Project Management

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Do you prefer to be a Functional Manager with more authority?

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Riyadh Salih Saskatchewan, Canada
Rather than a Project Manager with less authority, if you have done both roles what is your preference and based on what kind of criteria?
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Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD Senior Project Manager| Infosys Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
It depends on the organization, type of role, the environment, salary and so many other factors. I would say that a PM role is going to be more dynamic, creative and innovative than most functional manager roles.
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1 reply by Riyadh Salih
May 26, 2018 2:40 PM
Riyadh Salih
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Sante, thanks for your good points, actually many FM jobs are dynamic and innovative too with required continuous improvement on the process it is always required to initiate new SOP towards more LEAN, as far as salary most good functional manager job pays 40 - 90 % more than PM jobs.
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Sriharsha Bheemaraju Bangalore, India
I would say it depends on the individual preference, organisation setup/culture, pay etc... As a functional manager your scope if limited to a single product/function where as a PM you have chance to work across the spectrum. As a typical project management response, there is no straight forward answer for this you have to choose one of them based on multitude of factors.
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Sergio Luis Conte Helping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based Organizations Buenos Aires, Argentina
I was in both places including at the same time. Is the same, because projects are cross-functional and no matter the level you have into the organization if you have to make people from others functions to work is the same. Authority do not depends on the position inside the organization. Power, yes.
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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada
Riyadh -

the grass is always greener :-)

Between the two choices, I prefer being a PM as there is the opportunity to deliver something "new" through the efforts of a talented, cross-functional team and you usually (except for project-oriented companies) don't have to get into the "messy" aspects of HR...

Kiron
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Riyadh Salih Saskatchewan, Canada
May 26, 2018 2:34 AM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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It depends on the organization, type of role, the environment, salary and so many other factors. I would say that a PM role is going to be more dynamic, creative and innovative than most functional manager roles.
Sante, thanks for your good points, actually many FM jobs are dynamic and innovative too with required continuous improvement on the process it is always required to initiate new SOP towards more LEAN, as far as salary most good functional manager job pays 40 - 90 % more than PM jobs.
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Riyadh Salih Saskatchewan, Canada
Sriharsha, functional managers also have strategic development and they deal with many other aspects where it is not available to project managers
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Riyadh Salih Saskatchewan, Canada
Sergio, Good that you have been in both roles and that's exactly because of your vast experiences even been FM but if there is a new project for upgrade or new development then there comes your expertise.
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Riyadh Salih Saskatchewan, Canada
Kiron, well in both cases there is no way you get away from dealing with HR, yes with FM it would be more dealing but also in many organization the PM report to FM because not all organization not projectized so the cross functional between department or different stakeholders is always there
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Anish Abraham Privacy Program Manager| University of Washington Auburn, Wa, United States
I would prefer to be the functional manager with more authority, but like my colleagues mentioned here it depends on the organization culture, role, and setup etc.
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Vincent Guerard Coach - Trainer - Speaker - Advisor| Freelance Mont-Royal, Quebec, Canada
I prefer a context where I can deliver something. Authority doesn't mean leadership!
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1 reply by Riyadh Salih
May 28, 2018 9:44 PM
Riyadh Salih
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Vincent , thanks for your comment, I meant by authority that you can hire & fire, transfer,reward or write up and take decision to alter budget or approve a work most of the time the PM has limited authority and needs to go back for approval for example even he/she can not authorize spending for L & L or worse can not approve overtime etc
Powerful leader with authorization is better that a weak leader with no authorization
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