Is the Project Manager Really the "Soul" of the Project?

Is project manager really the 'soul' of the project? Explicitly the answer should be a YES, however let us review some of the key roles and attributes of a project manager before we conclude the answer.

In summary, there are 4 essential elements of a project which are the core of every project and some good attention is needed to manage them well: resources, time, budget, and scope. All these elements need the same level of attention and effort as they are highly interrelated.

A good project manager will start by defining the scope clearly in the project, then he will simultaneously execute the project while trying to balance the rest of the 3 elements together, while closing off for the project with the last element - the scope.

Execution is the one trait which is most expected from a good project manager, which many believed is in the blood of every project manager. Execution is good, but one need to be aware that holding to the rigidity of a project methodology or follow duly on pre-defined formatted tools without taking into consideration the different needs and background of the project will often lead to potential failure.

Communication is the most critical trait that any project leader should possess. Hundreds of people looking for statuses and information for the project will come to you. Communication provides the public opportunities for the project manger to display that they are a cut above their peers. The project manager needs to emphasize the ultimate gist to convey and disseminate accordingly.

Here are some critical components for success communication for your information,

1. Know your audience -the content of information that you will share will differ as the audience changes. An executive will require different information than a core team member. Determine the different approach you would take to communicate optimally with the different end users.

2. Mode of communication - face to face communication is by far the most effective and efficient way of communication especially for a project.

3. Be clear and concise - A project has many variables at any single time, in order to avoid unnecessary confusion, it is critical to make sure communication on directions and to all is clear and concise, it would be good if double confirmation can be done to make sure all information are fully understood & have been interpreted by the audience correctly, the way how the presenter want the message to be relay.

Lead proactively - In lieu of the different people at many different levels which the manager need to deal and liaise with day in and day out, it is just necessary for the project manager to lead proactively by example and not just lead blindly or passively. What the project team and management really wanted to see are the real actions, and not just virtual talking. Sharing of lessons learned from past experiences from a project manager perspective is good. It is clear to the team that you, as the leader is alerting them on some of the possible pitfalls and the ways to avoid or mitigate them.

Influencer - need to possess the power to influence its team members, the stake-holders, the suppliers, their peers or even counter-parts in good times and in bad. Often, within a project itself, there are many 'different hats' which a project manager needs to 'wear" under different circumstances and situations.

In a nutshell, we can conclude that the success of a project need to be contributed by a lot of factors, but the key driver here is the leadership and diligence of project managers. It is the commitment and eagerness of the managers to drive for the success of the project which makes it happen ! Thus, who can further deny that the project manager is the "soul" of a project now ?