Positioning the Project Manager in business and organizations
Raju RaoFounder & Principal| Xtraplus Learning & ConsultingChennai, Tn, India
In business and organizations, does the project manager find her or his rightful place? Is the discipline of project management (including program & portfolio) understood and accepted as a critical skill required for implementation of strategy? Is it given the required emphasis and importance at the C Level? How is the curriculum structured in business schools? Do we have an image or perception problem that needs to be addressed?
This is a decades-old question. Organizations at a higher level of maturity will value the importance of project management and will look for delivery experience in the leaders they promote into higher positions. Those that are mostly focused on "keeping the lights running" are less likely to do so of their own volition.
I'd say the C-level advocacy efforts of associations like PMI, supportive EEFs such as increased competition, globalization and ever increasing complexity have all helped to raise the importance of project management so things are a lot better than they were twenty or thirty years ago, but there's a long way to go!
Kiron Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Projects, and their managers, are about changing organizations. Unfortunately, the organizations tend to have a lot of inertia, even when they think they want to change.
How is an agent of change supposed to fit in an environment that seeks to preserve itself? Saving Changes...
Raju RaoFounder & Principal| Xtraplus Learning & ConsultingChennai, Tn, India
Great point Stephane, two opposite mindsets which is the classic project vs operations scenario, but it looks like we have to make them meet in the kind of situations that exist today and in the future. Saving Changes...
There isn't common agreement as to the PM role itself, so naturally the responsibilities and perceived value differs between organizations.
Organizational culture also has a lot to do with it. A PM in a functional based organization may find themselves an outsider constantly facing resistance from functions who wish to operate autonomously, with often the predictable issues from sub-optimizing the project to their own objectives, rather than higher strategic objectives.
On the other hand, a PM with executive level support that spans many functions, may be a leader among leaders. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
I fully agree with @Kiron here about "This is a decades-old question". And the problems, if any, with this is inside most of the PMs behavior. PMs which do not think about solution instead of projects will not deliver value to the organization. Nothing new below the sun. Saving Changes...
Product Operations Program ManagerBarcelona, Cataluña, Spain
I have recently finished the "Project management handook", by Antonio Nieto, in which he addresses the fit of projects and programs in the achievement of organizational's strategic goals.
In a nutshell, he concludes that the endorsement and support of C-level individuals is crucial to ensure a successful planning and execution of projects. Often project sponsors focus their attention in running the business and neglect projects; for projects to be successful, sponsors must know the responsibility that their role bears and commit. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Hi Raju,
many good questions, discussed again and again and yet not finally answered.
Regarding C-Level recognition, no, they continue not to see PM as something relevant to them but rather a kind of tool for execution, a technical area. And vice-versa, PMs do not understand the language of C-Level.
Image problem? Well, there are PMs who are well respected (because they delivered, and solved problems) and more who aren't. Consistency lacks across the PM population, and this is partly caused by gaps in certification and training. In general, the human side of PM is more relevant than the technical side.
While we as PMs understand the relevance of PM while implementing strategy, we do not have the trust. Also strategy implementation should be led by the same leader who oversaw the design for the strategy (and this is normally not a PM).
Not sure what the rightful place for PMs is. C-Level has their view and PMs might have another. The former normally set the place.
PM is a belief system. We belief by applying PM we can be more successful in projects. This has not been proven though it has been researched repeatedly (e.g. by PMI).
Thomas Saving Changes...
Denathayalan RamasamyChief Technology Officer| Atal Incubation Centre -CIICChennai, Tamilnadu, India
All the organization monitors project performance through program & portfolio management techniques. In case of huge deviation, Portfolio strategic alignment & program governance are applied for Change in PM roles as part of Organization transformation. Saving Changes...
Dear Raju,
First, from a strategic point of view: the programs and portfolios are the results of prioritized needs. Therefore, the projects derived from such prioritization shall deliver the expected outcomes that enable to enhanced capabilities of the organizations. So, if the projects fail in providing the capabilities required to supply such needs, the organization's strategic goals would fail. An efficient and effective project management approach and its knowledge domine will be a clue to reach the strategic objectives. Therefore, the insight and skills of the Project Managers shall be prioritization in any organization to guarantee the success of the business. Saving Changes...
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