The Role of a Project Manager | 8 objectives

Are you thinking about becoming a Project Manager or wondering about the type of work they do?

I'm a certified Project Manager, working internationally since 1998. In that time, I worked on projects big and small, from just a few people and a short-term design project to 250 team members working more than seven years on a global implementation. 

But no matter the size and final product, projects and Project Managers have some things they do in every situation.  

Here are the top 8 objectives for Project Managers and a few details and examples to help you understand more about what it takes to be a Project Manager. 

Want to learn more? I have a series on Project Management Fundamentals for beginning Project Managers to help you learn the basics you need to succeed. Look for these under Project Skills here or on Youtube.

1. Know the Goal - and Share it

A Project is work organized to create a specific outcome. A Project Manager's number one task is the know the goal and share it with others.  

The objective is to ensure that the project is set up to support the project outcome. Project Managers use internal communication to ensure that the project goal is shared and all project team members understand their role in realizing the result. 

It may help understand the project goal message managers need to create. Let's look at some examples:

Make it SMART: 

Specific - what exactly is the end result of the project

Measurable - What are the quality and the budget for the work

Achievable - Is the work doable in the time, budget, and staff skills planned

Relevant - Why is the project being done, and how will it benefit the users.

Timebound - what is the timeline and effort required.  

Now let's make a statement:

We will improve customer service by 10% fast ticket resolution by building a new app for our internal team. This eight-month project will be delivered on December 5, 2022, using a budget of $250k and 9 full-time staff.

2. Keep your Customers Happy 

Customer delight is critical for every project. Project Managers spend time talking with Stakeholders to make sure their needs are understood and setting expectations on what the project will do to meet them.

There are different kinds of stakeholders on every project:

Project Sponsors, Process Owners, Budget holders, and End-users are just a few examples. Each stakeholder's communication should be considered based on what they need to know and when to know it.   

Communication importantly includes educating Stakeholders on what is possible and how work will be done over the project and beyond.

Stakeholders also need to be involved in issue resolution and problem-solving. So a Project Manager needs good issue assessment, resolution, and negotiating the right outcomes when project issues come up.

Happy Customers is not just about doing the right things in the right way. A successful outcome is not always enough to keep your Customer Happy. You need to set up and organize regular meetings and updates to make sure stakeholders stay on track with the work and the expected outcomes based on the project goals.

3. Provide the Processes

Every project needs a process, step-by-step actions, and documentation needed to guide the team's work. Project Managers are responsible for defining the right process based on the type of project and its complexity. Project Managers need to know the process requirements of the company as well. Using fit-for-purpose tools will help the project stay on track.

Part of this process assessment includes choosing the right online tool. See this video for help in knowing the right tool to use. https://youtu.be/Key8u_6B7xo.

In addition, Project Managers train their team members on the process and how each member needs to use it. Including weekly reporting, status updates, change and risk control.  

If you'd like to examples and get a free downloadable template to help set up a simple project process, See the Project Manager's Toolkit video with the free downloadable.

4. Build your Team

A team is formed at the start of a project as the staff is onboarded. But more than that is needed to build your team. Project Managers need to understand how to inspire and motivate their team. Project Managers may spend hours each week building a diverse team with the right skills and creating an environment to help the individuals work collaboratively.

Time spent can include interviewing and hiring, onboarding new staff, and coaching them.

It also means that managers create a team feeling by ensuring that team members know how to work together. 

Day-to-day check-ins with team members are needed to make sure people know what to do and the expected quality levels, answer questions and address escalations. In the end, the Project Manager needs to make sure staff have what they need to do their job. 

Another part of team building is supporting talent and looking for ways to build skills on the job and their careers. Mentoring team members who show the ability and desire to grow is great to help everyone see that the Project Manager is also there to look after the team's long-term health. Creating a career path for staff on large or long-term projects can be a great way to create a positive vibe and motivate team members to step up to a new role.

A high-performing team can make the difference between project failure and success. There are several things Project Managers can do to create an environment to make their team more cohesive and collaborative. See more in this video on how to make your team great.

5. Connect People and Work

Project Managers will spend several hours every week in team meetings. This includes preparing for the meeting, running the meeting, and documenting the agreed outcomes.  

Meetings are not just a way to get updates and agree to work; they are also a way to connect people and the work.  

Many projects have several sub-teams and work threads. An example might be a team for communications, another for design, and another for technology build. Each of these teams may work independently to align and integrate work for the final product.

The Project team may also need to integrate work with other teams to prepare for go-live or post-go-live hand-over. The Project Manager needs to understand the work eco-system and connect with managers in the various departments to promote good communication between groups. 

6. Solve People Problems

Project Management is a career that can last a lifetime because projects are about people. You may be creating a product or service. But Projects are about the people that get the work done.  

Great Project Managers have a high EQ. Good social and interpersonal skills are learned, not something you are born with. Great Project Managers can:

• Understand another person's point of view

• Have empathy for others

• Be able to read the room and understand what is unsaid

• Share a message in a clear and inspiring way

• How to support someone to solve their own problems

• Understand when to step in and when to stand back, and let the issue resolve itself

7. Track Status and Results  

Projects are about results and outcomes. So Project Managers generally spend time every week reviewing the project's status. Updating weekly reporting helps the Manager know if the project is on track or not.

Keeping good records knowing whom to share them with and when is important to align with the team and stakeholders discussed earlier. 

Good reporting should be:

Version Controlled - so changes and updates can be tracked over time

Consistent - updated regularly and shared with the team

Relevant - Track what is important to the outcome

The Project Manager is responsible for other documents as well: 

• Contract (for the team or third parties)

• Budget

• Product Specfications and Change control

• Risks and Issue Resolution

• Training Documents

• Testing protocols

8. Lead by Example

Project Managers as leaders. This means staying calm when trouble hits the project. Be the voice of reasonable when others are shouting. Think when others are reacting. And above all, focus on what is most important. This might be the product, stakeholders, or the project team. But knowing the most important thing and having the leadership skills to address it first can be the most important role of the project manager. 

Understanding your personal leadership style can help you build the skills you need to succeed as a project manager. And lean in to those skills that already are natural to you.

Check this video for more details.

I hope you found this information helpful. What did I miss? Leave a comment below to let me know which of these 8 roles is the most important for a Project Manager. And let me know which you'd like me to talk more about in the future. Thanks!