5 Reasons to be a Project Manager & 5 Reasons not to be
To be a project manager, you may find yourself the unsung hero. And though you may be happy operating in the shadows of the success of a project. Sometimes the lack of recognition may tax on you emotionally.
It wasn’t how I imagined my career would take flight. Often, in the role of a project manager, you manage your frustrations whilst the teams look as if you are the “enemy” they will spare no remorse in expressing their thoughts on how inconvenient it can be to follow a process (even one mutually agreed upon). They would cite the agile and scrum edicts as reasons to not follow any plan and instead replace it with a sprint with endless cycles of iteration. Yet, isn’t the agile manifesto “people over processes?” Project managers are people too! So let’s chat!
5 Reasons to Be a Project Manager
People have asked me why I got into this field. I genuinely enjoy the trials that come with the role. So here are my 5 reasons for being a project manager.
1. You See The Big Picture
You enjoy seeing the big picture. In this role, it’s all about the big picture. You can be 50,000 feet in the air and yet dive deep until you’re at ground level. You are the beacon that shines light on the both the business side of the house and “back half” of the house. You can translate the business objectives and deliverables over to the team that needs to understand what is the final product.
2. You are Detailed Oriented
It’s not about knowing every facet of a project, it’s about knowing the right level of detail to share. You have an uncanny knack of being at the right place and right time. You are the support beam that provides project sponsors with key insights into how things are going and work collaboratively with them to steer and remove impediments that may jeopardize the work. You also provide meaningful and actionable feedback back over to the team.
3. You are Process Driven
No matter the method used, it’s important for the teams to share and understand the common goals. People often assume that project managers are waterfall oriented. All these myths had to be dispelled. Sometimes you have to prove yourself anytime you’re assigned you to a new project with new teams. It means being able to read the room of what processes to use and apply it for the team to be effective.
4. You are a Creative Thinker
Like a good puzzle box, you enjoy unraveling the mysteries of the conundrums that are presented within a project. Project managers that can think creatively and actively listen often can reach a desired outcome are the ones that get a project to completion. You can have all the certs, tools, and templates at your disposal, but these have to be balanced with the innate ability to problem solve.
5. You are a Strong Negotiator
You are negotiating all the time, and you’re good at it. It’s not always about milestone dates, timelines, and or schedules, that’s only one part of it. You are negotiating how to achieve success. A project sponsor may have a vision of the final product, but perhaps they had considered other factors to be part of that success. You are negotiating on behalf of a team, project sponsor, and or other stakeholders sometimes at the same time for their wants, needs, desires. Often it may come to leveraging those people’s skills to come to mutual agreement on several subjects related to the project.
5 Reasons Not to be a Project Manager
Okay.There are times things get the better of me. And I often reflect on these key areas. So here are my 5 reasons for not being a project manager.
1. The myth that the job is easy.
“Anyone can be a project manager. It’s easy, they just create timelines and follow processes.” This myth has to be dispelled, a good project manager has the gut instinct and experience to steer a team away from catastrophe well before you’re close. There are many nuances in project management. The more versatile your skill sets, especially in visual communication. The better you are at weaving together a system that works to bridge gaps between stakeholders’ misconceptions and team.
2. Companies don’t understand project management
Over the years, I’ve found that some companies or organizations say they want project management or want to follow a method like scrum. However, they don’t really buy into it. There are telltale signs, for example, when a project manager is wielded like a blunt instrument rather than a highly skilled worker. This can get frustrating. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth trying to change that company culture (if at all possible).
3. You may be undervalued
Similar to the myth that the job is easy. Someone may task you with managing multiple projects of varying complexities, with little to no resources to support the endeavor. You’ll wear many hats and that’s part of the expectation for the job. Beyond that, it’s important to consider the career path and educational growth that should be invested as businesses and technologies evolve so too must the worker. Know your worth and always self invest. Recognize that if you are undervalued, make the tough decisions that are right for you.
4. The work balance isn’t always great
You may burn the midnight oil to get things done on time. You might work late hours because you have multiple remote teams in different time zones. Because you may wear many hats, it may mean you have to complete work items that aren’t in your purview to make things happen. I don’t want to scare you away, but part of the joy is also being able to learn something new. It may not have been what you planned on how to pick up a new skill, but it is an accumulation of additional skill sets that you may translate to a new role.
5. You don’t want to be a project manager
It may seem like the obvious reason. In reality, it may be easier said than done, sometimes this the job that pays the bills and feeds the family. It’s a personal decision. Deep down you have reservations and thoughts already there. I’ll leave it at that.
Last Thoughts
What I love about being a project manager is that seemingly impossible project. It’s challenging on many fronts: team personalities, workload imbalance, unfriendly customers. A project can feel like it is on the verge of failing for many reasons. But, I trust myself and know that I can turn a corner and when I do the rewards are immense. You can see the fruits of your labor and the results and the teamwork that came together to achieve what felt like impossible goals. So to potential perspective project managers or one’s evaluating if this is the career path for you, be ready for the trials like a Shakespearean play. Polonius said it best, “… to thine own self be true” (Hamlet).
