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Historically, people became project managers by accident. Their technical skills made them the logical candidate to command a project. However, as today's project-driven organizations are finding out, "technical" doesn't always equal "successful."

Leadership savvy has begun to take precedence over technical prowess. While both are vital to project success, those managers capable of motivating, influencing and leading a cross-functional team of highly skilled individuals are becoming more valued by today's top managers. Because of this shift in mind-sets, upper management must develop a system that selects and cultivates those people with the greatest potential to manage projects.

In order to create this system, managers must keep these things in mind:

Five Criteria Used to Judge Project Manager Potential

According to Dr. Robert J. Graham, PMP, and Randall L. Englund, co-authors of Creating an Environment for Successful Projects, the best project managers possess a skill set that is uniquely "different from the skills exercised in other professional disciplines." For example, effective project managers:

1. Exhibit enthusiasm for their role as project manager, and for the project itself.
2. Display a high tolerance for ambiguity. Roles and responsibilities are often uncertain, and no single authority exists in matrix environments.
3. Possess the ability to manage internal and external stakeholders by clearly communicating the vision of the project to those that must approve of it.
4. Maintain a client-customer orientation by being flexible and responding quickly to customer problems.
5. Understand the business of the organization, how the project links to corporate strategy, and how it will contribute to the financial health of the company.

With this criteria in place, upper management must devise a process for selecting and developing the right people to assume the job of project manager.

The Project Management Selection Process

Few candidates will be experts in all five competency areas. These should be used only as a guide to help upper managers uncover the strengths and weaknesses of potential project managers. The steps below outline a process for selecting the best candidate.

Step #1 - Know what you're looking for based upon the previously listed criteria.
Step #2 - Interview candidates by asking them situation-based questions, (i.e., What might you do if you were in a similar situation?)
Step #3 - Extra validation of a candidate's skills could be gained by analyzing the results of experiential exercises and behavioral simulations.

You may want to involve those peers and/or team members who will be working closely with the candidate in the interview process. Each interviewer could also assume responsibility for covering different job-related tasks, such as work style, future goals, technical aptitude, strengths and weaknesses, etc. At the end of each interview, the interviewer should capture his/her thoughts on paper and discuss them with the group. It is important to note that a consensus should be reached among the team before an offer is made to the candidate. While this type of process can consume a significant amount of time, the end result is well worth the effort.

The Project Manager Development Process

Now that the candidate has been selected, it is imperative to provide this individual with the skills necessary to be successful on the job. While classroom training is great at raising the level of awareness and presenting best practice data, this knowledge doesn't become "skills," per se, until it is applied to real life situations.

The following are suggested components of a good development plan, according to Graham & Englund.

• Developing skills through classroom courses
• Entering a mentor program
• Becoming part of a professional network via e-mail, company conferences, outside conferences, and the Internet
• Attending forums on specific practices and gaining the ability to share best practices
• Obtaining Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute

All of these components working together ensure the integration of skills for better strategic and tactical implementation of projects.

The Role of Upper Management

The Project Manager Selection and Development Process cannot happen without the support and direction of upper managers. According to Graham & Englund, successful upper managers need to:

• Stop appointing accidental project managers.
• Develop a project leadership and a technical management career ladder with plenty of opportunity for growth and advancement in each area.
• Determine the appropriate project management selection criteria for your organization.
• Develop and enforce this selection process.
• Support the creation of a system that allows project managers to transition into their new role.
• Support and oversee the project manager development process.

End of Article

Classroom Courses
Most project management training covers the following five areas of skill development:

1. Project Techniques
   "Fundamentals" focusing on project planning, estimating and risk analysis techniques
   
2. Behavioral Aspects of Project Management
   Covers team building, motivating team members, developing effective project teams, and dealing with upper managers and project stakeholders
   
3. Organizational Issues
   Offers techniques for getting projects done despite organizational obstacles
   
4. Business Fundamentals
   Shows how projects affect the organization's bottom line profits
   
5. Marketing and Customer Issues
   Stresses the importance of not only defining and developing a market for the project's end product or service, but also understanding the needs of the customer and the end user

Mentor Program
According to Graham & Englund, "A mentoring program improves the performance of persons responsible for managing projects and increases the opportunities for cross-organizational networking." Mentors are invaluable sources of guidance and advice. They often provide a fresh perspective on issues because they are outside the immediate project environment. A well-developed mentoring program has its benefits both for the mentor and the mentee.

Benefits for the Mentor

• Chance to help someone acquire skills
• Opportunity to help someone achieve results
• Self-esteem enhancement
• Job enrichment

Benefits for the Mentee

• Higher performance and productivity ratings
• More pleasure in work and greater career satisfaction
• More knowledge of the technical and organizational aspects of the business
• Unbiased advice
• Access to an impartial perspective

Network

• E-mail - Every project manager is connected to each other electronically so that experiences can be shared and advice exchanged.
• Company Conferences - These conferences allow project managers within a given company to get together and discuss issues involving the project management practice at their organization.
• Outside Conferences - These events give project managers a chance to mingle with individuals in the same profession. Best and worst practices can be discussed.
• Internet - This provides additional opportunities for interaction, as well as information and resources regarding project-related issues.
  
  
  

Project Management Institute (PMI)
PMI is a world-wide, non-profit professional organization that establishes project management standards. In 1984, PMI instituted its Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification Program. There are currently over 6,000 PMPs across the globe. While certification doesn't necessarily guarantee that people can effectively manage projects, it does ensure that they have studied and are aware of fundamental and advanced project management practices. More and more organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of certification to those individuals who want to pursue a career in project management.

Graham & Englund
Dr. Robert J. Graham, PMP, and Randall L. Englund are co-authors of Creating an Environment for Successful Projects. This book is ideal for those individuals striving to create a more "project friendly" organization. It provides managers with the most current information and tools necessary to support and sustain a successful project climate.

This text can be ordered from Jossey-Bass Publishers at a special 20 percent discount off its original cover price of $34.95. To take advantage of this generous offer, purchasers must provide the priority code number S9807 when placing an order. Orders can be placed by phone (888-378-2537), fax (800-605-2665) or via the Jossey-Bass web site (www.josseybass.com).

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