Project management is integral to the business world - milestones,
kickoff meetings, deliverables, stakeholders, and work plans constitute the
everyday world of most managers, whether they are called "project
managers" or not. Given the vast experience organizations have with
project management, it's reasonable to wonder why all projects aren't completed
on time, on scope, and under budget. The reality is that there are some project
managers who simply aren’t cut out to manage a team.
In fact, according to Phil Simon of InformationWeek, there
are certain types of project
managers that aren’t doing their job successfully. Here are six types of
PMs that you may have in your office:
The Yes-Man
Certain PMs fear conflict and agree to every demand that clients
or senior management make. As a result, they are used to saying
"yes." These PMs do not intentionally try to sabotage projects, but yes-men simply want their clients to be
satisfied. But by failing to confront those with different expectations, yes-men
make promises that put projects in danger.
The Micromanager
Micromanagers want to understand each step in a process or
the nature of a complex issue. However, on a project, the PM is not supposed to
be the product expert. Depending on the timing, a PM might have to live with a
high-level explanation of an issue. Should the micromanager need more detail,
she should bring consultants to steering committee meetings or have them write
status reports providing more specifics.
The Procrastinator
PMs who routinely fail to deliver are the worst of the bunch
because they cause organizations to miss project deadlines and put both
employees in untenable positions. The procrastinator often ducks clients and
does not deliver promised results such as updated project plans, documentation
or status updates. People are likely to lose faith in the consulting firm and
its individual consultants.
The Know-It-All
Nobody can know everything about an enterprise application.
Some PMs have the ability to answer questions about certain system-related
issues. Although being able to speak intelligently about issues is hardly a
liability, PMs who do not engage their teams at key points do a number of
inimical things. For one, they can alienate their consulting teams and make
team members less likely to broach issues with them in the future.
The Pollyanna
Some PMs new to projects with large scopes are ecstatic when
the project makes any progress at all. Pollyannas tend to take a "glass is
10 percent full" approach to project management. Rather than realistically
assess and deal with a project suffering from delays and budget overruns,
Pollyannas focus on trying to make everyone feel good. In this sense, they are
like yes-men. PMs need to be able to call a spade a spade and not worry about
sugarcoating dire situations.
The Pessimist
Pessimists fail to appreciate the gains that a team has made
in the face of considerable obstacles. Pessimists overemphasize what still
needs to be done as opposed to what has been done. Many projects would benefit
from healthy doses of skepticism and realism. Sometimes, it's necessary to put
functionality on the chopping block, but consultants and employees tend to
put in long hours on projects, especially during critical times. PMs who
constantly criticize a team for that which it has not accomplished are likely
to irritate everyone.
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