What to Look for in Your Next Project Manager Hire

My first thought when I began my career in project management was, ‘How do I successfully do this?’ Years into my career after acquiring my PMP (Project Management Professional) certification, I thought the only way to succeed was by following the principles of PMI. After acquiring my CSM (Certified Scrum Master) certification, I thought the best way to succeed was through applying the scrum methodology. In both cases, I was wrong.

Can certifications help? Absolutely. Are certifications the answer to every project? Absolutely not.

The answer is based on a specific set of inherent soft skills. I refer to these skills as the Triple C’s of Project Management - being Confident, Challenging the Standard and facilitating Change.

Confidence

As a facilitator, a lot of responsibility falls on our shoulders. No matter how difficult or complex the project or team is, we must be present and maintain control of the project. 

Early in my career, one of my biggest weaknesses was a fear of bothering my teammates and stakeholders. Filled with anxiety, I would wait until the very last moment to share important details that could negatively affect the project. That was a huge error and one that cost me dearly. I knew that to grow in this field, I had to be confident not just in the project but in myself as a project manager.

The best project managers are composed and fearless. They are prepared. The best project managers don’t let potential risks or problems deter them from getting the job done. They analyze the entirety of the project, anticipate change, and react quickly with conviction. 

If you are on a project and you notice that there is a chance something can go wrong, speak up. If you don't agree with the direction of the project or your teammates’ direction, say something (respectfully of course). But stand confident. Don’t waver on a particular stance if your team doesn't necessarily agree. I’m reminded of an analogy by Ben Horowitz in the book “The Hard Thing About Hard Things.” When referring to scaling an organization, Horowitz talks about how “offensive lineman are taught to lose the battle slowly or to give ground grudgingly.” The same applies to project management principles. One shouldn’t give up the moment there is pushback. Acknowledge the team and their response to your direction and confidently continue to lead.

Challenging the Standard

To this day in certain settings, there is a misconception that a project manager’s responsibilities are to take notes, set up meetings, and stay silent. That should never be our only contribution, as our value lies in so much more. 

Oftentimes our responsibilities include, but are not limited to, planning the project, helping define the risks and potential mitigations, defining resource allocations, escalating issues up to stakeholders, maintaining the budget, ensuring the project is delivered on time as well as a plethora of other things. By having a line of sight on all of this it is our duty to keep the project going and facilitate continued evolving conversations with the team.

Unfortunately, there are times when your team and even your stakeholders do not have a grasp on all the intangibles that we bring to the table. And because of this, project managers must figure out where they WANT to fit in. So ask yourself, where do I WANT to fit in on this project? Do I want to take notes and set up the next meeting? Or do I want to be a part of the solution? We determine how the project will run and are the key motivators for the team. 

• Get a grasp on the entirety of the project and not default to what the team wants

• Question why the team chose to take certain actions and suggest other options that may provide a different outcome

• Question if some tasks can be completed sooner than their current deadlines

• Question why the team feels the project needs more resources

Take the lead and challenge your team. What’s the worst that could happen? Going against the grain will not only unearth new and innovative ways of thinking but will also garner respect from your team.  

Facilitating Change (Being a Change Manager)

Change management takes shape in many forms that should be constantly considered and actioned upon as we progress in our careers. Within some companies, change managers already exist separately from the project management team. However, I’ve found in a lot of cases, this work tends to fall into the project manager’s lap. 

In the past, I had tunnel vision when it came to my projects. My focus was only on three things, 

1. the project team 

2. Starting the project and; 

3. closing/completing the project. 

I believed that once the project was closed, I never had to look back, as it was considered “done.” This is a half truth as a lot of projects seemingly feel complete but they lack follow through and a plan for long-term adoption.

As we are diagnosing the plan for the project and visualizing the journey, we should also consider how the project will be received externally and how to ensure it will have a lasting effect. Whether I am working on a process improvement or an application, I start to build out a strategic communication plan when the project is nearing 50% completion. 

This communication plan defines who the audience is, how they will be affected, what are the KPIs (key performance indicators) that can effectively show adoption and what the affected parties may think or feel when the project is complete. This data provides a template for communication out to stakeholders, both internally and externally and should be communicated out starting at the 60-70% completion mark of a project. 

Strategizing on what is communicated creates transparency for everyone that is involved (including the end consumer) and allows for course correction if feedback does not align with project goals.

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Certifications and project management software are only as great as the project managers who use them. As the world of project management continues to advance and responsibilities change, project managers need to be fully equipped to adapt and evolve. To ensure success, I’d rather take someone who manages the project and the project team with confidence, isn't afraid of speaking up, and is willing to think far beyond simply ‘completing’ a project versus someone who relies on certifications and software.