21st century project management competencies

Defense AT&L, Jan-Feb, 2007 by Wayne Turk

In "Ten Rules for Success as a Manager," Defense AT & L, July-August 2004, I presented rules that define a basic people-management competency that is needed in the 21st century. No rules--those or any others--are absolute. There will always be exceptions. Managers are chosen for their judgment and will have to decide when to deviate from the rules. Good judgment is, therefore, another competency.

It may be poor form to talk about managing your boss, but it's something that has to be done. You need to set realistic expectations with your boss and other stakeholders, (what they expect of you and the project). That includes expectations on schedule, costs, and the final product. The accent is on "realistic." Don't set expectations too high or you will ruin your credibility when they're not met, but don't intentionally set them low because that won't help you either. Most of boss management is just good communication. Keep him or her in the loop. Sometimes you may need to use selective communication, but you do need to communicate. To build your credibility, highlight your successes as they come along. If a test goes well, let people know. But don't try to hide bad news. It will come out--and better from you than others.

It is also important to manage the other stakeholders, of which there are many: upper management, the end users, vendors, other offices/organizations--in fact, anyone who has a stake in your project. Keep them informed. It doesn't have to be a constant flow of information, but updates are important. Briefing and writing skills are a subset of this. A PM is called on for both on a frequent basis.

It comes down to this: Good communications skill is a critical competency for good people management.

Managing the Budget and Schedule

The project budget and the project schedule can be the most difficult parts of a manager's duties. Meeting the schedule and staying within budget are critical to the real and perceived success of any project. Overrunning either is a sure means of being seen as a failure. The real competencies needed here are good planning skills and attention to detail. This is an area where tools can really help. Earned value management is one of the best. Many organizations offer courses in EVM to help the PM.

Common Sense Competencies

There are a slew of other competencies needed by PMs but rarely specified by organizations. Most of these are just common sense, but sometimes common sense is an uncommon attribute.

* Patience. A PM must have the patience of Job. There are going to be product problems, data calls, and documentation requirements, not to mention personnel problems; and they all require patience beyond the ordinary. Impatient PMs may take chances or shortcuts that will cost them later. They also may not listen when they should.

* Wisdom. Not just expertise, but wisdom, too, is needed for decision making and problem resolution. Expertise is knowing what to do; wisdom is knowing when and how to apply the expertise.

* Sense of humor. Too many times, if we can't laugh at what is happening, we'd have to cry. A sense of humor helps make everything more tolerable. In the words of Don Seibert, former CEO and chairman of the board of the JC Penney Company, "Humor is a common thread I've seen in thousands of meetings in different companies on the most serious of subjects. Humor helps you to keep your head clear when you're dealing in highly technical information or difficult decisions where choices aren't that clear."