Promoting Project Management In Conversation
From the Voices on Project Management Blog
by Cameron McGaughy,
Lynda Bourne, Kevin Korterud, Peter Tarhanidis, Conrado Morlan, Jen Skrabak, Mario Trentim, Christian Bisson, Yasmina Khelifi, Sree Rao, Soma Bhattacharya, Emily Luijbregts, David Wakeman, Ramiro Rodrigues, Wanda Curlee, Lenka Pincot, cyndee miller, Jorge Martin Valdes Garciatorres, Marat Oyvetsky
Voices on Project Management offers insights, tips, advice and personal stories from project managers in different regions and industries. The goal is to get you thinking, and spark a discussion. So, if you read something that you agree with--or even disagree with--leave a comment.
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by Dave Wakeman
Project management is a hot topic lately. In casual conversations, I’ve heard about the rise of project managers in legal, in sports and in government.
But this recent fame doesn’t mean we’ve gone mainstream. It’s likely that most people still don’t have a full grasp of what project managers do, why they are valuable and what they can really mean to an organization.
That’s why we have to continue promoting the role. I’ve pulled together a few talking points you can use the next time project management comes up in casual conversation.
1. Project managers are great at helping to solve the right problems.
This came up when I was talking about project managers in law. The question was, “How do we know we are doing this project management stuff correctly?”
The answer is a little more complex because you can never be completely sure if you are solving the right problems.
But, project managers who are very active in the planning and scope phases can frame the conversation in a manner that helps get to the root cause of the challenge. That helps organizations not just solve the loudest or most immediate challenge, but address the issue that is going to provide the most valuable long-term ROI.
2. Project managers aren’t just techies.
I’ve never led a technology project in my life. And, unfortunately, too many people equate project management with IT projects.
Ultimately, our best professionals—no matter what their industry—are often project managers without even knowing it.
This is a point you can highlight with your friends, colleagues and curiosity seekers by talking about the way that you communicate, plan, look for logical next steps and adapt to the situation.
In that way, project managers are just like everyone else.
3. Project management can take an organization from failure to success.
In startups, you hear “project management” thrown around pretty regularly. But, in truth, having solid project managers involved is the difference between success and failure.
In many startups, or new project situations, the whole framework of the project is based around an idea, a solution or a theme. This can often lead organizations down a road of throwing things at a wall and hoping something sticks. No rhyme or reason. Just action.
Fortunately for us, as project managers, planning is drilled into our psyche—and planning is the skill most crucial to success.
You don’t need more ideas for how to solve the problem, and you don’t need more people trying to figure out what will stick.
You need a plan of attack with a process in place for collecting feedback and adjusting accordingly. This is basically the textbook definition of a project manager’s role.
To me, any attention to the project management role is great. But if we don’t talk about project management in the right way, I think we miss an opportunity to expand the profession’s impact across industries.
How do you talk about project management and promote the profession?
Posted
by
David Wakeman
on: April 24, 2017 08:27 AM |
Permalink
Comments (16)
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Drew Craig
Sr. Agile & Product Coach| Vanguard
Philadelphia, Pa, United States
Great points Dave. Some points I bring up are similar to above, the value from having someone leading the charge, navigating through the various aspects of the initiative. Someone who is able to see across the fields while maneuvering through the weeds.
Vincent Guerard
Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance
Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
To me PM are excellent at managing project to maximize the benefit of any type of project. That and risk management is what I promote.
I agree with you Dave, much people is project managment in his daily jobs, but they didnt know, They do by experience and in the way they considere is the right way.
When we preparing for manage projects we learn a better way to lead projects and when we include it in our conversations we show to the other people what a PM can do
Mike Dewing
Senior Project Manager / Program Manager| MLD Holdings Ltd.
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Kevin Coleman
Subject Matter Expert, Author, Speaker and Strategic Advisor| - Insights
Pa, United States
Steven Draheim
Project Manager - Human Resources/Quality Assurance Manager| Rolls Royce North America
Carmel, In, United States
Nail on head sir! Thanks for posting
Omar Santos
Engineering Technician| Village of Hanover Park
Elgin, Il, United States
Definitely a need to promote project management the right way is necessary.
Local governments deal with many types of projects but I have rarely seen project manager professionals in staff (or with the consultants used).
Thanks for the talking points.
Kevin Coleman
Subject Matter Expert, Author, Speaker and Strategic Advisor| - Insights
Pa, United States
Sachin Pereira
Oracle Solutions Architect Implementation Lead, Project Leader| HB Associates
Mangaluru, Karnataka, India
A good project management team with leadership support is recipe for success.
Jeffrey Shepherd
Director - Project Management and Implementation| Homesteaders Life Company
Johnston, Ia, United States
To me the project manager role is one of facilitation and keeping the objective and overall vision of the project front and center for the project team. The project manager shouldn't "get in the way" of the team, but should be a guiding light and link between the client/business and the project team. If the project manager plays their role well, the benefits of having a discipline in place become easily noticed.
It's true that project management is getting more "buzz" lately, however, not all of this publicity is positive. There are many people out there that are skeptical of PMs, mostly because they did not feel like a PM added much value to the project they worked on. That's why the focus should continue to be on training the PMs on how to deliver value.
Luigi BELLI
Project Manager, Consultant, Author| CENTURICAL
Bruxelles, Belgium
To me, the best way at selling project management is about "foreseeing the unforeseeable".
Good PMs are hired to translate a dream into a reality while having a sixth-sense for risks and how to manage them.
Nevertheless, not many companies in Europe understand the value added of scientific management (out of which Project Management discipline was born) and this is the problem to sell our structured services to the executive board.
In my opinion, very few companies understand the value added of the scientific approach while many others are still sticking to "guts-based decision makers" having an arbitrary, negative idea of project management.
Mahmoud Assaad PMP
Quality and Technical Development| Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Thank you for sharing these tips.
PMI organized my life and contributed to my success in work and life.
Stéphane Parent
Self Employed / Semi-retired| Leader Maker
Prince Edward Island, Canada
Great tips for developing your tag line and elevator pitch.
Luis Branco
CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª
Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear David
Interesting is your perspective on the topic: "Promoting Project Management In Conversation"
Thanks for sharing
3 Important points to promote the Project Management profession
"- Project managers are great at helping to solve the right problems
- Project managers aren't just techies
- Project management can take an organization from failure to success "
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