Chapter 3

The Role of the

Project Manager
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 Leadership and Management
 Leadership is a talent only a few are born
with
 Management is a skill that anyone can
acquire
 Project management is leader intensive!
 You lead people and you manage projects

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 Projects are Riskier
1. Expectations are more specific
2. The resources are more diverse–and many
are not even in your department
3. Deadlines are shorter
4. No chance to do better next time if there is a
problem

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 Who is PM?
 It is for the purposes of Org to be responsive to:
 Client and the environment
 Identify and correct the problems in their

infancy
 Make timely decisions about trade-offs
and conflicting project goals
 Ensure that no sub optimization takes
place
 That we need to have someone called the PM. 5
The Proj Manager – Why and When
 Projects seldom run smooth and as per schedule or so to say as per book.

 Despite best of efforts and adherence of rules and regulations and close
watch by the CEO, one would find at the last minute that technical
drawings were not updated.
 The quantities were worked out two years ago and were based on two
floors of the building whereas plans had been revised to add another floor
with complete air conditioning. Somehow, the same was not taken into
account and the project was initiated.
 This and many other issues would crop up as and when a project is
launched. It is over here that the PM would come in with a bang and
 The Proj Manager – Why and When Contd

 The PM can be chosen and installed as soon as the project is selected for
funding or earlier at any point that seems desirable to senior management.
The concept of a Decision maker, expert, boss and / or a director has
been replaced by a leader, coach, and facilitator i.e. PM
 Soon after nomination and acceptance, the PM faces three questions:
 What needs to be done?
 When must it be done?
 How are the needed resources going to be available?
 The PM
 In other words:
 A person who integrates all aspects of the project,
ensures that needed resources are optimally
utilized and makes sure that the expected results
(Performance / Quality) are produced in a timely
(Given time frame) and cost effective manner
(within cost).
 The Project Manager Continued

 The project manager should come into the project

early
 We want him to help produce as much of the project
plan as possible
 This helps insure that the project manager “buys
into” the plans
 Over the time, plans are refined and people are
added to the project staff

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Project Management and the Project Manager
 The project manager functions as a mini-CEO
 The project manager must have a clear understanding
of how the project fits into the overall organization
 This is why broad knowledge is more valuable than
technical knowledge
 Budgets, timetables, and criteria magnify management
problems on projects

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 The PM and the Org
 Relationship between…..:
 The PM, the functional managers, the project
team, and the project manager’s supervisor must
be “congenial”.
 The Org must, therefore, be populated by talented
people.
 SELECTING THE PM
 Responsibilities:
 Organizing, Staffing, Budgeting, Directing, Planning and Controlling the project.
 Attributes
 Ethically correct
 Superb Organizer and Motivator
 An accomplished leader
 A keen observer and good analyst.
 A trouble shooter manager
 Excellent in intra-personal communications
 Acceptable to higher management
 Currently available
 Computer savvy / ---- PRIMAVERA.
 Technically strong.
 Good in financial management.
 The one who can get the job done.
Functional Management

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Functional or Traditional Org
 Functional Management Continued

 Department heads are usually functional specialists

 They have the technical skills to evaluate all
members of their organization
 They decide who performs each task and, to a certain
degree, how the task is performed
 That is, they exercise a great deal of control over
every aspect of the work that gets performed within
their area

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Project Management

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 Project Management Continued

 Project managers are usually generalists

 It would be very unusual for a project manager to have all the
technical skills that are used on their projects
 The project manager rarely decides who performs each task
and lacks the technical skills to evaluate much of the work
performed on the project
 That is, they exercise very little control over most aspects of
the work that gets performed on the project

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 Comparing Functional & Project Managers
 Functional manager needs technical skills while project
manager need negotiation skills
 Functional manager must be skilled at analysis while project
manager must be skilled at synthesis
 Functional manager uses the analytic approach while project
manager uses the systems approach
 Functional manager is responsible for a small area while
project manager is responsible for the big picture
 Functional manager is a manager while the project manager
is a facilitator

