Syed Rehan BaaqriSenior Enterprise Portfolio Manager| PepsiCOMckinney, Tx, United States
I dually agree with you Subash. I have been a part of a big project which recently turned out to be a failure due to some external regulatory concerns, but all the stakeholders of the project learned alot. We have been awarded another same sort of project now which is basically to rollout telecom services in rural areas of Pakistan and what we missed in the previous one, we are now filling our gaps. You cant be always successful in every projects its just like that, so in my personal opinion if a project manager hasnt seen failures and learned from them, he is still not to be a real effective project manager. I invite all to comment. Saving Changes...
If a project is successful, that does'nt mean that the project manager is good! It might be the team members and team leads are experts. For a best team, you put any person as a project manager, the project will be successful because of the team. I can think of the following questions,
a) What are the lessons learned from your previous project experience.
Irrespective of the project being successful or not, lessons learned should be documented. If the project is successful then the best practices are captured. If the project is a failure then also some of the best practices that was followed (if any) and things that went wrong will be captured.
b) In a 10 member team, there are 3 weak resources and 7 good resources. To complete this project successfully, what are the measures that you will take as a PM.
I think you can give some situation and check how the person comes out with a solution.
Noting Vivekanandan comments, whether the Project team members make the project a success due to their expertise, the Project Manager will always get the credit, the experts are just mere resources to the Project. From experience the Project Manager does not have to be 'the expert' hence having the team. What the Project Manager does is Lead and Manage on a day to day basis utilising the resources assigned; he or she is acting onbehalf of the Project Board and has total authority. From a negative point of view if the Project fails again the Project Manager is the first person to be accountable regardless of circumstances that led to a failed project. I just think it clarifies matters.
Thank you. Saving Changes...
I would like to clarify that, to manage a team with skilled resources and managing a team with a mix of skilled and weak resource is different. I definitely agree that PM will get the credit for successful projects and PM is the person who is responsible for a project failure.
Having said that, consider a PM having managed a team of skilled resources only. If he is suddenly asked to manage a team which is a mix of skilled and weak resource, then it will be difficult for him to handle such a situation.
Let me know your thoughts on this.
Best Regards,
Vivekanandan M Saving Changes...
Syed Rehan BaaqriSenior Enterprise Portfolio Manager| PepsiCOMckinney, Tx, United States
Reviewing the views from Vivek and Vasoula, this comes out to be a good question from a PM candidate to differentiate the difference between a Leader and a Project Manager and get his views on it!....Can we discuss on this now!!!! Cuz PM primary responsibility is MANAGEMENT, that covers everything. Saving Changes...
Selva Saravana PuvananthiranDelivery Lead Senior Manager| Accenture Solutions Private LimitedChennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Vivek wrote:
>>If a project is successful, that does'nt mean that the project >>manager is good! It might be the team members and team leads >>are experts. For a best team, you put any person as a project >>manager, the project will be successful because of the team.
Hello Vivek:
Yes and No. I would like to bring an analogy. In an Orchestra, every players (violist, flutist etc.,) are all very experts but without an Orchestrator, the whole team cannot produce a good symphony.
To some degree the answers given are valid [thank you guys]. Skilled resources vs weak resources and or a mixture of both can be tricky but manageable, the driver is the Project Manager, it is about providing clarity to the team, what is expected and to ensure it happens as planned. I believe weak resources can be turned around to be powerful resources it is down to Good Management.
> To some degree the answers given are valid [thank you guys].
> Skilled resources vs weak resources and or a mixture of both can
> be tricky but manageable, the driver is the Project Manager, it is
> about providing clarity to the team, what is expected and to ensure
> it happens as planned. I believe weak resources can be turned
> around to be powerful resources it is down to Good Management.
True, a good project manager, will convert a weak resource to a productive resource.
> Yes and No. I would like to bring an analogy. In an Orchestra, every
> players (violist, flutist etc.,) are all very experts but without an
> Orchestrator, the whole team cannot produce a good symphony.
Here I am referring to "Self directed and self managed teams"!!
