Business Life magazine, which is found in the seat pockets of British Airways flights, has a column this month about project managers. It’s the ‘Business Lifer column at the back. It was written anonymously by a ‘executive globetrotter. Business Lifer was busy in January recruiting and examining his own resume to determine if it had any transferable skills. He writes:
I realized with joy that I was able to ‘project manage’. I wanted to make sure, so I looked at the common traits of the best project managers I’ve ever seen. They all have a tedious attention-to-detail, like calling in early to order you to do something, and strut around as if they are very important. They also have an annoying habit to summarise emails and conversations mid-flow. It turns out that I am just as pompous as the best.
Although I can walk with the best of them I am not pompous or manipulative. Actually, being pompous and manipulative are the worst traits of project managers.
Through their actions, project managers serve others. We provide a service to project stakeholders and customers (both internal as well as external). We help others get things done.
Pomposity is the enemy to getting things done. Manipulation is a form of manipulation that can be detrimental to collaborative teamwork. These may produce short-term results, but the long-term damage to your career or credibility is too great to ignore.
Check out this YouTube video, Stuff Project Managers Say. For another view on project managers, click here. It was funny to me, and I’m certain you’ll recognize yourself and your colleagues. I think I’ve said all of those things. I don’t have alcohol in the desk drawer, but I do have emergency chocolate. What do you have?
Do you think the Business Lifer view is better or the video a better description of project managers?