Monday, October 20, 2003
Ejaz suggested I write about this issue ...-- Begin Ejaz --
Project Managers and Management
didn't find enough time to write some more? :$ alright, I was thinking that what is management got to do with project managers or other form of managerial posts? Coz over the couple of months, I have found them complaining about resource management, HR management and time management problems. Well if they can't MANAGE, what else have they got to do?
So this could be the preamble of sabeen's next blog entry? so here we go!
-- End Ejaz --
Hmmmm ...
Management is typically divided into a number of categories. Usually, the more hierarchy there is, the more mis-managed the business. b.i.t.s. is run like a pancake - totally flat. Structures, wherever they exist, do so only to facilitate teams, make quick decisions, respond to clients, and sign cheques ;-)
Managing financial/technical resources, time, and human beings is extremely complex. Adding more and more managers to meet deadlines or achieve success or whatever one is trying to do, is not the answer. IM(not so)HO, it's about building a culture of ownership, responsibility and respect. EXTREMELY hard to do but not impossible. Of course it helps if the company is small. A Project Manager or any kind of manager needs to have emotional intelligence, common sense, an understanding of the big picture, and a burning desire to get the damn job done.
Senior management often tends to micro-manage. Very dangerous. Taking risks is extremely important. People need to be given a chance to prove themselves and if they feel trusted, they often surprise everyone, including themselves. When we started b.i.t.s., we expressly decided not to hire a Project Manager. As a result, everyone learned how to manage tasks, provide feedback, work in teams, handle criticism, and face clients. Now that we've grown, we have a couple of people handling projects, but they wear other hats too so we still don't have a "whip" standing over people, forcing them to get things done. Everyone is "conscious" and "aware" of their responsibilities.
It has been hard and arduous - getting this far. We have "managed" to do so because we are a learning organisation. So-called senior management is not afraid to admit to follies, bad decisions, or that some potentially good idea back-fired and didn't quite work as expected. We constantly review our practises, processes, and methodologies and fine-tune them based on feedback. Another thing that helps is when management puts in the same kind of hours as the rest of the team. It is an amazing way to bond and to feel connected.
Ejaz, what you are talking about is a result of management not being self-aware (my favorite word these days). It's easy to blame and point fingers and find scapegoats. Obviously the job of managers is to handle all of the things you mentioned. If those areas remain issues, then management has failed. If it also fails to introspect, the hurdles become more and more insurmountable.
More later ... if you want ...
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