles, and characteristics in the overwhelming majority of on-theground everyday work places are embodied in the one person, not two different people.
What is Entrepreneur (not Contractor)? Simple definition: someone who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it Entrepreneurs are driven not by the need to make money, but by the need to make their dreams a reality. More often than not, money is a byproduct of an entrepreneur's motivation rather than the motivation itself. Entrepreneurs are participants, not observers; players, not fans. And to be an entrepreneur is to be an optimist, to believe that with the right amount of time and money, you can do anything.
The main role of Project Manager is INTEGRATOR
Project Management profession is truly a mix of art and science a blend of business and management skills, that can be taught and learned, and personality traits, that are inherited.
Winning Formula: Project Management Knowledge + General Management Skills + Interpersonal Skills + Emotional Intelligence = Successful Project Manager (Superman and Entrepreneur)
The important thing is not how much you know, but how well you can apply it. Thank you 32