I am appointed as a certified project manager for the new joint project, which will start at the beginning of September this year.
As I will be the main contact person on our side, I will be happy to address any questions, comments, or updates you may have on this project going forward. In case of need, Mr. James in the person of the senior management of the company will also be available of course. Reference: “New certified project manager in a small software company”, https://www.businesspad.org/new-certified-project-manager-in-a-small-software-company/
I’ve taken the liberty of getting to know the previous projects you’ve worked on up to this point with us, but I’d still be happy to meet face-to-face or online in a Zoom meeting (as you prefer) to discuss the details of the project in person and how much you want us to work in the same way as before, or you currently need something to change and improve. If you have the opportunity to visit our office, I will gladly show you around it and introduce you to part of the team that will work on your project.
From what I understand from my fellow Certified Project Manager on previous projects, your preferred method of communicating project progress is via email, and we’d be happy to continue that way if you’d like. I suggest that after the start of the project, I will send you an email update every Thursday, which you can freely forward to your superiors, and once a month we could have an online calibration meeting. Reference: “New certified project manager in the team“, https://agileprogramming.org/new-certified-project-manager-in-the-team/
In addition, I could share with you access to our Dashboard, where we plan to regularly upload graphics from the project so that you can constantly access information about the progress of the project and outside of our regular updates. In case of emergency, you can always write or call me and I will try to help you as quickly as possible.
So far, I have led several such projects, and I have technical knowledge on the subject, so I strongly believe that we will be able to be useful to each other and bring the project to a successful end.
In conclusion, I will only ask that you send me the access data to your platform so that I can familiarize myself with it in a virtual environment before the start of the project, as well as give me the contact data of your administrator and all persons who need to be kept in current on the subject at this stage. Reference: “Presentation of the certified project manager to the team and stakeholders”, https://brightonbot.com/presentation-of-the-certified-project-manager-to-the-team-and-stakeholders/
If we imagine that the project is a boat, and on one side of the boat people from the team are rowing and on the other side are rowing customers, suppliers, etc., then the project manager is the “Coxswain”. If one of the two sides doesn’t row enough, the boat will capsize and not reach its final destination, or it will, but at the cost of delay and much more effort. This is where a project manager must step in to compensate for this misdirection.
My view is that, in principle, a project manager should find the balance and be able to pay enough attention to each part of the project, but since in theory there will always be deviations from the ideal result, he (the PM) should focus on the problem area zone a little more until it regains balance. Check reference: “The new certified project manager: sample presentation”, https://www.mmrls.org/the-new-certified-project-manager-sample-presentation/
The problems inside and outside
Let’s imagine that the team is super experienced and idyll reigns in the company, but at the same time the suppliers do not fulfill their agreed relations. In this situation, the project manager must start intensive work to solve the problem by working with the supplier(s), either through regular meetings, escalations, helping, or by securing new suppliers. He doesn’t need to make extraordinary meetings with his teams, he just has to follow the absolute musts and delegate some of his work to colleagues inside the team. Reference: “I am already a certified project manager with a diploma“, https://www.polyscm.com/certified-project-manager-with-diploma/
And the opposite situation, the suppliers/customers perform everything as it should be, but we have internal company problems ⇒ We focus on solving them, the internal problems.
The certified project manager and priorities in daily work
Frequent change in priorities is completely normal in such dynamic years. Fortunately, I’ve had quite a few years of experience with this thing and can quickly switch from one wave to another. I have made it a habit to write down all the tasks and I am so calm that I won’t forget anything when changing tasks. Reference: “My first day as a project manager”, https://brightonbot.com/my-first-day-as-a-project-manager/
95% of the time I work from the office and the rest of the time, it’s more casual or I have some kind of travel and I have to combine things.
I don’t mind a person working from home as long as it’s not abusive. What do I mean by abuse?
during online meetings, I often had cases where colleagues travel, sit in lines somewhere, walk, etc. – this is disrespectful to your colleagues and team! Yes, everyone may need it sometimes, but it should not be a practice!
If the job fully allows you to work from home without requiring any support from colleagues in the office. Unfortunately, working from home alienates people from teams a lot, and relationships begin to falter. Reference: “The certified project manager is meeting with his director for the first time”, https://www.vbprojects.org/certified-project-manager-is-meeting-with-his-director/
No matter what industry I worked in, I always started at the bottom and tried to gain as much technical knowledge as possible. The more knowledge I gained, the more I had the opportunity to work with end customers, and with people from other teams or specialties. Then I realized that I am good at communicating with people and I can be a good leader through my colleagues and bosses and a person that clients can trust. As a person, I have very good self-discipline, I am organized and I constantly try to improve and develop myself. These are the qualities required of a project manager. Reference: “Why do you want to be a certified project manager?“, https://www.mu7club.com/why-certified-project-manager/
Former Certified Project Manager
I understand that you had many problems and disagreements with the previous certified project manager, which created chaos in the work process. This is also the reason for my appointment. I understand that you are skeptical of me and most likely fear that this will happen to me again. The colleague has left you with a very wrong idea about the role of the project manager. I ask you to forget for an hour all bad feelings about this position and allow me to explain my views to you, share with me your concerns, and allow me to refute the expectations and opinions you have formed about me. Reference: “Newly appointed certified project manager in a new project“, https://www.worldforgemagazine.com/newly-appointed-certified-project-manager-in-a-new-project/
The new Certified Project Manager is your friend
First of all, I want to point out that we are not enemies, and my goal is not to judge you and push you all the time. We are a team and without your input, the project cannot exist. We all have one goal and that is to do our job, so it is necessary to find a way with each other and manage to create coordination between us so that we are mutually helpful and not hindering each other. One of my tasks is to monitor the correct implementation of the project so that there are no delays and the client is not satisfied. Reference: “Presentation of a certified project manager to stakeholders“, https://www.islandjournal.net/presentation-of-a-certified-project-manager-to-stakeholders/
This will only result in a loss of money for the company and a strain on the work process, and nobody wants that. I respect your work and that everyone is an expert in their field and I will not question your decisions and execution unless it is part of my task in the given situation. I expect the same from you.
