Good vs Bad Project Managers - Project Management

Summary

In this insightful session, Jennifer Whitt, Director of ProjectManager.com, explores the nuances of good versus bad project management. She outlines 13 key areas for self-evaluation, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, self-awareness, mentorship, relationship building, and effective communication. Whitt encourages project managers to adopt best practices, certifications, and to be decisive, collaborative, and mobile, ultimately leading to successful project outcomes.

Takeaways

• 📘 Professional Development: Good project managers are constant learners, seeking to improve their skills and knowledge through professional development and certifications.
• 🧘‍♂️ Self-Awareness: They are conscious and aware of themselves and their team members, recognizing strengths and weaknesses, and providing support when needed.
• 🤝 Mentorship: Effective project managers have mentors to guide them and are also mentors to others, fostering a culture of learning and growth.
• 🔗 Building Relationships: They excel at building and nurturing relationships, understanding that strong connections are key to project success.
• 🌐 Social Engagement: Good project managers are socially active both online and offline, sharing and learning from the community.
• 🚶‍♂️ Mobility: They are not desk-bound, often moving around to interact, collaborate, and socialize with their team and stakeholders.
• 📞 Availability and Responsiveness: They are accessible and prompt in their communication, striking a balance between availability and setting boundaries.
• 🤔 Collaboration: Good project managers actively collaborate with their team, seeking diverse perspectives to inform their decisions.
• 🛠️ Decisiveness: They are able to make decisions promptly and appropriately, which is crucial for driving projects forward.
• 🏆 Resoluteness: They are determined to get things done, leveraging their go-to people and resources to achieve project goals.
• 🗣️ Effective Communication: They communicate effectively, understanding their audience and ensuring a feedback loop for clear information exchange.
• 🔧 Delegation: Skilled project managers know how and when to delegate tasks effectively, avoiding becoming a bottleneck in the project workflow.
• 🌟 Leadership: They understand the difference between managing and leading, inspiring their team by setting a vision and fueling passion.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Jennifer Whitt's whiteboard session?

The main topic is the comparison between good and bad project managers and the 13 areas to evaluate oneself as a project manager.

What does Jennifer Whitt assume as the baseline for project managers?

She assumes that the baseline for project managers includes using best practices, tools, templates, and having some type of project management training.

What does Jennifer Whitt suggest as the first area for self-evaluation for project managers?

The first area for self-evaluation is professional development and certifications, emphasizing the importance of being a constant learner.

What does Jennifer Whitt mean by 'seasoning' and 'special sauce' in the context of project managers?

By 'seasoning' and 'special sauce,' she refers to the unique qualities and skills that set good project managers apart from bad ones, beyond the basic principles of project management.

Why does Jennifer Whitt emphasize the importance of being conscious and aware for project managers?

Being conscious and aware allows project managers to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their team members, ensuring they can set their teams up for success.

What role do mentors and mentees play in the professional development of project managers according to the script?

Mentors provide guidance and experience, while mentees offer fresh perspectives and the opportunity for the mentor to learn from teaching, fostering a reciprocal learning environment.

Why is building and nurturing relationships important for project managers?

Relationships are crucial for getting things done within and outside the team. Good project managers are adept at fostering these relationships to facilitate collaboration and success.

How does Jennifer Whitt describe the ideal behavior of project managers in terms of being mobile?

Ideal project managers are mobile, meaning they are not confined to their desks but are actively interacting, collaborating, and socializing with their team and stakeholders.

What does Jennifer Whitt suggest about the communication style of good project managers?

Good project managers communicate effectively, understanding their team members and stakeholders, and having a communication plan in place to ensure clear and prompt feedback loops.

How does Jennifer Whitt define the difference between managing and leading in the context of project management?

Managing focuses on controlling and organizing tasks and people, while leading is about setting a vision, fueling passion, and inspiring the team to follow, which is more effective for project managers.

What is the final call to action presented by Jennifer Whitt in the script?

The final call to action is for individuals to sign up for their software at projectmanager.com to implement the skills and practices discussed for becoming a good project manager.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Professional Development and Project Manager Traits

Jennifer Whitt, the director of projectmanager.com, introduces a whiteboard session focusing on the distinction between good and bad project managers. She emphasizes the importance of professional development and certifications as a key factor for good project managers, who are characterized as constant learners. Jennifer also mentions the need for self-awareness, mentorship, and building strong relationships to ensure team success. The session aims to provide 13 evaluative areas for project managers to assess their own performance and improve.

05:01

🚀 Mobility, Communication, and Delegation in Project Management

In the second paragraph, Jennifer discusses the importance of mobility for project managers, suggesting that those who remain at their desks may not be as effective as those who interact and collaborate with their teams. She stresses the need for project managers to be available and responsive while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Jennifer also highlights the significance of collaboration, decisiveness, and the ability to get things done. Communication is identified as a crucial skill, with effective feedback loops being essential. Delegation is another key point, as it helps project managers avoid becoming bottlenecks. Lastly, Jennifer touches on the difference between managing and leading, advocating for a leadership style that inspires and motivates teams.

