1

ABSTRACT

Why Am I A Successful Project Manager?

The objective of this review is to establish my competencies as a successful Project Manager. Evaluating the skills and responsibilities identified as best practices leads to further classification as Manager and Leader competencies. Self-assessment of skills against responsibilities delivered evidence adding value addition to the Organization in discharging duties both as a Manager and a Leader. Further analysis of strengths and areas of Improvement reveal medium to high expertise in Communication, Team Management, Project Management Plan, medium level in Risk Management and further scope of improvement in Strategic, Cost and Procurement. Envisioning the Big Picture and aligning project goals to the Organization Vision has been identified as an area of development. With a self motivated approach of Competency Gap Assessment, feedback mechanism and actionable development plans, I believe I have set myself up for consistent and scalable success in the future.

Why Am I A Successful Project Manager?

Introduction
As an IT Project Manager, I work on projects spanning multiple clients through global teams. Over seven years of Project Management experience, I have successfully delivered, achieved customer satisfaction, and created motivated teams to achieve project and Organizational goals. In evidencing my abilities as a successful manager, my approach would include determining Key Project Manager responsibilities Best Practice Manager competencies Self Assessment on skills possessed, responsibilities Competency gaps, creating action plans and continuous monitoring for further action.

Corroborating the results delivered by virtue of competencies possessed and showcasing my ability to continually improve, I would be able to prove my contention in answering the question Why am I a successful Project manager?

Project Manager Responsibilities and Competencies

The Project Manager Responsibilities
The Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) describes key project manager responsibilities as o o o o o o o o Achieving Organization and Project Objectives within agreed constraints Delivering through project team Leading project team members and stakeholders towards common goal Maintaining vision, strategy Communicating project performance Leading with respect and trust Motivating and inspiring the project team Evaluating project team performance

Thus, delivering these responsibilities would be the success indicators for a manager.

The Project Manager Competencies

The Project Managers role is challenging with significant responsibilities and changing priorities. She is responsible for delivering specific results within agreed constraints. Adding to the complexity is accomplishing work through project teams and other stakeholders and meeting Organizational goals. Maintaining equilibrium on micro and macro aspects of the project and balancing complexities to deliver results necessitates certain competencies. The PMBOK Guide prescribes the following as best practice competencies

Knowledge - Professional expertise in Project Management Performance Ability to deliver results Personal effectiveness - attitude, core personality and leadership; delivery through Project Team while achieving personal objectives and balancing project constraints

Additionally, Appendix G of PMBOK Guide prescribes following interpersonal skills Leadership Team Building Motivation Communication Decision Making

Thus, project managers should balance technical, interpersonal and skills to help them analyze situations and interact appropriately.

Is Project Management Art or Science?

Eric W, Larson and Clifford F.Gray, describe Project Management as both an art and a science. The technical dimension of this process is said constitute the formal, disciplined, logical parts including planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. The sociocultural dimension involves enabling delivers results through a combination of diverse professional talents The technical dimension of project management is the science which can be learnt and sociocultural dimension represents the art of managing a project, which can be enhanced. This equation becomes relevant later while developing skill-gap learning plans covering the entire gamut of competencies.

4 The above dimensions also resonate with Manage vs. leader discussion. The Managers world includes dealing with complexities through orderly planning while the Leader recognizes need for change and aligns people to new direction and objectives. "Leadership is more about change, inspiration, setting purpose and direction, and building enthusiasm, unity and 'staying-power' for the journey ahead. Management is less about change, and more about stability and making best use of resources to get things done... But the key point: leadership and management are not separate. And they are not necessarily done by different people. It's not a case of, 'You are either a manager or a leader'. Leadership and management overlap..." - The Three Levels of Leadership, J Scouller, 2011 The Project manager is expected to display both Manager and Leader competencies as detailed ahead.

Manager and Leader Competencies

The manager competencies emerging from technical dimensions of the role include Project Management methodology Risk management Estimation Planning Change control Budgeting Client / Functional / Software Skills (MS Project, PowerPoint, Excel)

The leader competencies deduced from successful leader portraits and studies on leadership skills include
o o o o o

Conflict management Communication Team Management Strategy Management Personal Impact

The leader competencies are exhaustive and the above list has been prioritized based on studies published by Dr.Ralf Muller and Professor Rodney Turner in a paper titled Choosing and Developing the Right Leadership Styles for Projects and by Damien OBrien in Leadership Competencies for global managers Interestingly, environment dynamics, with rapid changes and high uncertainty may tip project managers equilibrium towards Project Delivery. However, my interactions with high-productive managers prove exhibiting technical and leadership traits, enhance their competitive edge.

Self -Assessment - Strengths and Areas of Improvement

Project management, aptly described not for the timid is highly challenging and innovative. This rewarding and satisfying profession has instilled immense pride in my accomplishments. As with any rapidly evolving profession, constant evaluation of skills against key responsibilities is imperative in keeping pace and staying on top. To calibrate competency expertise against responsibilities, I believe a dynamic and scalable tool is in order to capture competencies, responsibilities, expertise and results achieved and subsequently gauge strengths and areas of improvement. The tool has been detailed as Table 4-1 on Page6. A high level analysis reveal medium to high level expertise in most of the prescribed competencies. Corroborating with the evidence in establishing results, I could say that my biggest strengths are communication, team management, creating a personal impact and working on the Project management Plan while Cost / Procurement Management and implementing strategy would be the areas seeking attention.

