I've been toiling in various consultant/ISV PM jobs for several years now, and have found it exceedingly difficult to get promoted into practice management or practice director level roles, despite being a very skilled PM. It seems that once you are hired into the role of PM, and do well at it, employers are loathe to bump you up the ladder. Has anyone else had this experience? What do you recommend to shed the PM label and become a director? Saving Changes...
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Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Anonymous, I would suggest that it is not that employers are reluctant to bump up the ladder project managers, it is that they are seeking to fill such positions as Practice Director with candidates having the requisite skills and experiences. As a Practice Director, you will likely have objectives such as 1) double the practice revenue, 2) maintain or increase the practice profitability, 3) increase billable hour rates and billable hour utilization percents, 4) achieve 100% client satisfaction, 5) increase revenues from the existing client base, 6) increase new client signings, 7) identify the bottom 10% performers and improve their performance or terminate their employment, 8) develop new practice offerings, 9) develop 3rd party partnerships to advance the practice, 10) effectively work with executive management, etc, etc, etc. And not only are these objectives stressful enough on their own, you will likely be placed on a performance based compensation plan where results achieved equals increased compensation and results not achieved leads to termination. Not many project managers have experience in this or these kinds of skill sets; many are even adverse to this kind of role and risk-based position. However, there are those project managers that thrive and excel at all of the above and would make excellent Practice Directors. Regarding how to shed the PM label, be mindful that a horse with stripes is always called a zebra. If you develop and exhibit Practice Director skills, then you will be labelled accordingly. Toward that aim, find yourself a Practice Director role model and mentor. Develop a professional plan, whether with your manager or own your own, to identify and acquire the requisite skill sets. Seek opportunities in your organization to exhibit these skills. Such opportunities could be researching a new practice offering, developing a practice plan for a new service, performing an assessment to benchmark an existing practice to your nearest, best-in-class, competitor, developing a practice improvement recommendation to increase revenues, increase profits, improve customer satisfaction, etc. The opportunities are only limited by your imagination. After exhibiting your skills and willingness to take on further responsibilities, your label will be "candidate for promotion" if not the firm's new and promising "Practice Manager". Good luck, my friend..! -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Is it easier to become a practice director in a consulting firm or an ISV firm? Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Anonymous, Practice Director kinds of positions exist at both consulting firms and ISV firms. Every firm has its own unique culture and value that it delivers. Seek to marry your skills and career aspirations to the priorities and needs of your firm. Just as it helps to have a mentor to develop skills and "know-how", it also helps to have an executive sponsor to keep you in view for assignments and opportunities. If you don't have one already, take time to develop a sponsor relationship as part of normal career preparation and planning. Almost always, preparation and opportunity have a way of meeting up all own their own. Good luck..! -- Mark Perry, VP of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