Keywords

💡Project Manager

A project manager is a professional responsible for the planning, execution, and closure of a project. In the video, the role is central to the discussion, with the theme focusing on distinguishing between good and bad project managers based on various attributes and behaviors.

💡Best Practices

Best practices refer to the most effective methods that have been proven to work in a particular field. In the context of the video, it is assumed that project managers adhere to these standards in project management as a baseline requirement.

💡Professional Development

Professional development is the process of improving one's skills and knowledge in a specific field. The script emphasizes that good project managers are constant learners who invest in their professional development, as seen in their pursuit of certifications and continuous learning.

💡Certifications

Certifications are formal recognitions of one's qualifications and competencies in a field. The video mentions that while certifications alone do not guarantee good project management, those who are good at what they do often pursue and value these credentials.

💡Conscious and Aware

Being conscious and aware in the script refers to having a heightened sense of self-awareness and being attuned to one's team and environment. Good project managers are described as being in tune with their strengths, weaknesses, and the dynamics within their teams.

💡Mentorship

Mentorship involves a relationship in which a more experienced individual guides and supports the development of a less experienced one. The video highlights the importance of having mentors and being a mentor to foster learning and growth in project management.

💡Relationship Building

Relationship building is the process of establishing and nurturing positive connections with others. The script underscores that good project managers excel at this, as it is crucial for collaboration and getting things done within and outside the team.

💡Social Engagement

Social engagement refers to active participation in social interactions, both online and offline. The video mentions that project managers should be socially active to share and learn from the experiences of others in their community.

💡Mobility

Mobility in the context of the video means being able to work effectively while on the move. It is suggested that good project managers are not desk-bound and are able to communicate and respond promptly even when they are not physically present in the office.

💡Availability and Responsiveness

Availability and responsiveness pertain to being reachable and prompt in communication. The script points out that good project managers are appropriately available for their team members and stakeholders, while also setting boundaries to ensure their own productivity.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration is the act of working together with others to achieve a common goal. The video emphasizes that good project managers are skilled at collaborating, seeking and incorporating diverse perspectives to enhance project outcomes.

💡Delegation

Delegation involves assigning tasks or responsibilities to others. The script notes that good project managers are adept at delegating tasks appropriately, which helps prevent them from becoming a bottleneck and ensures efficient project execution.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide, influence, and inspire a team towards achieving goals. The video differentiates between managing and leading, stating that good project managers lead by setting a vision and fueling passion, rather than merely managing tasks.

Highlights

Introduction by Jennifer Whitt, Director of ProjectManager.com, on evaluating good versus bad project managers.

Project management principles as a baseline for being a project manager, with best practices and tools as table stakes.

The importance of professional development and certifications for project managers as a key to being good at their role.

The necessity for project managers to be conscious and aware of themselves and their team members' strengths and weaknesses.

Mentorship and having mentees as a two-way learning process for project managers.

The value of building and nurturing relationships within and outside the team for successful project management.

Social involvement, both online and offline, for project managers to share and gain best practices.

Project managers being mobile and effective in communication while on the go.

The balance of being available and responsive while setting appropriate boundaries for project managers.

Collaboration as a key aspect of project management to gather diverse perspectives.

The ability of project managers to make decisions promptly and appropriately.

Being resolute and getting things done as a characteristic of good project managers.

Effective communication as a crucial skill for project managers to convey and gather information.

The importance of appropriate delegation to prevent project managers from becoming a bottleneck.

Understanding the difference between managing and leading a team to inspire and motivate.

Encouragement to evaluate oneself against the discussed areas and to observe other good project managers.

Invitation to sign up for ProjectManager.com software to implement good project management practices.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello my name is jennifer whitt director

