06: Reflection

My publisher has just asked me to update ‘Project Management in Easy Steps’ for a second edition and also write a new one ‘Agile Project Management in Easy Steps’ with the possibility of ‘Time Management in Easy Steps’ and ‘PRINCE2 in Easy Steps’ to follow. So much for retirement! Now back to reflection.

Much has been written about what a project manager does but little on the way the wise project manager does it. We have all probably met 'hard' project managers, who drive their team and themselves, but it is maybe more difficult to recall the 'soft' project managers, the ones who achieve quietly and seemingly with little effort.

The Way

So what are the soft skills a project manager needs to get things done?

Influencing: the wise project manager knows he doesn’t have authority over the team, so he needs to build trust and respect to get things done.

Delegating: the wise project manager knows he can't do it all himself, so he lets go and trusts the team.

Negotiating: life is full of trade-offs so the wise project manager is prepared to understand other peoples' needs as well as those of the project.

Motivating: the wise project manager knows that people need to be encouraged and praised and thanked for what they have done on the project.

Building: the wise project manager knows that team spirit is a wonderful thing, with it everyone will push together.

Soothing: there will be difficulties and difficult people; the wise project manager stays calm in these situations.

The wise project manager brings out his feminine side (unless of course she already happens to be one of the 20% of project managers who is a woman, in which case sister, be thankful and be yourself). I know this for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

The valley spirit never dies;

It is the woman, primal mother.

Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.

It is like a veil barely seen.

Use it; it will never fail.