Project management is the profession of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring projects to fruition. It requires a highly-emotional ability to create order out of chaos; the ability to think strategically and to evaluate risks, while employing quality, discipline, and control. Project management requires a personal or team effort that produces visible results and can be measured. The easiest way to explain project management is to think of it as a process to follow to bring about change into a workplace. That change is project management, as outlined on a prince2 training ireland qualification.
As a project manager you are responsible for coordinating such tasks as developing a vision for a desired outcome; preparing the people and funds to follow the vision; disseminating the details of the project in order to guide the work to the people; and managing the “story of the clock.” The project manager carries the responsibility of ensuring each work step accurately reflects the vision, and at the same time coordinating the work of the people to quickly accomplish the necessary task to implement the desired outcome.
While traditional project managers worked out ways to complete certain tasks in a given timeframe, we now see a new breed of project managers leading teams of people to complete an assigned goal and keep them moving forward by enabling their creative inner force with strategic vision planning, communication of ideas, and risk mitigation. In today’s world, the projects are operating more like small companies than old organizations, performing projects that span multiple functions and company units, and embedded in the company’s culture.
While project work generally is assigned by functional leaders, today’s project is assigned to middle managers so that a better flow of information gets the team behind the scenes. This allows work to happen more quickly, prioritized, monitored, and controlled. In this new work environment, project managers are less visible and less accountable. Additionally, the shadow project manager is more of a coach, director, and artist who remains outside the day-to-day business to oversee, plan, and manage key milestones. This creates an open door of communication, support, and feedback for the entire project team.
The project sponsor is now accountable for his/her investment. While the sponsors of older workflows that may be less efficient are still responsible for technically delivering the work, the cost of delivery is largely tied to the sponsors/sponsor who assumes the financial risk in developing a contract, contract management, and the associated paperwork.
The line of communication between the sponsor and the project manager is now used to stimulate the project team, support the project team, and ensure consistent deliverables and results.
Projectsand project management have come a long way. Try these tips to understand and adapt to this new breed of managers:
o Understand the governance (all 3- donors, finance, decision making) and how it integrates with project work.
o Share as much as possible your capacity to pass information in smooth and efficient ways between project team members and the sponsor;
o coated with the shade of “the doesn’t-know-best aspect” and guided to counter negativity; and
o Take immediate feedback from the team for direction and balance.
o Remember to find another way to say the same thing, or use alternative expressions. It is messaging and guidance after all.