6 Table 4-1 Competency-Responsibility-Result-Expertise Tool

Competence

Responsibility

Scope / Time / Quality

Project Objectives Project Objectives Project Objectives Project Objectives Project Objectives

Risk Technical Project Management Plan Cost Procurement

Results Delivered projects within agreed constraints Lead Process Initiatives on Estimation Techniques, Scheduling Commended for client focus in establishing expectations Timely communication of risks. Participated in Process Action Team on improvising the Project Management Plan

Expertise

Med-High

Med-High

Med-High

Communication

Communication , motivation

As a manager delivering internal projects in Low a captive, I have limited knowledge on Cost and Procurement Low Open communication seek to understand and then to be understood Synergy Med-High Honest communication Constructive management of conflicts Collaborative problem solving and decision making My team spans over 125 - 150 global associates. Established coordinated Communication Effective Feedback / Performance Management System of Rewards and Recognition Mentor Management Celebrate Cultural differences Need to enhance skills prioritizing projects and project decisions that support firms mission and strategy. Learn to see the big picture and connecting associates to business Been able demonstrate flexibility and adapted myself and team during multiple changes to Organizational structure

Conflict Management / Problem Solving

Deliver through project team

Med-High

Sociocultural Team management

Deliver through project team Communication, Motivation

Med-High

Strategy Management

Maintain vision and strategy Lead towards common goal

Low

Personal Impact

High

How Can I develop and improve my abilities to lead Projects?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to perceive, assess, and manage emotions of the self and others. Daniel Goleman, in his book Emotional Intelligence divides EQ into emotional competences
o o o

Self-awareness - personal strengths/weaknesses, Self-motivation pursuing goals with passion, and persistence. Social skills Social networking and creating rapport

Exhibiting high emotional Intelligence and aspiring to achieve scalable heights, I believe in continual learning and improvement. Additionally, as the profession is continuously evolving, it is imperative to learn and enhance professional skills. Consistent and honest self-appraisal is the first step in any learning process. Self-motivation combined with leadership buy-in for development plan and training paves way for professional edge. Soliciting feedback, books and networking are other ways to Sharpen the Saw as detailed below. Feedback and Development Plan Self assessment and 360 degree feedback to identify skill-gaps Leadership involvement in Development Plan Training Plan trainings , seminars, webinars Identify mentors to learn on real-time situations Teach to learn as advocated by Dr. Stephen Covey, when we teach, responsibility increases consequently knowledge increases Read Project Management books

Professional Certifications / Memberships Professional organizations Memberships network with other project manager Attend sponsored training professional development classes and certifications

Project Life

All of mankinds greatest accomplishmentsfrom building the great pyramids to discovering cure for polio to putting man on moonbegan as a project. Project management practical competence may be gained only by experience by living the role and applying knowledge.

8 Recognizing and acting on situations that stretch skills and test limits pave the path for success. Leveraging expertise, I celebrated my sons first birthday as The Birthday Party Project. From planning specifics, delegating tasks, budget, sending out communication, vendor negotiations to celebrating the day, the whole event was meticulously executed as a project In conclusion, Skill-gap assessments, actionable development plan, training and social networking are ways to develop and improve my abilities to lead projects. The key here is to do multiple things to gain experience, develop fundamental knowledge, establish contacts, and guarantee successes as a Project manager.

Conclusion

Why am I a successful Project manager?

As a project manager working in a leading outsourcing firm, I have displayed high levels of expertise in successfully delivering projects. In identifying the responsibilities and competencies required of a Project manager, I have been able to establish my clarity in role. There on, by evaluating the competencies possessed and results delivered against industry benchmarks, I have been able to display handsome levels of emotional intelligence. Finally, by committing to continual improvement and action on lessons learnt, I have set myself up for success. I am a Successful Project Manager today and I will be a successful Project manager in the future.

10 References Covey, S.R. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, A Fireside Book. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), (Newton Square, PA: PMI Publishing 2008). Larson Erik W. , Gray , Clifford F. Project management: the managerial process / 5th ed.p. cm. (The McGraw-Hill/Irwin series, operations and decision sciences) Brill, J., Bishop, M., & Walker, A. (2006) An investigation into the competencies required of an effective project manager: A Web-based Delphi study. Educational Technology Research & Development, 54(2), 115-140. Turk, Wayne 21st Century Project Management Competencies, Defence AT&L: January February 2007 Kotter, J. P., What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review, 68 (3) MayJune 1990, pp. 10311. J. Cabanis-Brewin, The Human Task of a Project Leader: Daniel Goleman on the Value of High EQ, PM Network, November 1999, pp. 3842. Muller, Ralf, and Rodney Turner. "Leadership Competency Profiles of Successful Project Managers." INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT 28.05 (2010): 437-48.Web of Science. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. OBrien, Damien Leadership Competencies for global managers, CEOForumGroup, www.ceoforum.com.au

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