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- Hey, thanks for checking out coffee with Brett.
If this is your first episode, hello and welcome.
My name is Brett Harned,
and I'm the Director of Education at TeamGantt.
I've been a project manager for more than 20 years
and now I get to share my experience with you
while I enjoy my morning coffee.
So we've got tons of helpful content on our YouTube channel.
Definitely check that out and subscribe
so you get updates when we do release new episodes.
So today I want to talk about what project management is,
what it kind of means to me,
and maybe even get you thinking about what it means to you.
And I'm gonna admit it.
This episode, the topic, pretty basic,
but I also think it's really interesting
and it's actually important to the series overall.
Yes, it probably should have been my first series episode.
After all, understanding what PM is
and how it's employed across industries
might help you to understand your place
in project management.
But you're here anyway, right?
And the internet, it lets you watch whatever you want
in whatever order you wanted to watch it in.
And there are no spoiler alerts in a series like this,
so I think we're good to go.
Let's jump in.
So formally speaking, project management
is a critical practice that applies knowledge of process,
skills, tools, deliverables, and techniques
to project activities to make sure
there's a solid path to project success
by meeting goals and requirements.
So quick side note here.
PM's clearly not a tool or a process.
It's applying knowledge and experience to those things,
to a problem, to a challenge or even a project.
Pretty simple stuff, and I hope you get it.
But to me, the bigger question here is,
am I a project manager?
And here's my answer.
Yes, you are a project manager.
Yep, you.
Even if you're sitting there nodding no,
my answer for you is, whether you're at work
and your title is project manager or not,
chances are you are a PM in some ways.
Are you scratching your head a little bit?
Well, just hear me out for a second.
So I think that as humans,
we're basically forced to manage ourselves
in and out of situations, even projects.
If you think about the most basic things we do as people,
like feeding ourselves, getting places,
and communicating to others,
all of those things really do require
some kind of management of time, budget,
resources, and even constraints.
An example I like to use in planning is a dinner, right?
Whether you're cooking for yourself,
ordering in, or going to a restaurant,
there's a level of coordination and decision-making
that's required to eat,
particularly when there are other people involved.
Basically what I'm saying
is that project management is a part of everything we do
in our daily lives as humans.
So yes, in some way, we're all PMs.
Maybe not professionally,
but we certainly know the basics of managing all the things.
I hope that makes project management
less complicated to you.
It's nice to think
we all kind of have some things in common,
and project management is one of them.
Well, kind of.
You still might not relate, and I get that,
so I wanna talk about how to identify project management
in a professional setting.
So let's answer the question,
what is a project manager?
And before I answer that,
I have to say that there's really no single answer here
because many organizations
use project management differently.
But still, we do have a global understanding
of what project management is.
So no matter where they work,
what kind of projects they manage, or what their title is,
project managers are the men and the women
on the front lines of projects.
They're the ones who are defending
their teams, stakeholders, and projects
from things like miscommunication, missed deadlines,
scope creep, and any other project failures.
They champion the wellbeing
of the people involved in their projects,
and look to make or facilitate strategic decisions
that help to meet the goals of their projects.
It's a pretty hefty job description, right?
And it definitely requires a fine balance
of managing the administrative details of the project
and its people as well.
While PM's are often lumped
in the kind of behind-the-scenes aspect of projects,
to be highly effective, I think they need to be a part
of the bigger strategic project conversations.
Remember how I just said human beings are PMs?
That applies professionally here, as well.
I mean, PMs are not box checkers,
they're not pencil pushers, admins or robots, right?
They're not on your team to just kind of take notes
and kind of just make sure
that you're checking off the task
on the list for the day, right?
Yes, they do work in software, like TeamGantt,
and they follow up on deadlines
at a sometimes annoying rate,
but they're interested in data and quality,
and of course on-time deliveries.
And it takes a lot of heart,
a whole lot of active analyzation,
communication, and coordination to make all of that happen.
If you're interested in the types of tasks
PMs constantly or commonly take on in their roles,
refer to the list on screen.
There are so many here
that I can't cover them all right now,
but they definitely show up
in some other episodes of Coffee with Brett,
so hopefully you'll check those out.
You know, there are so many intangible tasks
and qualities of project managers
that it's not uncommon for people
to not fully understand just what a PM does,
and if they need a PM or not.
Here's the thing.
I think you always need a PM, no matter what.
That PM might be called a team lead, a producer,
an account manager, a designer, or even an engineer.
The thing about the PM role
is that we know we need it just based on the fact
that there's a lot to be organized and managed on projects,
but there's not always an immediate desire
or a budget to hire a PM full-time
in an organization or on a team.
