In Search of Effective Project Managers

Review of In Search of Effective Project Managers—Analysis Adapted from Case Study:

Pinto, Jeffrey, K., Project Management, Achieving Competitive Advantage, Third Edition—Case Study 4.1, Boeing’s Virtual Fence, Pearson, Inc. 2013, p. 129.

Develop Program for Recruiting New Project Managers
Project managers typically act like “mini-CEOs” who seamlessly synchronize technical skill with interpersonal understanding in facilitating successful project implementation. [i]If true, leadership presumably distinguishes effective project managers. Leadership constitutes the “ability to inspire confidence and support” from others in “achieving organizational goals.” [ii] If true, a program designed to recruit project managers generally implies some evidence of leadership among prospective candidates. Therefore, Pureswing, in an attempt to develop a Project Management Recruitment program, promulgates the following job description consistent with its goal of procuring Project Leaders:

Attention—Pureswing seeks seasoned Project Engineering Leaders to galvanize the development and management of its golf equipment. Pureswing requires prospective candidates to exhibit the following attributes:

• Honesty, trustworthy individual whose integrity tends to inspire similar trust in others;
• Person exhibits cerebral curiosity, thirst for knowledge and all learning;
• People-centered, results-driven mentality, with ability to drive success with teams;
• Harnesses strengths of individuals and teams to efficaciously enhance productivity;
• Ability to encourage others with optimism and enthusiasm in all pursuits;
• Focused on building team and company potential with existing resources;
• Extensive Engineering knowledge working at least 20 years in Engineering-related field;
• At least 10 years of work-experience building golf equipment in engineering capacity;
• At least 5 years of experience as a leader in cross-functional capacity;
• Compelling communicator with superlative written, verbal, and quantitative skills;
• Proven advanced mathematical abilities (Calculus I and up, plus Statistics);
• Logical thinker with superior analytical reasoning, critical thinking, & problem-solving ability;
• Creative problem-solver in decision-making with ability to quickly improvise if necessary;
• Ability to realistically assess company goals in developing new processes;
• Entrepreneurial-mindset, driven with original, long-term goals to expand company visibility;
• Formidable business acumen with at least 10 years Project Management Experience;
• Innovative self-starter with exceptional interpersonal abilities;
• Graduate degree required, preferably, MBA with M.S. in Engineering;
• Statistical Quality Control knowledge with experience in supply-chain management;
• PMP Certification required;
• Finance background a plus.

 Successful Project Manager
Generally, a successful project manager perhaps possesses the following quintessential qualities:

• Personalities matched to project work;
• Individuals with formal commitment to project work;
• Education with some expertise/professional-focus;
• Continuing education inclinations with desire to pursue training programs;
• Cross-functional exposure;
• Honest, reliable, accurate, result-driven person with integrity;
• Logical, critical-thinker/problem-solver with flexibility to handle ambiguity;
• Compelling communicator;
• Works equally well individually as with leading teams;
• High emotional intelligence
• Person comfortable with reasonable risks;
• All other aforementioned attributes specified in Question 1’s job description.

Generally, without the foregoing characteristics, it becomes intractable to become a successful project manager. However, the presence of the following traits in any combination might also exacerbate difficulty:

• Pessimism;
• Untrustworthiness;
• Someone who hates job/responsibilities;
• Someone who despises collaborative efforts/teamwork;
• Limited ability to consider multiple conflicting perspectives/intolerance for ambiguity;
• Lack of empathy;
• Unmotivated;
• Introvert with nominal social skills;
• Lack of self-discipline/control and/or consistent inability to regulate emotions;
• Person incapable of articulating ideas with precision and concision;
• Person uncomfortable speaking in front of others;
• Inability to encourage others positively in enhancing productivity;
• Overly Individualistic;
• Overly/Inadequately independent.

[i] See Sherlock, John, “Project Management—Crossroads Solutions PowerPoint,” p. 101, How the Project Manager Leads, 2016, p. 101.
[ii] See Sherlock, John, “Project Management—Crossroads Solutions PowerPoint,” p. 101, Leadership, 2016, p. 98.