Is it a right move to promote a technical lead to a project Manager Position???
pradeep bnvBDE| Semantic Space technologiesHyderabad, India
I had been seeing the current trend in the career paths of software employees for quite some time. It starts from an s/w trainee - s/w engineer – sr. s/w engineer – Team lead – Technical lead – Project Manager. (This career path is in general).
But in several of these cases the technical lead has failed in the new position. That's because project management is not about resolving technical issues. It has other parts: planning, resource management, cost management etc.
And many managers see automation as one of the ways to overcome this problem…they start looking for a tool which does all these tasks automatically, evaluate it somehow or the other and bring it into the system. (This is my own experience, I had a customer of this kind for my product www.ppmstudio.com)
1. Is it right from a co. point of view to just promote a person on the basis of his experience or time of stay in a co.?
2. How far it is right for a PM to go for automation tool when he don’t know the basics of managing projects manually
Regards
Pradeep.B
www.ppmstudio.com
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Elyse NielsenSenior Project Manager| Ascension Health Information ServicesHaines City, Fl, United States
Good Day,
Great Question, and a definite trend from various industries. The key item is to have a way to assure the individual will be successful in the new role. The PMO office can offer classes on topics varying from how to build a schedule to working through others for a new project manager. Another tactic I have seen is to provide the new PM a coach/mentor.
On the other question "A Fool with a Tool is just a faster Fool." Often those who have been focused upon problem solving and building new tool sets identify tools to help resolve people and process problems. Here the key for the PM is to observe and investigate. Afterall for new tools, the organization needs to adopt and institutionalize them for successful usage.
Hans RobbersSenior Director| SalesforceVlissingen, Netherlands
Pradeep
Good questions. For me being a number of years of the company should not promote you to a new job. More less the same with expereince. The last one will help but is not the only thing for promotion. For me a m must want ot become a pm, wlling to learn again and needs to have the skills to be a pm. Not every consultant or technical lead is necessary a good pm.
On the automation tool I agree with Elyse: Fool with a tool is still a fool, I doubt if he/she is a faster fool. You need to understand the principles of pm, planning, risk management, scope control etc etc before you can use tools.
Hope this helps
Hans Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Pradeep,
I quite agree with Hans and Elyse. Like Hans, I would just add, strongly, that neither time of stay nor experience are sufficient (alone) to justify or expect a promotion. Your question about whether or not a PM that doesn't know the basics of project management (manually) should go for an automation tool is a good question. I also agree with Hans and Elyse. And I have three other thoughts to share.
First, some tools may actually help a person learn the basics of project management. But second, if a PM doesn't know the basics of PM, how is it that such a person is a PM in the first place..? And third, for most organizations, PMs don't make the decision of what PM tool to use. Like Elyse suggests, the organization needs to adopt and institutionalize PM tool use.
Good post, Pradeep. I hope we hear and learn from others. Saving Changes...
Andrew MakarProgram Manager| AMAKAR LLCOakland Township, Mi, United States
I read your question and thought about about there are multiple sides to successful project management and a technical resource (or even a jr. PM) can benefit from examining both the technical and socialcultural skills required to be successful in a PM role.
I attached a slide I use in my PM courses to explain the balance of technical and cultural understanding for successful project management. If the technical lead is exhibiting characteristics in both areas, they would make a good fit to start working in project management.
In my own experience, I was a technical lead on several projects and then one of my managers gave me my first "break" at being a PM.
There is an old axiom: The best way to lose a good (insert tech label) is to promote them to a manage or project manager.
Some can make the jump, some cannot. The pomotion and additional duties change the persons balance and social interaction in a lot of cases. This changes the person and can create a non-productive environment for them.
If you're happy with a persons performance then ask them if they desire a change. If so, then provide them the training and a transition plan. Help them suceed.
Based on many years of technical management and observation...... Saving Changes...
No, unless he or she has demonstrated a desire to move into a project management position....in other words.....he/she should be able to substantiate the fact that they (on their own time) have been studying project management, taking certification courses, etc, which may be an indicator that they truly have a desire (and the skill set) to be a sucessful project manager. The desire for project management comes from within, not from without. Saving Changes...
1.) Internal promotions sometimes miss the point. For me, when someone is promoted internally, that person must have demonstrated that he/she is able to perform in the new role. Employees do this by taking on more responsibilities in their current job, that are over and above their current job requirements. So to elaborate on the Tech Lead wanting a promotion to PM. The Tech Lead should be demonstrating PM skills & qualities in his existing Tech Lead role. The Tech Lead should take on a project and project manage it to completion, or assist the PM in tasks. By doing this, in my opinion, the Tech Lead removes any speculation of whether he can step up. Companies that don't use this approach could be disappointed when internal promotions don't pan out as expected.
2.) Automation Tools will fails 99.999% of the time if the PM does not know the basics of Project Management. Resources on projects are not motivated, inspired or driven by a TOOL.....
Mentoring a Tech Lead in some of the PM tasks before considering him/her for a promotion to PM is a way to discover If the Tech Lead is competent to perform these tasks and whether the Tech Lead would be comfortable in the PM role. Some people think they would like to be in a PM role, byt then discover, too late, that the role is not what they expected it to be. Saving Changes...
I will echo the opinion already stated here by so many:
Technical competence and time on the job does not make a good project manager.
Personally, I only recommend putting someone into the role of project management if they have independently showed team leadership skills. The best project managers are usually recognized by the project team as a great problem-solver and leader before they officially get the title of "manager".
Regarding automation...these project management tools will only help a bad project manager make bad project decisions more quickly. It may also help them deliver their difficult-to-read, misleading, and confrontational project communications to a broader audience. (I am from the New York City area, so please excuse the sarcasm.) "A fool with a tool is still a fool," is a great quote, and fits well in this situation. Saving Changes...
The old axion states: those who can't do - teach. Those who can't teach manage. Those who can't mange become executives.
You basic assumption is that the company is really interested in optimizing their resources. In the 35 years+ I've been in the business world - I have never been involved with a company - either as en employee, or as a consultant, where the best use of resources mattered.