of projectmanager.com well welcome to

our whiteboard session today on

good versus bad project managers

well if you've been hanging around the

water cooler or spent some time online

on some of the discussion groups for

project managers

this seems like a ballroom brawl

sometimes people

look at things differently on what

really makes a good

versus a bad project manager so what i'm

going to do today

is list 13 areas for you

to evaluate of yourself so

the assumption is when we look at

project management

i feel like if you're a project manager

the principles of project management is

is an assumption and it's table stakes

meaning for sure

the baseline has to be that you are

using best practices that you are using

tools that you're using templates

and have some type of project management

training

so if this is the baseline and this is

table stakes

then let's look at some of the seasoning

some of the special sauce

that project managers do that make them

good versus bad

i've spent over 20 years studying

project managers

and teams what makes them work what

makes them fail

what makes what makes some project

managers set up to get

those great projects get the promotions

so some of the things i've observed is

just this is a few this is not a

comprehensive list

but again it's more areas to look at and

look for yourself

how am i doing this and i'm always a

proponent of

find people that you think that are

really good project managers

and evaluate and assess for yourself

what makes you think

that they're so good and try to emulate

some of the things that they're doing

so here are some of the things that i

think the good project managers do

in addition to the baseline

of project management best practices

number one professional development and

certifications

i find that the really good project

managers are constant

learners they're interested in learning

they're constantly looking

at how to better themselves they're

learning about teams they're learning

about different ways to

improve uh their baseline skills and

their interpersonal skills

and we all have talk about the

certification so some people and we've

seen examples of this all across

our organizations where you can see

people who they have all the

certificates on the walls

and they have their certification but

maybe there are really bad project

managers

so we've all seen that but i do still

believe that those who are good

people on my list constant learners with

perfect they invest in themselves

and professional development and their

certifications number two they're

conscious and aware

that meaning they're conscious of

themselves aware of themselves and

others they're always trying to set

their teams up for success

and being aware what are they really

good at what are they bad at

recognizing when someone on the team is

struggling

and needs support looking at maybe when

someone shut down

or maybe not providing information or

being able to be conscious and aware of

the plan and what

estimates people are providing that

maybe doesn't seem correct

so is being in tune being conscious

aware

number three they have mentors and they

have mentees

learning is a give and take so for sure

having people who have been there done

that

whether it's technology you're learning

a subject area

maybe project management that you're

learning but always have that person

who has been there done that that you

can learn from and having

mentees i've always found and seen an

experience for myself

when i'm teaching someone else like a

mentee

then i'm learning i'm learning from them

as well so they're learning from me

i'm learning from them because they

always provide

a different perspective and again

learning is a give and take

relationships good project managers

believe in

and they're really good at building and

nurturing

relationships because relationships of

the people within our team

and outside of our team that's the way

we really get things done

i mean we know how critical the people

are on our team

so the good project managers are really

good at building

and nurturing relationships or if

they're really bad at that

then they find their go-to people who do

have those relationships

and they leverage those relationships

number five social

online and offline again it's great to

be involved

not only learning seeing other people's

experience but also giving and taking

best practices

within the community so being social and

active

both online and offline

number six being mobile project managers

rarely

sit at their desk so if a project

manager is sitting at their desk

they're probably one of the bad ones

because that means they're not

interacting

they're not they're not out and about

they're maybe not meeting collaborating

socializing with their team or maybe

they're stakeholders

so they're mobile and being mobile is

not just being

out but it's being effective at being on

the go so they're able to

correspond communicate respond

effectively

and promptly while they're on the go

number seven available and responsive

but appropriately

so being available for people so if you

are on the go

are on the go or if you are one of the

project managers who spend a lot of time

at your desk

then you're available for others to

access you to ask questions give you

input and responsive

being responsive and not just ignoring

emails not ignoring calls but actually

returning phone calls or emails promptly

but appropriately with boundaries

some some people don't set the

appropriate boundaries

so maybe they become bad project

managers because

they can't get anything done because

they're not good at setting boundaries

saying no setting schedule time for them

to get their work done

and having appropriate systems in place

for people to access them

and respond appropriately number eight

collaborative

i feel like it's really important for

project managers

to collaborate with people so they're

getting input they're getting input that

doesn't mean

necessarily that what the input they

take

they're necessarily going to do but to

get different perspectives not just to

look at things from

one perspective which is their own so

the really good project managers i've

seen collaborate

and take information from others also

other good project managers i've seen

are decisive they can take information

and they can make decisions

they can make them promptly

appropriately

and get things and numb which goes into

number 10

resolute being resolute and getting

things done

so making decisions is not necessarily

getting things done but resolute is

and good project managers get things

done on their team

by being resolute so whether they get

them done they again

know their go-to people and know how to

get things done on their team

number 11 they communicate they

communicate effectively

they they know their team members they

know their stakeholders

they have a communications plan set in

place they know how them

they communicate effectively themselves

whether it's

in language having a strong effective

language

whether they give presentations whether

they send email

however they communicate they

communicate effectively so that people

know

what information they're trying to get

so a good project manager communicates

effectively

to indicate what information they're

trying to give others

and more importantly what information

they need back so that's a great

communication feedback loop

number 12 they delegate so they know how

to delegate appropriately

a lot of times project managers have

been promoted through the ranks

so maybe whatever area that they were in

which was their expertise it's

kind of difficult to get away from it so

when they get promoted they try to do

the old job

plus the new job or maybe multiple jobs

and they're trying to do too much so the

project manager becomes the bottleneck

so it's important to know how when and

to whom to delegate to

effectively and number 13

is knowing knowing how to lead teams

and manage the projects and know the

difference between

because a lot of times people try to

manage

the team manage the people and people

don't like to be managed

people like to be led they like to be

they like for someone to

set the vision fuel the passion

and if they do that then if you can

influence

the uh team then they will follow you so

again these are some of the areas that

you can evaluate for yourself

this is not a comprehensive list of the

all these are just some areas to think

about

these are some of the things that i

commonly find that the good project

managers do

that you can see for yourself and again

check out the people that you think are

good project managers

make your own list and see where you

stack up between the good

and the bad and you add some little

seasoning and spice

to the table stakes if you've evaluated

yourself

against these three areas or better yet

made your own list

and now you're trying to add the

seasoning to your table stakes

then sign up for our software at

projectmanager.com and implement some of

the things that you can do

to be a good project manager