Project Managers are People Managers. Many of us have heard this over the years, but is that it? Are we nothing more than people managers? I will agree that we are responsible for managing people and that this is a part of the PM (Project Manager) role. I ask that we take a moment to look at a couple of facts. Many PMs get certified from the PMI (Project Management Institute), which is a certification recognized by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). Additionally, one could also receive a Masters in Project Management. With that in mind, are PMs really nothing more than people managers? Is there really a perception that PMs do nothing but manage people? Is people management the most important function of a PM?
In this article I want to present the three P’s of project management. The three P’s are for taking into account the elements and structure of project management. As most of us know, there are five project management process groups and nine knowledge areas (see the PMBOK guide for more information). I can assure you that there is more to people management when it comes to process groups and knowledge areas. On the other hand, without people and people management, projects cannot be carried out. So people management is important, but without the other two P’s, will a project succeed? Let me introduce you to the three P’s of project management and follow it up with a review.
1) People Management
2) Process Management and
3) Performance Management
People Management is essential when it comes to project management. The leadership of the project manager is needed to guide a team to work together in symmetry to achieve the objectives of a project. I feel like cooperation and collaboration are a couple of key ingredients when it comes to people management. Without the cooperation and/or collaboration of the team or an individual on the team, a project can end up in jeopardy.
How do you build a team that encourages collaboration and cooperation? I have found that the best decisions are made by a team, not an individual. At the beginning of a project, I bring the team together to discuss the goals of the project. Then engage subject matter experts and IT resources in a discussion that leads to the best decisions. I ask questions and encourage the team to do the same. Next, we discuss how to make a decision. I keep this looking for options or alternatives asking if there is a better way. The information presented here leads to new and better decisions. New decisions are based on new information, get the team to collaborate and cooperate and the best decisions will be made. The best information will be presented and people will contribute.
It’s common for any team to go through training, normalization, storming, and conforming to grow. The PM expects this and is prepared to manage accordingly to keep the team running. It is the persuasive assertiveness that, when used effectively, leads the team to overcome differences and fight for the success of the project.
Up to this point, we’ve only discussed people management, and frankly, teams can be organized for all sorts of reasons and the information above can be used by the team leader to leverage the team. Is people management another term for project management?
Process management is equally important for people management. Without any of these, the ability to provide a successful project outcome is severely diminished. To improve the outcome of a project, the PM uses robust and repeatable processes that lead to successful project implementation. PMs use their knowledge, skills, and effectiveness to incorporate project management process groups and knowledge areas. If project management process groups and knowledge areas are not managed effectively together with the team, it will lead to project chaos. If your project is in chaos or total chaos, what areas of project management are not effectively involved in your project? Do you need to look far?
I feel that without the use of a project management process, projects will drift and float like a message in a bottle, aimlessly and with an unknown destination. I have felt the pains of projects without process. They struggled with technology implementations, cost overruns, and the ever-changing scope of the project. The end result, failure.
I found that a similar team managed the following version of an application with a project management process in place, the results were outstanding. There was a robust scoping document that provided the information needed for user acceptance testing. Five change requests were made and went through the change control procedure, four were approved. The plan target date was not only met, but the work was completed ahead of schedule. Getting ahead of schedule meant cost savings, so the project was completed under budget. All of this was accomplished and there were no defects in the product.
Could this have been achieved with people skills alone? Would you be able to create project symmetry without a project management process? I feel like you already know the answers to these questions.
Finally, there is performance management. For the most part, this category falls under process management for all intensive purposes. I like to look at performance management and look at it from a different perspective. The purpose of performance management is to answer the question… How is your project going? When you ask that, you should be able to address the triple constraints. Is the project on schedule? Is it within budget? Will it meet the scope of the project? By measuring triple constraints, a PM can track the actual progress of a project and make adjustments based on this information. Performance management holds the team accountable and keeps the senior team informed.
Let’s take a moment to review the questions above. Are project managers nothing more than people managers? Is people management the most important function of a PM? My response to this is that project managers need to balance both managing people and managing processes. One without the other will not provide the optimal result.
Special note: I want to convey that I am not overlooking quality. The quality falls within the knowledge areas referred to in the above process writings. I hope to delve further into this topic in a future article. Also, I’m not glossing over problem management. I feel that problem management falls under people management, since people find the problems and people make the decisions.
With everything that has been presented here, it is important to keep in mind that Project Managers contribute much more to the success of a project than their ability to manage people. The three Ps of project management (people, process and performance management) take into account much of the criteria necessary for successful project management. As project managers, we are trained, skilled and experienced in this field. If the projects are going well, we know we are doing the right thing. If projects are not going well, reflect on it and take steps to correct your course. How well are your projects being managed?