In our new Project World and
World Congress for Business Analysts 2013 Speaker Spotlight series, Robert
Woods, IT Project Manager & Agile Coach/Trainer at Aarons, Inc. recently
sat down with us to discuss the ins and outs of being a successful project
manager and business analyst in the increasingly competitive business
landscape.
Woods has a long history of leading and coaching
collaborative project teams consisting of culturally and geographically diverse
backgrounds. Today, he focuses on helping teams drive business needs while
collaborating on the right technical solutions to meet those needs.
IIR: How do you,
as a project manager of business analyst, stand out in a crowd in this
competitive business world?
Woods: You have
to be a servant leader, facilitator and influencer of people. In a world of
ever-increasing technology designed for NOT having to actually talk to someone,
you need to stand out as that person who isn’t afraid to communicate, take
risks, put the team first and be exceptional at it.
IIR: What are
characteristics of a GREAT project manager?
Woods: Start by
being a good listener. Some of the best Project Managers wield the most
positive influence by not saying anything at all. Be known as the PM everyone
wants by helping your teams be great. Know your team members and the people who
influence their success and be the person that ties it all together. And
finally, seek to NOT receive the credit by putting the team on the pedestal.
IIR: What are
some tips you would suggest to someone who is just learning Agile?
Woods: Be
patient, listen and learn. Don’t be afraid to think outside the cube, innovate
and create a culture of dedication to collaboration. It’s OK to fail if we
learn from it and become better. Then we will be successful.
IIR: How do you
as a project manager or business analyst build leadership skills?
Woods: Again, by
listening to the people around you. Learn before attempting to influence. Strive
to set the example on culture, servant leadership and collaboration and by
doing so you won’t need the leadership title; the perception by your colleagues
will become obvious.
IIR: How does a
successful project manager communicate?
Woods: By first
learning who they are communicating with, how they prefer to communicate and
what their needs are. Seek first to understand before being understood. By
doing so you will cater your communication to the individual; getting the best
possible reaction and setting yourself up for successful future collaboration.
Stay tuned for upcoming expert interviews right here on the PW&WCBA Blog.
Woods is a returning speaker at the annual PW&WCBA
2013 in Orlando, FL in September.
Amanda Ciccatelli,
Social Media Strategist at IIR USA in New York City, has a background in digital and print
journalism, covering a variety of topics in business strategy, marketing,
and technology. She previously worked at Technology Marketing Corporation as a
Web Editor where she covered breaking news and feature stories in the tech
industry. She can be reached at aciccatelli@iirusa.com. Follow her
at @AmandaCicc.
1 comment:
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