This isn't an abstract question. This is about you; nobody else. What makes YOU a great project manager. Take a moment to reflect. I'm not asking you to brag or exaggerate. There's something about you, how you manage projects, that brings value and contributes to success that others can learn from. What is it? Saving Changes...
I'll start. When I'm at my best, I ask questions. I dig. I go after the answers that others aren't, for whatever reason. I've gotten myself in trouble doing this. I've upset people. I've felt dumb - not because somebody else made me feel dumb, but because I realized I missed some obvious clues that I was headed in the wrong direction. I've learned new things about people, processes, and technology I hadn't been aware of. I've strengthened relationships. I've also discovered things that would have resulted in project failure if I hadn't continued to ask questions that nobody else was asking. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Aaron Porter What makes me a great project manager?
I’d say this: I’m deeply, consistently curious.
Not the surface-level curiosity of asking “how long will this take?”
But the kind that leads me to the field, to the team, to the source of value.
- I go to the gemba — to observe, listen, and understand how work really flows.
- I ask thoughtful questions — not to challenge authority, but to challenge assumptions.
- I study the project like a system — people, processes, decisions, and constraints.
- I co-create solutions with the team, exploring creative alternatives that add value beyond the obvious.
- I praise progress, encourage excellence, and help people grow — even when it’s hard.
- I use critical thinking, but with kindness and clarity.
My approach is grounded in regenerative leadership - presence, trust, shared meaning, and decision-making with purpose.
Over the years, I’ve found that Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits deeply shaped how I show up as a leader, especially the habits of “Seek First to Understand,” “Think Win-Win,” and “Sharpen the Saw.”
I had the opportunity to explore these habits in several workshops, and they continue to guide how I listen, prioritize, and grow with and through others.
In short: my curiosity creates connection, insight, and better decisions.
Together, we shape outcomes that matter.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Do not think that I am a great project manager.
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1 reply by Aaron Porter
Sep 12, 2025 6:47 PM
Aaron Porter
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Then think of the question from a different perspective, Sergio Luis Conte - what is one thing you do that makes you successful, as a project manager?
Then think of the question from a different perspective, Sergio Luis Conte - what is one thing you do that makes you successful, as a project manager? Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Aaron Porter If we’re not pursuing excellence in project management, what exactly are we doing?
And to be clear:
Excellence isn’t about perfection or prestige.
It’s about something far more human and transformative:
- A genuine commitment to continuous improvement
- Clarity of purpose and positive impact
- Real learning from both successes and mistakes
- The development of people as part of the project’s success
This kind of excellence is not a performance.
It’s an ethical, regenerative, and conscious path to managing projects, where the goal is not to look excellent, but to act with excellence:
- Contextual,
- Relational,
- Adaptive,
- And always focused on delivering value to both stakeholders and team members.
If we abandon this pursuit we risk reducing project management to task tracking and reporting.
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