Good is like eating vanilla ice cream from the carton when you could be enjoying dark chocolate gelato in Rome.
In a recent interview I was asked what makes a good project manager. It’s a good question – and not easily answered. First, what does a project manager do? A project manager is responsible for managing the resources, controlling the scope, and ensuring that the work is completed within a given, reasonable time frame. The project manager is responsible for getting the project done. Project managers are responsible for the outcome of the project. To define what makes a project manager good we have to be in agreement to the role and responsibility of the project manager.
But the tricky part is the whole “good” business. What does it mean to be good? Good is a subjective term. What’s good to you may not be good to me. Subjective terms, like good, like fast, reliable, and scalable have connotations attached to the conversation, the interpretation of the people in the conversation, and the context of the project. A good project manager is one who can get the project done as expected, perhaps with a few hiccups and issues, but the PM is generally OK. A good project manager is reliable, like pizza delivery, but nothing special.
A superb project manager is one that takes charge, leads and manages, and uses the most appropriate tool in the toolbox, rather than all the tools, to get the work done. Superb project management centers on relationships, honest communication, trust, maturity, and experience. A superb PM knows how to manage the project team to ensure quality works is complete – but also leads the team to project closure. A super project manager aims for shared ownership, not sole ownership. A superb project manager knows that projects are completed by people – not just the PM.
Project managers, and organizations, should strive for excellent project management, not good. Like everything in life, project management included, if you know exactly what you want you’re more apt to get it.
