Tools or talent? The makings of a great project manager are shifting
Project management is not so much a science as an art as business turns towards talent over technicians as the differentiator of great project managers. Until recently, a search for a good project manager would focus on what they could do - what they knew about processes and software – and the tools that made them competent. Today, that isn't enough. What is now increasingly sought is not so much a project manager as a project leader, a person with the instinctive ability to look beyond ticking project boxes and to apply strategy and business focus.
In the last 10 to 15 years, there's been a focus on skills, software tools and techniques but those aren't what make a great project leader. In a climate that's highly competitive and fast paced, business is under pressure to produce high-quality, technically innovative products in a 'hard-and-fast ' manner with lean organisations and tight budgets. What it takes to succeed in this climate are high-performance levels and a focus on strategic and business objectives.
Walter Baets, director of the UCT Graduate School of Business, says that business – especially in Africa – is also looking for people who can manage projects in conditions of high uncertainty and inequality, and are able to drive change towards more inclusive business models.
It is a tall order – and may explain why the failure rate of projects is estimated to be between 40 and 70%. This begs the question: Why, with all the sophisticated tools and methodologies, are we not succeeding?
It's about what you're able to do
We've got trained certified people out there but successful project management is not about competence; it's about capability.
This is an approach that has long resonated with me, and it's a project management philosophy that's gaining momentum globally as business moves to apply less emphasis and investment on the mechanical side, and instead chooses to look beyond qualifications and competence to raw talent.
It's no longer enough to look for a qualified project manager with good people skills and competence with best practice. What you want is someone with the flexibility and insight to focus on business value while driving a project forward. It's a shift from process to value delivery. It's the differentiator between strategy and action plans, bridging the gap between the boardroom - where strategy happens - and the coal face where the work is done. What you want is someone who can combine service delivery with big-picture thinking.
Find the right people, with the right tools, at the right time
Tap into that select group that is truly capable – the gifted bunch. You've got to be careful what you look for. Psychometric testing is helpful. Talent is the key and you need to identify it.
If you take someone with the right talent and instincts, you can quickly teach them the process, tools and techniques required to perform. What's been done in the past is, mechanically, to teach the tools, processes and techniques and assume that that is all that is required for success. Talent and capability are the keys to success!
