How Should Project Managers Invest Their Working Hours?

A lot is being said about the value project managers bring to the organizations they work for. Project managers have, indeed, moved up the “organizational food chain” and find themselves looked to for insights regarding all aspects of the lifecycle. 

 

Some project cost management courses outline the importance of project managers contributing additional costing details, in the initiation phase, to help decision makers select projects based on accurate financial data. By leveraging a project manager’s typical thirst for detail and passion for accuracy, decisions made during the initiation phase of the project lifecycle can be improved.

 

There are also lines of thought that describe the perspective that project managers can increase their organizational value by being part of the benefits realization phase, where return on investment (ROI) is measured to ensure the expected benefits materialize.

 

Providing broader services to an employer can bring both satisfaction to the project manager, increased management exposure and perhaps enhanced career opportunities. It’s exciting to be asked to contribute to organizational direction by being involved in project selection. In addition, quantifying and reporting on the benefits of a completed project may bring a sense of fulfillment. The concern, however, may be the …