Where is the reward in project management? 3

[spongebob007]

My background is in Structural Dynamics with a heavy focus on R&D and analytical methods. For the past three years I have been involved with a huge R&D effort. I pretty much drove the entire effort from proof of concept all the way through development. The system was fairly complex and involved a lot of high end mathematics and simulation. I also did a lot of prototype testing. That gave me a good chance to compare reality to my models and fine tune the models as needed. The work was challenging, fun, and rewarding. Mathematical modeling has always been my thing. I get a thrill out of predicting how something that does not exist will behave. I also enjoy using modeling to determine why something doesn’t work the way it should. I also am very interested in the test side because it goes along very well with analysis. Coming up with the next big thing is also pretty exciting. I became an engineer because I have a passion for technology.

Well about six months ago things have started to slow down at my company. We had some layoffs and several of us have been transitioned to other roles. So for the first time in my career, I find myself as a Project Manager.

At first I didn’t mind it. I have very little experience in project management, and I figured learning a thing or two about it would not be bad, plus it was a change of pace. In another post, someone likened project management to watching a train wreck in slow motion. I now can see where that comes from. As a project manager I don’t do any real work, rather I am responsible for coordinating the work of others. A result of that is being blamed for what those folks did or didn’t do. So to me, project management has a healthy amount of political BS. When I am not dealing with that, I spend my time managing spreadsheets and project databases, reviewing drawings, and shepherding drawings through the release process. Basically a lot of paper pushing that leaves me to often ask myself: “I went to engineering school for THIS?”

So to all of you that have made project management your career, I ask this: What makes you get out of bed every day? What makes you passionate about your job? Where is the reward in being a project manager? I find doing this work to be about as much fun as sticking a pencil in my eye, and the fact that I don’t like it really doesn’t motivate me to be good at it. I guess I am lucky to have been reassigned rather than laid off, but despite the fact that I really like my company and am well paid, I am starting to consider a plan B if I can’t find something in project management to be excited about.

 

[ivymike]

I've been shoved into non-technical project management roles several times in my career so far, and they've mostly sucked. The only time when it's fun to be leading a team is when you've got a full set of players who are good at it and dedicated to winning - otherwise you'll spend your time getting beat up for the repeated failures of others. It's your job, of course, to anticipate the failures and try to avoid them, or mitigate their impact on the project... but it's stunning sometimes how many novel ways people can find to simply not execute a plan - even after agreeing in front of God and everyone that they agree with the plan and will execute.

 

[HDS]

The people that enjoy it like being in charge and taking credit for success if it comes. They also enjoy working with people and thinking new ways to get something done.

I personally find it a tool that I use not a goal in life.

You should look into the theoretical aspects of it and read some of the stuff from PMI. There are engineering challenges in predicting the outcome of a schedule. Even if you don't fall in love with it you can find something to keep you interested.

If you will ultimately go back to a technical job don't wait to long or you will be out of date.

 

[MikeHalloran]

The best project manager for whom I worked, collected a bunch of 'rejects' from various other managers and used them to bring out a new and innovative product that exceeded all reasonable expectations.

The trick was that he assigned each of those individuals to tasks that aligned well with their demonstrated abilities, and assigned someone else to do the stuff they didn't do well. Given a large enough (yet surprisingly small) staff, it's apparently possible to mix/match people/tasks for such complete coverage. Don't ask me _how_ he did that; I'm clueless.

I wish the story had a happy ending. Top Management (I use that as a pejorative in this instance) completely misunderstood what happened and how. After the second- generation product turned out to be equally successful, they reassigned all the team members to underperforming managers, with underwhelming results, and then forced my friend into early retirement.

At least he got 'manager money' for the duration. If lucre is not sufficient motivation, management may not be your cup of tea.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[apsix]

I suspect that most users of this forum enjoy the technical side more, you may not get any response from professional PMs.

 

[moltenmetal]

Responsibility without authority is a recipie for life-destroying stress. In many organizations, that's project management in a nutshell: you're the person to blame when the slow-motion train wreck finally occurs. I've been there and the only real solution is to get out.

If your organization gives you the institutional authority you need to ensure the success of your projects, and the resource pool you have to draw on is strong and reliable, project management can be VERY fulfilling!

Pure non-technical project management, i.e. limited to budget- and resource-wranging, task delegation, schedule-slinging and progress report writing, isn't my cup of tea. Sure, these are all necessary tasks and tools, but to do only this and to be related only tangentially to the engineering that is involved is not nearly fun enough to keep me interested. But technical project management, including involvement in and leadership of the technical group doing the work, is a logical extension of the job of an engineer as problem solver. That's where I am now, and I really enjoy it.

Of course there are bad customers who have unrealistic expectations and whose parents never taught them fair play. There are politics to deal with in every organization. There are also bad salesmen who help to build these ridiculous expectations, or who don't understand the business they're in or the product or service they're selling. There are vendors and subs and resources who dissapoint you. Take all this too personally and it can ruin you, even in the best organization. PM is not for everybody. But for me it beats cranking out the same drawings and calcs day after day.

