'Why to become a Project Manager? Why I did?' by Vladimir Ivanov

My passion changed from Programming to Project Management. I am board member at International Project Management Association Latvia since 2001, am assessor and give classes also on Program and Portfolio Management.

I hear many stories of people who somehow found their "ways to a project management profession". Let me share the best ones!

Set of persona-based stories that could help programmers and people in other roles to better understand if Project Managers job is good for them or not by looking how other people got there. For each case pros and cons are analysed. I was influenced by reading some of Adizes' books.

Transcript

1. WHY TO BECOME A PROJECT MANAGER? WHY I DID? VLADIMIRS IVANOVS ITSM.LV AGILETRANSFORMER.COM
2. • Programming for PDP11 in 80’s • Novell admin, PM in telco • CIO in retail • Consultant, trainer VLADIMIRS IVANOVS, ITSM.LV AGILETRANSFORMER.COM
3. WHAT DO WE EXPECT? PROJECT MANAGER = LEADER
4. PROJECT MANAGER = PERFECT MANAGER ?
5. 4 PERSONAS All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
6. PRODUCER • Bachelor in Computer Sciences • Knows at least 3 Programming languages • Promoted to PM because success in technical lead role • Biggest success – automated process • Extreme side - «The Lone Ranger» • Works very hard, FISH (First In, Still Here) • «YES» = «YES», «NO» = «NO» • Does not train, does not delegate • «WHAT?» oriented • Busy solving today’s problems • The Peter Principle «We promote people to the level of their incompetence» is about him
7. 4 PERSONAS
8. ADMINISTRATOR • In charge of Release and Testing Process • Loves Processes and Documentation • In and out on time • Desk clean, Manages «by the book» • Extreme side - «Bureaucrat» • Silence = «NO!» • Typical answer: «NO!» = «MAYBE» • «HOW?» oriented • Focus on what Should be done • Would rather do wrong things right than the right things wrong • - Did you had any language barriers? - No, they did!
9. 4 PERSONAS
10. ENTREPRENEUR • Contributor, innovator • Often changes direction and priorities • No fixed time for meeting, coming & going • No agenda, does all the talking • Likes to see much activity, rushing, chrisis • Overloads subordinates • Extreme side - «Arsonist» • Silence = «YES!» • Typical answer: «YES!» = «MAYBE» • «WHY-NOT?» oriented • Little appreciation for time, scope, budget • Is first to propose Agile, DevOps, Lean etc • Potential «Teacher»
11. 4 PERSONAS
12. INTEGRATOR • Integrity – a must for good Leader to have • Compromising • Listens well • Sensitive to power play • Spends his life in meetings, everyone talks • Extreme side - «Super Follower» • Typical answer: «Yes/No» = «MAYBE» • «WHO?» oriented • Potential «Good Right hand or Shepherd» • «I don’t know the way to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody» Bill Cosby
13. MANAGEMENT STYLES (PAEI) RESULTS PROCEDURES, SYSTEMS MOTIVATION, CO-OPERATION CREATIVITY, CONTINUITY WHAT? HOW? WHY-NOT? WHO?
14. MISMANAGERS, MANAGERS AND LEADERS
15. CONFLICT OF STYLES
16. 9 CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MANAGERS 1. Self-aware 2. Conscious 3. Well-rounded (no zeros in PAEI code) 4. Knows strenghts and weaknesses; know his uniqueness 5. Accepts strenghts, weaknesses, and uniqueness 6. Can identify excellence and weaknesses in others 7. Can accept and appreciate differences in others 8. Knows how to slow down and relax 9. Creates a learning environment, in which conflicts can be resolved, by both commanding and granting mutual trust and respect Source: Ichak Adizes, «The Ideal Executive: Why You Cannot Be One and What to Do about It»
17. WHY TO BECOME A PROJECT MANAGER?
18. Dr. Ichak Adizes, world's leading expert on improving the performance of business and government through fundamental change MANAGERIAL JOB IS FAR TOO COMPLICATED FOR ANY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL TO DO... WE NEED A COMPLEMENTARY TEAM.
19. READING
20. CREDITS 1. Ichak Adizes, «Mastering Change (The Power of Mutual Trust and Respect)» 2. Ichak Adizes, «The Ideal Executive: Why You Cannot Be One and What to Do about It» 3. Ichak Adizes, «Management and Mismanagement Styles» 4. Ichak Adizes, «Managing Corporate Lifecycles» 5. Blog, Leveraging 3 Primary Management Styles, http://corporatestrategiesbyskillpath.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/lev eraging-3-primary-management-styles/ 6. PAEI Project, http://paei.wikidot.com/adizes-methodology 7. Picture, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/345299496400794458/ 8. Picture, http://f.pmo.ee/o/2014/11/13/3518977t1h5536.jpg 9. Picture, http://www.management.com.ua/events/adizes_2013-5.jpg 10. YouTube video «Adizes: What is a Leader» https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SF0xSr5wW4
21. CONTACTS linkedin.com/in/vivanov vladimir@ivanov.lv +371 29160633 v.ivanovs @vivanovs vivanovs