Case Summary Since

the past several decades, projects and project management have been emerging as a promising sector in global business. Behind this, among many forces the three most important are (i) the exponential expansion of human knowledge (ii) the growing demand for a broad range of complex, sophisticated, customized goods and services and (iii) the evolution of worldwide competitive markets for the production and consumption of goods and services. So, in the challenging or competing era, when a project manager is suddenly or accidentally appointed without taking adequate training for the task, s/he has to meet with some encumber situation. S/he fails to accomplish the assigned project within a set of narrowly defined constraints such as specified time frame for completion, a budget and a set of performance characteristics. And this futile outcome results in an attitude of fear among the potential project managers that continues company after company as well as generation to generation. It also draws a picture of wasted, failure project where managers are struggling with fixed bureaucracy and powerful wings/factions as well as the company loses its money, market opportunities and other resources irretrievably. However, becoming a better project manager, it needs to shed light on the wide range of demands, opportunities, difficulties, challenges and vexation thats the crucial part of project. But unfortunately, these accidental managers often struggle with problems that are more managerial or behavioral in nature than technical. They also belatedly, sometimes fail, to discover their personal power and status necessary to interact with the rest of the organization. Thats why these novice managers must be adequately trained to gain a clear understanding of influence tactics and political behavior. The better we understand, the better we can plan. So, firstly we should start the project work through a clear understanding of several points such as the content of project management, stakeholders and their demands, the actual meaning of success etc. Then we should start the planning session. It includes the planning of schedule, the team composition, the project specifications, and the budget. After spending a little bit move time in planning, we should concentrate on project team formation. The team should be maintained properly and lead from the front. There may arise team conflict as it is formed by people of diverse background. But, an effective manager should it as a sign of healthy maturation in the group. There also come challenges from the political nature of the organization. Manager should face it very sensible way. S/he must learn to use the political system to their advantage through bargaining and negotiation. S/he should also careful about schedule, goal and future challenges without any enthusiasm and despair.

Page 1 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Twelve Guidelines
The twelve guidelines for project managers are explained below: (1) Becoming an effective project manager depends on the better understanding of the particular challenges and context of the project management. Projects are a unique from of organizational work that exists outside the established hierarchy of the organization. Therefore, the project manager s has to meet with several challenges that come from this outside temporary environment. As well as, the atmosphere, within which the managers operate also, adds an extra dimension of difficulty. So, it is important for project managers to walks into their assigned way. (2) As project team is a group formed by people of diverse background, the conflict is a very common and unavoidable feature of it. So the project manager should deal this conflict situation very wisely. S/he should take it positively and see it as a sign of healthy maturation in the group. (3) Since project management is a balancing act, it requires managers to identify its powerful stakeholders and manage their various conflicting demands. Particularly some projects those with important external clients or constituent groups possess the large number of stakeholders. Proactive managers who understand the impact of stakeholders and work to minimize their effect by maintaining good relations with them are often more successful than those who act in a reactive mode. But, frankly to say, it is impossible to satisfy all the stakeholders all time by a project manager. So, the managers need to concentrate on maintaining satisfactory relation with stakeholders maximizing their satisfaction level. (4) In this politicized world, our corporations are not out of its effects. Important decisions including resources are made through bargaining and deal making. So, project managers who wish to succeed must learn to use the political system to their advantage that involves becoming adept at negotiation as well as using influence tactics to further the goals of the project. (5) As the project management is a Leader intensive job, a strong, effective leaders can go a long way toward helping a project succeed even in the face of a number of external or unforeseen problems, conversely, a poor, inflexible leader can offer ruin the chances of many important projects ever succeed leaders who are the focal point of the project should be flexible, served as a facilitators and directly involved with the team. They serve as a rallying point for the team usually the major source of information and communication for external stakeholders. Because their role is so central and so vital, it is important to recognize and cultivate the attributes project leaders must work to develop. (6) Project managers must understand the up-to-date meaning of success. Because, successful project implementation is no longer subject to the traditional triple constraint that are the budget, schedule and performance criteria. The old triple constraint is rapidly being replaced by a new model, invoking a fourth hurdle for project success: client satisfaction. This means that a project is only successful if it is satisfies the needs of its intended user. As a result, client satisfaction places a new and important constraint on project managers. No wonder, then, that there is growing interest in the project managers role within the cooperation.

Page 2 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

(7) Many projects are implemented through the use of cross-functional teams. So, developing and maintaining cordial teams relations and fostering a sound inter group atmosphere is so important for an effective and successful projects. To effectively intervene and support a team, project managers play a variety of roles-motivator, coach, cheerleader, peacemaker, conflict resolver. All these duties are appropriate for creating and maintaining an effective team. (8) Both enthusiasm and despair are infections for a project manager. Because, S/he is an idol to the team members. The team takes its cue from the attitudes and emotions the manager exhibits. So, s/he should reveal the true picture of the project status to the team members. (9) It is worth for a project manager to look one step forward than two steps backward. A manager should run the project through asking the what if? questions continuously. What if? includes questions used to ask about something that could happen in the future, especially something bad. So it is wise to prepare a project schedule by keeping in mind this undertrained occurrence of the future. Because, though we cannot control the future but we can actively control our response to it. (10) Sometimes, the project manager may lose sight of the purpose behind the project by getting involved in the minutiae of the development process, fighting fires on a daily basis etc. So, s/he should always refresh him/herself toward the ultimate goal. (11) As time is a precious commodity, an effective manager should ensure the maximum utilization of time. They have to reduce the time spending on unproductive and unprofitable tasks. (12) Manager should spend a little bit more time in planning secession that includes the schedule, the team composition, the project specifications and the budget.But, an overly elaborate or intricate planning can be detrimental to a project

