What Brian Sturgill Needs from His Project Manager

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The second thing I look for in a project manager is that they are well organized. This is key in time management as they are able to identify what is essential and what isn’t. When something happens, they are on top of it and are able to find alternatives. This will allow for increased efficiency as the manager is able to confirm which activities must occur and in what order they need to be done to be faster and bring the project to completion. An organized manager will be able to set a schedule at the time of inception and manage the time of the project. This also will help control the scope of the project and avoid scope creep. A well-organized project manager is able to manage expectations of the team and the business. This is important for the project goals to be aligned to the business’ goals.

The next thing I look for in a project manager is someone that is reliable and has a high say-do ratio. Once the project is defined and timing set, a good project manager will make things happen. I look for someone that is action oriented and drives towards success. Strong actions means that they will manage costs as well as time. Being reliable also means that they will manage the project team. I ask that our project managers facilitate commitment and productivity by removing obstacles and motivating the team. This is done by being a strong decision maker and able to delegate responsibilities.

Finally, and maybe the most important, is that I need a project manager that is able to communicate. Communication is both giving information and receiving information. It is important for many reasons and must be regular both up and down the company hierarchy. For their team, a project manager needs to be able to have regular team meetings to keep the team aligned and moving together towards execution. They must be able to share rationale behind decisions and actions to keep that alignment. For me and the business, I need regular updates especially as the project progresses and key project milestones are met or scheduled dates are approaching. The most important thing to communicate is unexpected difficulties. I look to understand those issues to be able to assist in the mitigation plans and keep key projects on time. Finally, I need the project manager to be receptive to new ideas by me and the project team. Identifying gaps and opportunities by reviewing projects can help drive success as well.

In the end, I need a project manager that is accountable for the success or failure of a project. I want them to take ownership and be diligent in driving towards completion. I explain that failure is not being able to reach the goal of the project but rather not being able to reach the goal because of poor alignment, planning and execution. Walking away from a bad project is just as much as a success as implementing a good one. However, the inability to implement a good project is a failure. A good project manager that is a visionary to identify the bigger picture, who is well organized, reliable and able to communicate well will drive accomplishment.

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