PM of all sorts
I have had many great managers in my time, people who I think really shaped me personally and professionally, and who I have immense respect for.
Then there is the other kind. Managers who throw their title around like they are more precious than others, when really it is just a different string of letters on a business card.
Is it because I am contracting these days, that the focus is different? I understand it is more above delivery and less about development, but surely leadership shouldn`t be compromised?
On my current project, I have a Big Boss and a Project Manager.
BB is a fantastic boss. She is a tough European lady, who is blunt and to the point. A great Consultant without the useless Consultant speak. If you raise an issue or express a concern, she gets it right away and helps with a resolution. You never walk away without an answer. She rolls up her sleeves and participates in the grind, and she has become a powerful woman in the industry because she is truly experienced (not just on paper) and what is more important to me in a leader - she leads by example.
PM on the other hand is a typical PM. She is concerned with her project plan, and compromises quality to finish work at 5pm and deliver pretty status reports. Short-sight or just plain lazy - PM does not realize what she compromises this week will come back and bite her next week. Leading by example goes are far as condemning any time spent understanding the work, and encouraging the `just wack it in - it will work itself out` philosophy.
A perfect example of YES people, my friend explains. YES people are usually recruited to the job because they don`t object, they do not reason, they just say YES. These people are only interested in managing upwards and do not give a care in the world if their team kills themselves delivering it. At the end of the job, they walk away dusting their hands while everything crumbles behind them. A little dramatic, but but a crappy week and a few too many martinis does this to you.
Then there is the other extreme - Micro Managers! MMs are control freaks who loves to remind the team who`s boss. Lucky, he manages the other team, one who I feel deeply sorry for. Every request to the team must go through MM, they love to delegate, and they love to monitor. MMs talk only in statistics and percent completed. Never mind that the team does not have the tools to do their work, the big question is `when will it be completed`. MMs hate self-sufficient team members because it makes him feel useless and gives him nothing to manage. Regardless, MMs always find some way of managing, whether it is welcomed or not. They are similar to YES managers but worse.
Oh, oh, there is one more type of manager that I`ve experienced on this big and crazy project... the Ditzy Manager! DM was topic of my frustrations a few blogs back, but let`s not go there. DM has gained the reputation because we have no idea what value she adds to the project. Many suspect DM has no idea what the project is about. What really tops it off is that everyone groans when they get an email meeting request from DM - because you can bet your booties there will be another 20 to follow. As DM does not like to listen to suggestions and learn from others, after four months of averaging 10 requests for every meeting planned, DM still does not know how to use Outlook. DM is overly friendly at times, and is very nasty other times - it baffles us all as to what will hit us next.
Sorry for those out there who are great Project Managers - be proud because your are indeed a rare breed.
