Should project managers get their hands dirty, or only manage projects?
by Pat Gray
Created on: October 20, 2010
Traditionally, project managers planned and managed - teams designed, developed, tested and implemented. In team building courses, the person playing the manager were chastised if they stepped out of their managerial role and lent even the least bit of assistance. However it's a new day and there are new ways of working. Project manager can't just sit back and expect to do nothing but plan and direct the activities of their minions.
Today, to keep costs down and to keep projects moving forward, project managers must get their hands dirty.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, at least in participation in the project in the strictest sense:
- If the project manager's skill set is in managing or planning only - no technical experience in the application in question.
- If planning and managing take up all of the time allotted for the project management function.
- If the project manager thinks they'll get to do any of the "cool" stuff, taking the fun jobs away from the team.
- If by participating in the "real" work the project manager would take too much time away from the team member's contribution to the project - if they would require too much training or guidance.
- If they can contribute more to the project's success and the team's productivity by performing other non-management, non-planning, and non-"working" tasks, such as keeping customer's, upper management and/or vendors from interfering with the work.
Even the least technical project manager can get their hands dirty and make a real contribution - reviewing functional and/or design specification, testing, writing and/or reviewing documentation, writing everyones' status reports or even just keeping the coffee and sandwiches coming. Other helpful tasks might even include staying on top of the office clutter, photocopying, answering phones, keeping coworkers, customers and upper management from interrupting the team who's hard at work.
A REALLY dedicated project manager with a REALLY pushed team may even run out to do a bit of shopping, pick up the kids from school or make sure a birthday card goes out on time!
Getting your hands dirty doesn't necessarily mean writing code or even reviewing documentation. Anything that helps the project proceed that isn't planning can contribute to the bottom line - a successful project.
Why should project managers get their hands dirty?:
- Their team will truly appreciate the effort.
- To be cost-effective, everyone on the team, including the manager, should be working on something productive all the time.
- Pacing back and forth worrying because you have nothing else to do is not only unproductive, it usually annoys your over-worked and stressed team.
- If you are technical enough and "keep your hand in" the real work, you'll be a better manager and you'll be better able to work with customers, vendors and support staff, you'll be better able to support your team, and you'll be better able to communicate project issues and successes with upper management.
- By getting involved in the nuts and bolts of your project, you'll have a better understanding of the problems your team faces, of the technical challenges and opportunities, and a clearer picture of the risks and issues your project team - and ultimately you as a project manager - face.
Should project managers get their hands dirty? Absolutely! It's time for an "all hands to the pump" approach to management, and project management is no exception.
Created on: October 20, 2010
Traditionally, project managers planned and managed - teams designed, developed, tested and implemented. In team building courses, the person playing the manager were chastised if they stepped out of their managerial role and lent even the least bit of assistance. However it's a new day and there are new ways of working. Project manager can't just sit back and expect to do nothing but plan and direct the activities of their minions.
Today, to keep costs down and to keep projects moving forward, project managers must get their hands dirty.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, at least in participation in the project in the strictest sense:
- If the project manager's skill set is in managing or planning only - no technical experience in the application in question.
- If planning and managing take up all of the time allotted for the project management function.
- If the project manager thinks they'll get to do any of the "cool" stuff, taking the fun jobs away from the team.
- If by participating in the "real" work the project manager would take too much time away from the team member's contribution to the project - if they would require too much training or guidance.
- If they can contribute more to the project's success and the team's productivity by performing other non-management, non-planning, and non-"working" tasks, such as keeping customer's, upper management and/or vendors from interfering with the work.
Even the least technical project manager can get their hands dirty and make a real contribution - reviewing functional and/or design specification, testing, writing and/or reviewing documentation, writing everyones' status reports or even just keeping the coffee and sandwiches coming. Other helpful tasks might even include staying on top of the office clutter, photocopying, answering phones, keeping coworkers, customers and upper management from interrupting the team who's hard at work.
A REALLY dedicated project manager with a REALLY pushed team may even run out to do a bit of shopping, pick up the kids from school or make sure a birthday card goes out on time!
Getting your hands dirty doesn't necessarily mean writing code or even reviewing documentation. Anything that helps the project proceed that isn't planning can contribute to the bottom line - a successful project.
Why should project managers get their hands dirty?:
- Their team will truly appreciate the effort.
- To be cost-effective, everyone on the team, including the manager, should be working on something productive all the time.
- Pacing back and forth worrying because you have nothing else to do is not only unproductive, it usually annoys your over-worked and stressed team.
- If you are technical enough and "keep your hand in" the real work, you'll be a better manager and you'll be better able to work with customers, vendors and support staff, you'll be better able to support your team, and you'll be better able to communicate project issues and successes with upper management.
- By getting involved in the nuts and bolts of your project, you'll have a better understanding of the problems your team faces, of the technical challenges and opportunities, and a clearer picture of the risks and issues your project team - and ultimately you as a project manager - face.
Should project managers get their hands dirty? Absolutely! It's time for an "all hands to the pump" approach to management, and project management is no exception.
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario