What do you do if your manager does not add any value?

Organizational Project Management

Anonymous

The PMO Manager currently spends a significant portion of his time hopping from one meeting to another, with minimal substantive contributions. Additionally, he tends to excessively guide project managers on how to interact with senior stakeholders, engaging in micromanagement. This dynamic makes it challenging to discern any tangible added value and poses difficulties in managing this situation. Have you encountered comparable scenarios, and if so, how did you address them? How would you recommend handling such a situation?

Posted: Feb 1, 2024 9:02 AM

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Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada

Remember that the "not add any value" is your perception. Unless you are following him around the full work day how would you know what he is up to all the time?

Why does this pose an issue for you? Is he not supporting you and the rest of his team when they need that support? If he is, then let him and his manager decide whether he is being productive or not. If he isn't effectively supporting you, then you should meet with him 1:1 and share your concerns in a professional manner.

Kiron

Posted: Feb 1, 2024 11:16 AM

Rami Kaibni

Community Champion

Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten Associates New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada

I’ve been in similar situation where my manager was more focused on micromanagement without regard to the big picture and he wasn’t supporting us, or guiding us efficiently so I had a one to one chat with him and he was totally understanding. He actually wasn’t aware that he was micromanaging, and honestly changed his management style after that but not every manager can be very understanding when you speak with them about such issues so make sure your words are politically correct if you decide to talk to them because there is a fine line between criticising and constructive feedback.

On another note, I do agree with Kiron, if this is not affecting you and it’s just your perception that he is not adding value or being productive then let him deal with this with his superior. This is not something you should get involved with.

Posted: Feb 1, 2024 12:43 PM (Updated by author: Feb 1, 2024 12:43 PM)

Navaid Ur Rehman Additional Director / Project Management Expert /Writer /Trainer| Confidential (Pakistan) Karachi, Sd, Pakistan

The issue extends beyond your project manager capabilities; it may also involve the processes, framework, and working environment contributing to the failure.

Embracing Lean and Agile concepts is crucial—eliminate non-value-added activities, engage customers and clients regularly, implement Iteration planning, and organize the project into smaller sprints, addressing specific aspects of each phase.

Posted: Feb 5, 2024 2:18 AM

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What do you do if your manager does not add any value?

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