Being an Effective Project Manager (Essay Sample)

Effective Project Manager
Name
InstitutionIntroduction
Leadership involves getting someone else to do something that needs to be done because he wants to do it. Project managers were not initially considered an essential component of operating an organization. The majority of the U.S. workforces comprises of individuals that are skilled in vocational subjects to become lawyers, engineers, doctors, and business entrepreneurs. However, the corporate world was quick to learn that organizations require an individual to plan, execute, and manage projects. Hiring competent employees is essential, but getting the most out them is more important. This need gave project managers a role in the modern corporate culture that has permeated all aspects of a business organization. The objective of the essay is to reflect on my previous experience as a project manager for a mobile telecommunication company.
Discussion
Balancing Core Capabilities
Numerous studies have sought to define the personal characteristics that are embodied by the most effective leaders. The studies reveals that their no key conclusion because the effectiveness of a leader is dependent on the circumstances (Brown & Hyer, 2011). However, my experience as a project manager has helped me to figure out my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. In concise, I am energetic and I can cope with stress because I have a high tolerance level. Furthermore, I am confident in my abilities to lead my team to plan and complete successful projects. This is because I am in control of my internal locus that has enabled me to gain emotional stability and maturity.
I am capable of balancing between management and leadership roles to promote the utility of my team. I have sound technical knowledge; therefore I am capable of managing technical projects (Brown & Hyer, 2011). Through various training seminars and workshops I have learned essential political and social skills consequently improving my communication skills. Although I have a strict adherence to established processes, I am capable of accommodating changes in different situations.
Project Initiation
The initiation stage sets the stage of what is to come. It is essential to prioritize the objectives of the project to avoid locking resources (Brown & Hyer, 2011). As a project manager at Vodacom, I was tasked with the responsibility of planning and executing a marketing plan to create awareness about the company’s 4G Internet products. Once I received funding and corporate commitment to initiate the project, I made a careful selection of the essential team members required to complete the task successfully (Brown & Hyer, 2011). Furthermore, I developed the project schedule identifying the important project parameters and their related deliverables.
I developed the project schedule to give all the stakeholders a preview of what required to be done to meet the project objectives. It was essential to outline the purpose and objectives of the project in relation to the expected outcome. Furthermore, it was also important to identify the project sponsor, customer, stakeholders, deadlines, and the preliminary budget (Brown & Hyer, 2011). In concise, Vodacom was planning to launch its new data products that targets smart phone users interested in faster connectivity across all the platforms to enhance the customer’s multimedia experience. It was critical to ensure that the outcome of the project supported the organizational strategy and mission. Thereafter, project metrics were established to assess the success or failure of the project. The input of the team members was considered when defining the relevant standards to measure the success of the project.
Project Execution
Executing the project plan involved transforming the project schedule into an action plan. The project was broken down into structures to enable brain mapping, bottom-up aggregation, and top-down outlining (Brown & Hyer, 2011). Breaking down the structures helped to identify the necessary content guidelines as well as develop a responsibility matrix for the project. Furthermore, it helped to delegate duties to the team members. Each member had a role to play and it was the responsibility of the project manager to coordinate the activities of all the members. It was my responsibility to assess the progress of the project at every stage to allow adjustments to be made to improve the outcome.
Assessing and Preparing for Project Uncertainties
Not every project will progress according to the plan established at the initial stage. Some projects may require adjustments to improve the expected outcome. I implemented a systematic approach to assess potential uncertainties and develop appropriate solutions (Brown & Hyer, 2011). Some of the assessment tools included failure modes, risk mapping, fishbone diagrams, Delphi, gut-feeling, and effects analysis. It was imperative to develop a contingency plan to prepare for uncertainties that may occur during the process of executing the project.
After identifying possible uncertainties, I revised the project plan to include the new changes. The new strategy focused on mitigating the results associated with adverse eventualities and enhanced the achievement of the desired potential outcome (Brown & Hyer, 2011). It was also necessary to develop a plan to monitor possible uncertainties during the process of project execution. In concise, was my responsibility to anticipate, monitor, prepare, and respond to possible uncertainties.
Time Management
Time is a limited resource that should be planned for and utilized wisely to fulfill the projects deadlines. To avoid time mismanagement, I implement project scheduling frameworks to sustain team’s commitment and manage shareholder expectations (Brown & Hyer, 2011). It was essential to choose the most appropriate project scheduling model to avoid omitting important project features. Furthermore, my assessment was critical in identifying the critical path required to achieve the goal of the project (Brown & Hyer, 2011). This gave the team an opportunity to create a project schedule that complements their capabilities. In case the project requires more time than previous allocated, it is always important to inform all the stakeholders about the impending delay. This helps to prepare them for any changes that may be instituted to facilitate the completion of the project. Additional funding may also be necessary to cover the cost of extending th...