Paradoxical view

Do managers need project management competencies?

Many at times I have met and worked with various professionals may it be architects, engineers, IT Specialist, marketers, doctors, accountants, lawyers, educationist and CEOs. Most often they undermine the need for projects to be managed effectively and efficiently. They arrogantly claim that they know how to manage the projects and it is quite easily done, such as DOPer!…

I kept emphasising that there are ‘huge’ difference between running the business operations and managing project. Marketers claim that learning up Marketing Management covers the topic of planning and implementation; likewise, IT Experts claim that their SDLC pretty much covers the planning and implementation activities. Architects sometimes think that they are god and being the project manager is their birth-right, being the person who designs a particular building. Marketers think that their new product or services will be introduced once the strategic marketing plan is completed. CEOs think that after completing the strategic planning sessions and action plans drafted out… the whole business strategy will be implemented automatically. Only in your dreams my friend!

After being involved in project environment for more than 26 years, I have learnt that there exists a big demarcation between running daily business operations and doing something that is outside the normal operations. Being an engineer myself, there are things that are routine with all the necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place. However, I lived to find out that, these constitute only small percentage of the workload. Believe you me, major bulk of the workload comes from ad-hoc items or planned items, not part of the job description that comes into play. Things like participating in cross functional activities, new business ventures, new product or services development, new market explorations requires a lot more time and effort.

Since the endeavour is outside the job scope with no written SOP explaining the process, majority revert to so called ‘wisdom’ and ‘favours’ (commonly gained thorough interpersonal relationships developed over time) within the company to get things done. Things are done haphazardly and not in a ‘structured manner’. Due to the lack of a proper system (processes and procedures), when things go wrong, there will always be someone or something to take the blame! There is no way for the ‘real’ concerns or issues are able to surface and be corrected or treated accordingly, as there is no SOP for such undertaking.

This is where, ladies and gentlemen, the competency of project management comes in handy.

Trapped In Between – Realities of Project World

In this ever-changing business environment, organisations continuously try to improve their competitive position in the marketplace. In the excitement of such quests, organisations are bombarded with various change programs that have been developed, marketed, introduced, and implemented by various agencies, both locally and internationally. Program and Project Management is no exception. In fact, many times, the term project has been so loosely used to the extent that it has lost its real definition.

Rapid changes in both technology and the market place have created enormous strains on existing organisation’s make up. Traditional structures that are highly bureaucratic can no longer respond fast enough to the continuously changing environments. This must be replaced by other temporary management organisation structures that are highly organic, fluidic, and responsive.

Project Management is not new! Although unsupported, the history of project management can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian era. Coupled with the advancement in management technology, project management has evolved into a more formal and structured management approach to implementing projects effectively and efficiently.

It was observed that, the acceptance of the project management approach has never been easy. The approach departs from the traditional business form that is functional, vertical, and hierarchical with a strong emphasis on the chain of command. This represents one of the many challenges to any project manager.

However, the biggest challenge that any project manager will face is the project itself. Orchestrating the total organisational effort in managing the interplay between the technical, financial, and political realities of any project demands significant effort.

ISBN 1-4251-0904-7

TRAPPED IN BETWEEN is about the global realities in managing projects. It is about people trying to understand what makes their project works or makes it worse! Project managers discovered that, attempting to balance projects purely on technical and financial viabilities were never good enough and has often led to many disappointments. The “circus of project failures” demanded that somebody or something to take the fall. Set against a typical major global company in Malaysia, this book amplifies the underlying realities that affect projects and project management as a whole. It is about the “DOPer Syndrome” that suffered by many “fresh blood” induced into the company and the realities of project’s politics that has long rooted within many organisations. If juggling the projects basing on just technical and financial realities are project managers’ nightmares, inclusion of political realities will make any project manager delusional!

An excellent case study material for program and project management subject. Available at Amazon.com or direct from Trafford Publishing. Candidates attending this module can order a personalised autographed copy from the lecturer.