The Project Manager

1. 10 The Project Manager

2. Chapter Concepts • The responsibilities of the project manager • The skills needed to successfully manage projects and ways to develop project manager competence • Approaches to effective delegation • How the project manager can manage and control changes to the project

3. Learning Outcomes • Discuss three responsibilities of a project manager • Identify, explain, and practice at least five skills and abilities a project manager should have • Describe and take actions to develop project manager competence • Discuss and practice effective delegation • Explain how to manage changes

4. Project Management Knowledge Areas from PMBOK® Guide Project Integration ManagementProject Human Resource Management

5. Cape Wind Approved by Federal Government asAmerica’s First Offshore Wind Farm; Project WillAdd Clean Energy Jobs for Region Background Project Management Gathered data for feasibility assessment Directed community outreach Managed and coordinated on-site activities and tests Provided leadership and problem solving • America’s first offshore wind farm • Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound • 130 wind turbines • Protected shallow water • Away from shipping, boating, and air traffic • Provide 75% electricity needs for Cape and Islands

6. The Need For Standardized Project Management Henkels & McCoy Outcomes Customized PMBOK Guide to Henkels & McCoy’s internal procedures Increased efficiency and seamless communication Includes scope and risk assessment in the bid review processes Uses full standardized project management for larger projects Uses leaner project management for smaller projects • One of the largest engineering and construction firms • Decided to standardize its project management practices • More than 4,600 employees in 80 permanent offices • Believes ALL employees should have project management skills!

7. Project Manager Responsibilities • Customer satisfaction • Work scope completion • Quality manner, within budget, on time • Planningthe project • Securing and organizing the appropriate resources • Controlling the project progress • Coordinate with team • Control the project

8. Project Manager Responsibilities – Planning • Define project objective • Reach agreement with customer • Communicate objective to project team • Create vision of successful accomplishment • Spearhead plan development • Review plan with customer • Use project management information system

9. Project Manager Responsibilities – Organizing • Secure appropriate resources • Determine in-house tasks • Determine need for subcontractor • Assign responsibility • Delegate authority • Create motivating environment

10. Project Manager Responsibilities – Controlling • Track actual progress • Compare progress to planned progress • Take necessary actions • Play the leadership role • Involve project team

11. Strong leadership ability Ability to develop people Excellent communication skills Good interpersonal skills Ability to handle stress Problem-solving skills Negotiating skills Time management skills The project manager is a key ingredient in the success of a project. Skills of the Project Manager Is there a difference between a manager and a leader?

12. Leadership is getting things done through others. Project Manager Leadership Ability • Achieve results through the project team • Use a participative and consultative leadership style • Provide guidance and coaching to the project team • Require involvement and empowerment of the project team • Establish an environment of trust, high expectations, and enjoyment • Have self confidence • Exhibit confidence in the project team

13. Project Manager Ability to Develop People • Train and develop the project team • Believe that all individuals are valuable • Encourage initiative • Identify situations for mentoring • Assess opportunities for growth • Encourage self reflection for learning

14. Project Manager Communication Skills • Be good communicators • Communicate and share information • Spend more time listening than talking • Inform the customer of progress • Determine any changes • Provide timely feedback to the team and customer

15. Project Manager Interpersonal Skills • Develop a relationship with each team member • Maintain interpersonal relationships for duration of the project • Influence the thinking and actions of others • Deal with disagreements or divisiveness

16. Project Manager Ability to Handle Stress • Must be able to handle the stress • Remain calm • Cope with constantly changing conditions • Act as a buffer between the project team and either the customer or upper management • Have a good sense of humor • Keep physically fit to improve ability to handle stress

17. Project Manager Problem-Solving Skills • Be a good problem solver • Start with the early identification of a problem or potential problem • Encourage project team members to identify problems early and solve them

18. Project Manager Negotiating Skills • Employ negotiating skills in interactions • Develop a trusting relationship with the other person • Use effective listening • Take cultural differences into consideration • Strengthen relationships, not erode them

19. Project Manager Time Management Skills • Manage time well • Have self-discipline • Be able to prioritize • Show a willingness to delegate

20. Leader versus Manager: Is there a Difference? • Are they the same? Video

21. Leader versus Manager: Is there a Difference? • Managers are responsible for delivering results. • Need effective managers to get the work done • Help translate vision into action • Manage: accomplish; conduct; responsible for; do things right • Lead: influence; guide in right direction; do the right thing

22. Leader versus Manager: Is there a Difference? • Wayne Gretzky, on why he felt he was so good at hockey: Said he didn’t go where the puck was, he went where he thought the puck was going to be.

