What do Good Project Managers do that Average PMs Don't?

TL;DR

Average project managers focus on correcting mistakes and making big changes, while good project managers prioritize finding what their team does well and helping them improve. Key differences include prioritizing project politics and transitioning from a management mindset to a leadership mindset.

Transcript

one question I get asked a lot is what the good project managers do that average project managers don't so in this video I'd like to share a couple of thoughts about how I answer that question how good project managers differ from average project managers is a particularly good question and because the alternative sorts of question how'd a good pro... Read More

Key Insights

• 🛩️ Moving from poor to average project management requires significant changes rather than small tweaks.
• 👋 Moving from average to good project management involves prioritizing and improving areas of good performance.
• 📽️ The main differences between average and good project managers are the quality of their work and their prioritization of project politics and leadership.
• 📽️ Good project managers prioritize understanding project politics and influencing stakeholders effectively.
• 👋 A crucial aspect of good project management is transitioning from a management mindset to a leadership mindset.
• 📽️ Good project managers prioritize communication and leadership with their team for better project outcomes.
• 📽️ Communication with stakeholders, labeled as project politics, is vital for effective project management.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you move from poor to average project management?

Moving from poor to average project management involves identifying and acknowledging what you don't do well and making significant changes. It requires correcting mistakes and making big changes rather than just making small tweaks.

Q: What does it take to move from average to good project management?

Moving from average to good project management involves identifying and improving areas of good performance. Instead of looking for mistakes, it is important to find what the team does well and help them do it even better. It requires focusing on and enhancing those areas of good performance to achieve excellence.

Q: How do average and good project managers differ in their priorities?

The main differences between average and good project managers lie in their priorities. While average project managers prioritize the day-to-day transactional tasks of project management, good project managers prioritize project politics and leadership. They focus on understanding the politics of the project, client organization, and wider organization, as well as prioritizing communication and leadership with their team.

Q: Why is communication important for good project management?

Communication is crucial for good project management because it encompasses both project politics and leadership. Understanding the politics of the project and stakeholders allows project managers to influence them effectively. Additionally, good project managers transition from a management mindset to a leadership mindset, spending time supporting, motivating, and encouraging their team members, which creates loyalty and enhances project outcomes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Moving from poor to average project management involves identifying and making significant changes.

• Moving from average to good project management requires focusing on and improving areas of good performance.

• The main differences between average and good project managers are the quality of their work and their prioritization of different aspects of their role.