Answer to Case Questions

Page 3 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Question 1 What are the reasons the author advances for project management to be considered an accidental profession? The twelve guidelines are presented in no particular order. Order them by level of importance and explain your reasoning. Answer There are two reasons why the author advances for project management to be considered an accidental profession. First, few formal or systematic programs exist for selecting and training project managers, even within firms that specialize in project management work. This results at best in ad hoc training that may or may not tech these people the skills they need to succeed. Most project managers fall into their responsibilities by happenstance rather than by calculation. Second, as Frame (1987) cogently observed, few individuals grow up with the dream of one day becoming a project manager. It is neither a well defined nor a well understood career path within most modern organizations. Generally, the role is thrust upon people, rather than being sought. The twelve guidelines are presented below in a particular order with explanation of our reasoning: (i) Understand the context of project management. (ii) Understand who the stakeholders are and what they want. (iii) Understand what `success` means. (iv) Above all, plan, plan, plan. (v) Build and maintain a cohesive team. (vi) Lead from the front. (vii) Recognize project team conflict as progress. (viii) Accept and use the political nature of organization. (ix) Use time carefully or it will use you. (x) Remember what you are trying to do. (xi) One look forward is worth two looks back. (xii) Enthusiasm and despair are both infectious. The better we understand, the better we can plan. So, firstly we should start the project work through a clear understanding of several points such as the content of project management, stakeholders and their demands, the actual meaning of success etc. Then we should start the planning session. It includes the planning of schedule, the team composition, the project specifications, and the budget. After spending a little bit move time in planning, we should concentrate on project team formation. The team should be maintained properly and lead from the front. There may arise team conflict as it is formed by people of diverse background. But, an effective manager should it as a sign of healthy maturation in the group. There also come challenges from the political nature of the organization. Manager should face it very sensible way. S/he must learn to use the political system to their advantage through bargaining and negotiation. S/he should also careful about schedule, goal and future challenges without any enthusiasm and despair. Question 2
Page 4 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Where would you place yourself in figure 2? Answer I would like to place myself in politically sensible approach among there alternatives of figure 2. Because, I believe that pursuing this middle ground of political sensibility is the key to project implementation success. It helps us to use personal reputation, power, and influence to insure cordial relations with important stakeholders. It also secures the resources necessary to smooth the clients adaption of the project through negations and bargaining. Question 3 A few of the guidelines are related to the need to understand the reason for the project in the first place. Which guidelines would you place in this category? Why is this so crucial? Answer I think following guidelines are related to understand the reason for the project in the first place:(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Understand the context of project management. Understand who the stakeholders are and what they want. Understand what `success` means. Above all, plan, plan, plan. Lead from the front

As mentioned at answer of the earlier question- 1, the better we understand, the better we can plan. So, first we have gather the parts need to understand, such as the project context, actual meaning of `success`, the stakeholders and their wants. Then we thoroughly plan the overall project. Finally, we have to exhibit ourselves as a strong and effective leader. Question 4 Why, in lesson 9, is always thinking about what if so important? Answer A responsible, effective, and smart manager should take into account contingency matters while taking decision. S/he should draw a clear picture of the project and present it before other members as well as stakeholders. It is worth for a project manager to look one step forward than two steps backward. A manager should run the project through asking the what if? questions continuously. What if? includes questions used to ask about something that could happen in the future, especially something bad. So it is wise to prepare a project schedule by keeping in mind this undertrained occurrence of the future. Because, though we cannot control the future but we can actively control our response to it.

Question 5
Page 5 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Lesson 12 warns about not planning enough, but also about spending too much time planning. How do you draw the line? Answer Manager should spend a little bit more time in planning secession that includes the schedule, the team composition, the project specifications and the budget. Because, this stage allows the managers and team to spend more time necessary to formulate appropriate and workable plan. Also, steps that are poorly done may often steps that must be redone. But too much planning may generate repeated and pointed questions from top management and other stakeholders. An overly elaborate or intricate planning can also be detrimental to a project. Thats why Lesson 12 warns such a way.

Findings & Recommendation

Page 6 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Findings

In most cases, the project managers take reactively policy. Project managers often belatedly learn the real limits of their power as they possess little formal authority and forced to operate outside the traditional organizational hierarchy. They also often belatedly discover the need of their HR requirements that are the key driving force behind successful project. Inadequate training facility and unrealistic expectations for novice managers. Limitations on the flexibility and power. Poor capability in understanding of influence tactics and political behavior. Confined to the concept of traditional model of project success that is budgets, schedule and performance criteria.

Recommendation

Come out from the concept of traditions model for project success. Project managers should act as facilitators, team members and cheerleader rather than a directive and autocratic decisions makers. Learn to deal with and anticipate the constraints on the project team and personal freedom of action. Manager should be proactive in making project decisions. Consider contingency occurrences while taking project decision. Manager should be politically sensitive.

Page 7 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession

Conclusion
As we learn, managing a project is a challenge that requires a strategy and methodology all its own. Perhaps most important, it requires a project manager willing to function as a leader in every sense of the term. Managers have to face a wide range of challenges, both contextual and personal, that form the basis under which projects are managed in todays organizations. But, we strongly believe that the above discussed guidelines help them as a tonic to remove these challenges.

Page 8 of 8

Lesson for an Accidental Profession