23. Leader versus Manager: Is there a Difference? • John Harbaugh: "A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." September, 2012 (2-1)

24. Developing the Skills Needed to Be a Project Manager • Gain experience — work on as many projects as you can; each project presents a learning opportunity • Seek out feedback from others • Interview project managers who have skills that you want to develop • Conduct a self-evaluation and learn from your mistakes • Get a mentor

25. Developing the Skills Needed to Be a Project Manager (Cont.) • Participate in training programs • Join organizations, such as the Project Management Institute • Read and subscribe to journals • Earn a credential (PMP, etc.) • Volunteer Learning and development are lifetime activities—there’s no finish line

26. Delegation Delegating Barriers to Delegating Can do it better or faster yourself Lack confidence in the capability of others Afraid will lose control Fear criticism for mistakes Lack self-confidence • Empower the project team • Use effective communication skills • “What”, not “how” • Select the most qualified project team members • Critical components: • Authority • Responsibility • Accountability

27. Various Degrees of Delegation

28. Checklist for Rating Delegation Effectiveness

29. Managing Change Initiation of Change Manage and Control Change Establish procedures for communication Estimate impact of change Decide about the change Customer approves change • By the customer • By the project team • Caused by unanticipated occurrences • Required by the users of the project results

30. Critical Success Factors • Successful project managers accept responsibility for making sure the customer is satisfied and the work scope is completed in a quality manner, within budget, and on time. • The project manager needs to be proactive in planning, communicating, and providing leadership to the project team to accomplish the project objective. • The project manager needs to inspire the project team to succeed and to win the confidence of the customer. • By involving the project team in developing the project plan, the project manager ensures a more comprehensive plan and gains the commitment of the team to achieve the plan. • Successful project managers are proactive in addressing problems. They do not take a “let’s wait and see how things work out” approach. • The project manager needs to have a project management information system that distinguishes accomplishments from busy-work. • Effective project managers have strong leadership ability, the ability to developpeople, excellent communication skills, good interpersonal skills, the ability to handle stress, problem-solving skills, negotiating skills, and time management skills.

31. Critical Success Factors (continued) • Successful project management requires a participative and consultative leadership style in which the project manager provides guidance and coaching to the project team. The effective project manager does not tell people how to do their jobs. • Project managers show they value the contributions of team members when they seek advice and suggestions from team members. • Project managers can foster motivation through recognition. People want to feel they are making a contribution and need to be recognized. Positive reinforcement helps stimulate desired behavior; behavior that is recognized or rewarded gets repeated. • The effective project manager does not monopolize, seek the spotlight, or try to take credit for the work of others. • Capable project managers are optimistic and have high, yet realistic, expectations of themselves and each person on the project team. • Projects should be fun. Project managers should enjoy their work and encourage the same positive attitude on the part of the project team members. The project manager should set a positive example for the team in terms of expected behavior. • A good project manager provides opportunities for learning and development by encouraging team members to take the initiative, take risks, and make decisions. Rather than create a fear of failure, the project manager realizes that mistakes are part of the learning and growth experience.

32. Critical Success Factors (continued) • Good project managers spend more time listening than talking. They listen to the needs expressed by the customer and the ideas and concerns expressed by the project team. • Communication by project managers needs to be timely, honest, and unambiguous. • The project manager should create an atmosphere that fosters timely and open communication without fear of reprisal, and must be understanding of differing viewpoints. • When unforeseen events cause turmoil on a project, effective project managers remain composed and do not panic. • Effective project managers recognize that the best solution often emerges from differences of ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and opinions. • The project manager must maintain integrity and respect for the other party throughout the negotiating process. • To make effective use of their time, project managers need to have self-discipline, be able to prioritize, and be willing to delegate. • At the start of a project, the project manager needs to establish a change control system to define how changes will be documented, approved, and communicated.

33. Summary • It is the responsibility of the project manager to make sure that the customer is satisfied that the work scope is completed in a quality manner, within budget, and on time. • The project manager has primary responsibility for providing leadership in planning, organizing, and controlling the work effort to accomplish the project objective. • The project manager is a key ingredient in the success of a project and needs to possess a set of skills that will help the project team succeed. • Project manager competence can be developed through a number of activities, individually or with others. • Project managers need to be good delegators. • The project manger manages and controls changes to minimize any negative impact on the successful accomplishment of the project objective.