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 PM v/s Fun Mgr
PRIMARY THE PROJECT THE DEPARTMENT
CONCERN
Orientation / Task oriented Job oriented
Approach System Approach Analytical Approach
Responsible Operational + Admin Administration

Specialization A specialist turned Specialists

generalist

Basic Functions Organizing, staffing, Organizing, and

budgeting, directing, planning
planning and
controlling
Project Manager Responsibilities

1. The parent company

2. The project/client
3. The project staff

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 The Parent Company
 Proper usage of resources
 Timely and accurate reports
 Keep project sponsor informed

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 The Project / Client
 Preserve the integrity of the project
 This may be difficult with all sides wanting
changes
 Keep the client informed of major changes

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 The Project Staff
 Very few people will work for the project manager
 The “team” will disband at the end of the project
 The project manager must look out for everyone’s
future
 This is in the best interest of the project, otherwise as
the project winds down, everyone will be looking
after themselves

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Special Demands on Project Manager
 Acquiring adequate resources
 Acquiring and motivating personnel
 Dealing with obstacles
 Making project goal trade-offs
 Failure and the risk and fear of failure
 Breadth of communication
 Negotiation

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 Acquiring Adequate Resources
 Project budgets are usually inadequate
 There are resource trade-offs that must be
considered
 Crises occur that require special resources

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Acquiring and Motivating Personnel
 Most project workers are borrowed from
functional managers
 The project manager negotiates for the
desired worker but
 The project manager wants the best qualified
individual
 The functional manager decides who to assign

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Acquiring and Motivating Personnel Continued

 The functional manager also decides…

 The skill level to assign
 The pay and promotion of the worker assigned to
the project
 Additionally, the worker will most likely
return to the functional manager once the
project is finished

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Acquiring and Motivating Personnel Continued

 Once workers are assigned to a project, the

project manager must motivate them
 The project manager have little or no control over
pay and promotion
 This is especially true in shorter projects

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 Dealing with Obstacles
 Every project is unique
 The project manager will face a series of
crises
 A big problem is “scope creep”

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 Dealing with Obstacles Continued

 Early problems associated with resources

 Later problems are associated with…
1. Last-minute schedule and technical changes
2. What happens to the team when the project is
completed

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Making Project Goal Trade-Offs
 Trade-offs involve…
1. Cost
2. Time
3. Performance
 Multiple projects
 Project goals and organizational goals
 Project, firm, career

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Failure and the Risk and Fear of Failure
 Well understood projects (Type 1)…
 Appear simple
 Natural flow introduces problems
 Poorly understood project (Type 2)…
 Many difficulties early on
 Most are planning problem
 May have psychic consequences

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 Breadth of Communication
1. Why the project exists
2. Some projects fail
3. Top management support needed
4. Information network needed
5. Must be flexible

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 Negotiations
 Acquiring adequate resources
 Motivating personnel
 Dealing with obstacles
 Making project goal trade-offs
 Handing failure
 Maintaining communication

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Selecting the Project Manager

1. Credibility
2. Sensitivity
3. Leadership, ethics, and management style
4. Ability to handle stress

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 Creditability
1. Technical credibility
2. Administrative credibility

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 Sensitivity
 Political sensitivity
 Interpersonal sensitivity
 Technically sensitivity

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Leadership, Ethics, and Management Style
 Leadership
 Strong sense ethics
 A management style that fits the project

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 Ability to Handle Stress
1. No consistent procedures
2. Too much to do
3. High need to achieve
4. Organizations in change

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 VITAL DOZEN FOR THE PROJ MGR
 Lead from the front
 Build and maintain cohesive team
 Understand the environment
 Recognize Proj Team conflict as progress
 Understand who the stakeholders are and what do they want
 Accept and use the political nature of the Org
 Understand what success means
 Must guard against Enthusiasm and Despair – both are infectious
 One look forward is worth two looks back
 Always remember what you are trying to do / achieve
 Use time carefully or it will use you
 Above all, Plan, Plan and Plan
 Legal Environment
 Different countries/regions have different
legal structures
 The project must conform to those laws

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 Legal Environment Continued

 Ownership of the project

 Patents
 Copyrights
 Trademarks
 Trade secrets

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