I don’t like the work process and relationships in the team and I want to change them together. I want everyone to tell me what they need to feel more relaxed in their workplace because I like to have no stress at work. Tell me if you were in my position what you would improve and how you would not do with your team. Let everyone share what is the most meaningful and difficult thing they do so that we can all know the responsibilities of each position first-hand, so that we do not criticize and underestimate each other. Everyone is important and necessary to achieve the final result. Reference: “Why do you want to become a Certified Project Manager?”, https://bpedia.org/why-do-you-want-to-become-a-certified-project-manager/
You must understand this, and I will try to remind you often about your contribution, in addition to your responsibilities. You can turn to me for anything, the most important thing is, to be honest, and talk about the problems. As John Dewey said: “A problem well stated is half solved.” Without communication, we cannot be mutually helpful. And my task is to help you. If you have a problem with someone or something, share it with me and I will do my best to solve it, if I can’t I will move the problem to another colleague.
I am aware that it will be difficult for us to build trust and respect for each other, but with desire and mutual efforts we will achieve it and the work process will be smooth and calm.
Project management is a group endeavor
The success of a project manager is highly dependent on teamwork and all other parties involved. Even the simplest project involves relationships, and daily communication and creates a need for transparency between all parties. Reference: “Why get certified as a project manager”, https://www.kosovatimes.net/why-get-certified-as-a-project-manager/
In this particular case, there was a problem with communication, or rather with the lack of (timely) communication. The affected colleague blames you for having to take responsibility for things that he says are out of his control – project delays, grumbling clients without a clear vision, an uncooperative technical team, etc. It even went as far as threatening to present things to their detriment in front of the rest of the leadership. To me, this is the wrong setting. Each project manager must be aware of the responsibility that he bears. The certified project manager initiates the project and plans.
The certified project manager plans carefully
The certified project manager orchestrates all operations, actions and parties involved. It is his responsibility to conduct timely monitoring, introduce and propose corrections and changes, as well as to prevent conflict situations in their infancy. Your feedback has hurt him and he has started acting out emotionally, jeopardizing his relationships with other team members and even the success of the project. In his place, I would ask questions – to you, to the clients, to the team colleagues. Communication and “alignment” in vision, ultimate goals, and team culture among members are at the heart of good teamwork. You probably made him feel less than professional. More on the topic: “Certified project manager shares his wisdom”, https://newia.info/certified-project-manager-shares-his-wisdom/
Clients probably grumble a bit more – but that’s their function after all – they don’t know how to do the project themselves and they pay us to do it. They often don’t know exactly what to expect. They often can’t explain what they want. The role of the project manager is to be a balancer between all the stakeholders. Keeping everyone happy without compromising the ultimate goals of the project, and without promising things, he or the team can’t deliver. If it comes to threats and threats, it would not help anyone. Reporting to the techs apparently couldn’t solve his problem. More on the topic: “The presentation of the Certified Project Manager”, https://www.yahowto.com/the-presentation-of-the-certified-project-manager/
Breaking up a team and forming a new one in the middle of a project are among the biggest risks in project management. At the same time, I somewhat understand him – being a project manager is not an easy job. You have to realize that successes are shared and failures are personal. And to take responsibility when what depends on you does not happen. Not through accusations, but through asking the right questions, presenting the full picture, and making rational rather than emotional decisions. And to provoke questions about your actions. Because things are never either just black or just white.
I understand you and your frustration – after all, the business model of our company is based on the successful implementation of projects like this. As the person directly responsible for this, you may have reacted a little more emotionally, which came across as more to the colleague. Empathy is sometimes difficult to show, but my experience so far shows that it is among the strongest qualities of successful leaders. I’m sure you know this very well. Another presentation here: “Presentation of the Certified Project Manager”, https://wikipedia-lab.org/presentation-of-the-certified-project-manager/
Do we have the practice of conducting “exit” interviews with departing colleagues? Often during them, people are calmer, a little more objective, and willing to share how they feel, what went wrong, and what mistakes they’ve made and seen in others.
The other big plus is that often after these interviews people calm down, show understanding and realize that their point of view is part of the big picture. I would venture to suggest that our HR department contact the ex-colleague with all good intentions and be open to seeking feedback in depth. It would help the company to develop better as it is easy to receive praise and not hear about problems, but it is constructive feedback and conflict situations that are the soil where we can grow stronger as corporate culture and team spirit. Reference: The new certified project manager of the project, 2020, https://mpmu.org/certified-project-manager-of-the-project/
In conclusion, I will say that managing human relationships in a corporate environment is among the most difficult but also the most important aspects of success in an organization. The very fact that you are seeking my opinion on the case suggests to me that management is aware of this and the first step has been taken.