In fact, there are many organizations
that don't formally employ project managers at all.
In that case, the project team kind of just absorbs the role
of the PM and all of the tasks and work
that comes along with it.
So in this scenario,
you'll find someone like a subject matter expert
leading project communications, doing project planning,
and any other kind of necessary tasks
that need to be taken on to keep a project rolling.
Either way, to me it's not about the title.
It's about the fact that keeping up on the project
is a necessity of getting the work done successfully.
So no matter where you work,
if you're operating projects with deadlines and budgets,
you need someone to manage those things.
It's very possible that your company
has a well-established process and employs someone
with those kinds of important letters
at the end of their name.
You know those three letters, like PMP or CSM.
It's also very possible
that you have an established process,
but you don't work with an actual project manager by title.
Chances are you work with someone
who handles the PM-like stuff.
Maybe they don't have the formal training
or the title of project manager,
but they're doing the job of a PM,
and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
You know, no matter who is in that role,
I think it's important to remember
that project management requires a set of skills
that help you to keep work on time and on budget,
and to keep teams and stakeholders in the know,
motivated, and really comfortable with the work.
So let me talk through five high-level characteristics
of a great project manager,
which I actually listed in my book,
which is called "Project Management for Humans."
All right, so first is,
you have an eagle eye for project issues.
You see, each project is unique
and comes with its own set of goals,
challenges, stakeholders, team members,
ideas, conflicts, budgets, deadlines, and so much more.
It's a lot to wrap your head around.
And the PM, as the PM,
you're dropped right in the middle of all of those things,
and you have to keep an eye on them
to make sure that they stay within boundaries.
Next is to be a clear, calm communicator.
Communication is a huge part of project management.
Being transparent, direct, and very clear
about important project information
will make any detail or situation easier to handle.
It's also important to let your own style
and personality shine through in your communications
when the time's right.
The best project managers are true chameleons
when it comes to communication.
All right, so the next quality is empathy.
You know, things happen on projects,
and as a PM, you kind of have to set your emotions aside
and do what's best for your project.
This means putting yourself in the shoes
of the people you're dealing with,
whether that be a team member or a client or stakeholder.
You have to understand intent, motivations,
and possible outcomes.
Having that level of empathy on the job
will help you to be a well-rounded, understanding PM
who can address any issue that comes your way.
Another quality of good PMs is to be curious
about all the things happening on your projects.
So no matter where you work, ideas are probably flowing
and technology is certainly changing.
It's exciting to be planted in the middle of projects
and being constantly challenged
with innovative discussions and ideas.
No matter where you work,
I think you should take advantage of the people
and the resources around you to keep learning
and to better your understanding of your industry
and how to leverage your skills and your team's skills
on projects in your industry.
You might do this by reading blogs and books,
attending meetups and conferences,
asking your colleagues questions,
or just sharing ideas yourself.
No matter what you're doing,
I think you should be open to learning
and teaching to keep your skills as a project manager sharp.
The last one here is to be invested
in the work that you're managing.
This almost goes without saying, but the best PMs I've found
are the ones who get out from behind their spreadsheets
and plans and play an active role in their projects.
You know, don't just attend those meetings and take notes.
Participate in the meetings, share your ideas,
share conversations you've had with the team
and your stakeholders,
shape the path of the project
and be the PM who not only cares
about what happens internally on the project,
but also how your project will succeed once it launches.
And if you're that part-time PM, you know,
the one who has to take on the PM role
on top of your other duties, embrace the role
and give it just as much attention
as you give your other work.
Know that taking on the role of the PM
doesn't just mean checking off items on a to-do list.
It's about thinking critically
about the path of the project,
its people and the potential outcomes
that your project can have.
Keep your eye on project goals
and do your best to help the team do the same thing.
All right, so now that I've given you
the high-level characteristics of a good PM,
tell me, are you a PM?
I don't mean by formal title.
You don't have to be called a project manager.
I mean, are you a strong leader who facilitates great work,
decisions, and project success?
Or does project management
mean something else to you completely?
I'd love to hear from you.
Share your thoughts in the comments
so that we can chat there.
And while you're there, give this video a thumbs up,
and if you're feeling it,
definitely subscribe to our channel.
If you're looking for more project management content,
you're definitely gonna wanna check out the YouTube channel
and definitely check out TeamGantt.com
for more free templates, articles,
and other helpful resources
to really help you get your projects done.
Thanks so much for watching,
and I hope you'll join me for another episode
of Coffee with Brett.
Have a good one.
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