 

[KENAT]

Well not a career, but I've done a bunch of it. Heck, even when not the official project manager I often find myself doing some of those type tasks be it working out scheduling, liaising with different departments ...

At first I hated and despised it, also thought it was a joke given how inexperienced I was at the time.

Then I realized just how many lousy project managers there are out there, and that as much as I thought I sucked, even with little experience I was at least at around the average mark.

Project management often seems like a way for those a bit week on the technical side to fast track their career.

While I'm not sure how true it is, I always got the impression they got paid more and were appreciated more by management.

Plus, I always looked on it as a temporary gig until my dream job around the corner. (Just wish I know which corner)

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[berkshire]

spongebob007
Look around your area and see if there is a chapter of the National Management Association. Go to a couple of their meetings and see what they have to offer.


B.E.

 

[cksh]

I was recently thrown ino a project management role. Normally I have some project management responsibilities, but this new role was 100% non-technical.

At first I was mad, then I got real mad, as this companies project managers take the blame for everything, but yet, have no real authority. But, I decided it might be a good idea to get some experience, and give me something else to add to my skills.

It was the worst experience of my life. I ended up threatening to quit. Well, threatening is a little misleading, as I don't play hard ball like that, especially in this economy. But I let everyone know my displeasure.

I am back in my old technical role and much happier. This doesn't mean I wouldn't consider another project management role, but it won't be at this company. The company structure, product, employees, teams all have to be in sync for me to consider it. Of course, it is nearly impossible to jusdge this until you have worked there.

 

[HgTX]

I've never been a project manager but my job has had some project management aspects to it. In the best of worlds, it involves understanding all the technical aspects of the job, but then assigning working out the details to other people, making sure they understand the technical aspects that they're supposed to understand, making sure nothing gets left out or conflicts with something else.

In the worst of worlds, it's HR and accounting.

Hg

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[FSS]

You have to be able to do both engineering and project management in my opinion if you truly what to advance ahead. It also comes in handly when you get to a small office where everyone wears multiple hats.

 

[moltenmetal]

Another key benefit of being the PM is the ability to know, to the dollar, how much you are contributing to the company's bottom line. That's hard for some work-a-day engineers to figure out, and properly used it can be really handy when negotiating compensation!

 

[GrimesFrank]

The above is, in my opinion, the best part of project management.

It is an easy to understand line item to your resume for managers to understand.
"I mananged my project to finish 2 weeks early; Y# FTE x X$/hr x 2 weeks = Z $ to the bottom line."

When you are on a high profile "sexy" project and you get in on the ground floor to tackle the technical details with a comprehensive team its the best.......when you are stepping alone into someone else's low priority dung heap because everyone groans when you enter the room its the biggest drag on your life.

Enjoy.

Today is gone. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
Every day, from here to there,
funny things are everywhere. ~'Dr.' Theodor Geisel

 

[BJC]

"As a project manager I don't do any real work, rather I am responsible for coordinating the work of others."
Think big.
That's how Eisenhower won the war.
Gothals did the panama canal.
Groves did the Manhattan project.
Eisenhower never fired a shot, Gothals never picked up a shovel and Groves probably never suspected what Oppenhiemer did.
Good project managers don't just coordinate they lead.
You have to plan, organize,staff direct control, deal with prema donnas, lazy people, contrary people, order desks,order pencils, kick but when required, keep everybodys eye on the ball. etc etc etc.
Very hard, lots of fun and the self satisfaction is much greater than being stuck in some technical corner.
In projcet management you look after the forest, not the trees ( but you have to know about the trees) and you don't worry about the beetles on the bark ( just make sure somebody else does).

 

[spongebob007]

"Very hard, lots of fun and the self satisfaction is much greater than being stuck in some technical corner."

That's your opinion, and ultimately I think it is the answer to my question. The "reward" is all a matter of what you enjoy. I personally find the technical side of engineering more rewarding, so I will probably never be happy in a project management role. I have been a techincal lead on a project before, and that I do enjoy, because I get the leadership aspect, but I still have a hand in the technical side. But simply being responsible for budget, schedule, and making sure drawings get done, well, just plain sucks. I don't really see any point in looking for something rewarding in something I don't like because I just won't find it.

I did get a new project that has taken me back to more of a techinal role at least until the end of the year. At that point I will reevaluate my situation and hopefully the economy will be a bit better.

 

[vthomidis]

I should agree that it is mainly a matter of what you enjoy doing and what kind of person you are.

Most probably that role does not suit your personality and attitude.

But be sure, it will be a useful experience.It will help you "see the big picture" and understand why and how can some things not always work perfectly and order ( possibly you did have some relevant questions when being at your previous role ).

That will actually improve your capabilities when you (hopefully) return to your favourite purely engineering task.