Like any other field, the world of Project Management is very complex and dynamic. It was my first semester (Fall 2017) at the New York University (NYU) and there I was sitting in the front row of the classroom actively listening to one of my graduate school professors delve into the principles of project management. I always knew there were different types of project managers, but I was yet to make the connection between how each of these types pursue different growth opportunities and follow different communicative logics within the workplace. Although I explored this topic in the classroom back in 2017, I am now a more seasoned project management professional and it's my goal to add my perspective, experience and further research to this topic. Therefore, the main question that will be answered throughout this piece is; "Do executives need to create a climate and environment that houses four specific types of project managers in order to develop a business in a commercially sustainable manner?"
The image below depicts the 4 types of project managers that will be examined individually and collectively later on.
It is my view that by leaning on a single type of project manager, executives may be missing out on a variety of growth opportunities. According to Shenhar (2002), today's dynamic business environment and global competition require finding new ways to make projects into powerful, competitive weapons, and as such, organizations should create a climate and environment that welcomes different types of project managers. Executives must therefore understand the unique skills and strategies that the different kinds of project managers possess, and that each will be optimally suited for a different type of project.
I have worked in the capacity of a project manager at three different organizations within the past six years and based on my observations, all four types are needed within a single organization. As previously mentioned, their perspectives on different types of growth opportunities are dissimilar, thus they unknowingly complement each other. Nieto-Rodriguez (2016) argues that it is the responsibility of executives to determine which type of project manager will be best suited for a particular project. For example, with regard to short term projects where a high level of alignment and focus on feasibility are required to maintain profits, executors are best for these types of projects (Nieto-Rodriguez, 2016). Correspondingly, during my tenure as a project manager at one of the largest Power Plants in the Caribbean, I was known as the executor and was oftentimes given the majority of the aforementioned short term projects to manage.
The Executor
As previously mentioned, I was deemed the executor, so I figured why not explore this type of project manager first. The executor is characterized by their affinity for projects that have little to no risks involved, no real challenge and limited uncertainty. Oftentimes referred to as the 'by the book' project manager, the executor is the go to person when executives require a detailed business case coupled with a well-documented project from initiation to closing.
The executor may sometimes be viewed as the least satisfying by executives who tend to overlook their importance. Indeed, executors typically only point to growth opportunities that are considered low-hanging fruits because their risk avoidance nature sometimes impedes their ability to provide insights for radical business opportunities that could be very rewarding in the future. However, every organization needs this type of project manager as they are sharpened to satisfying the everyday client's needs. According to Alfimenkova (2019), even though the executor may not be the best at attacking risky projects with a potential for great unknown benefits, they are needed for the many day to day business opportunities that are usually the organization's bread and butter.
Dyer (2020) argues that at Tesla, many departments utilize a systematic approach for assessing and implementing growth opportunities. This means that projects within these departments are carefully planned and aligned with the existing company strategy and are a source of sure income for the organization.
The Gambler
Undeniably, all project managers are risk takers, but the gambler is usually the most confident risk taker of them all. The gambler is known for pursuing business opportunities that align with the strategic boundaries/goals of the organization, but lack a strong business case and reliable quantitative evidence. In other words, it is a gamble as to whether the opportunity will pay off or not. Indeed, the gambler is needed if organizations are to compete and grow in an economically and commercially sustainable manner. Ashkenas (2014) agrees that because the gambler is creative, able to adapt to changing environments, and forward thinking, even though the journey that they will take a company on is uncertain, there are oftentimes opportunities for significant profits.
On the other hand, many executives tend to stifle the creativity and risk tolerant nature of gamblers. Many executives view these growth opportunities as an uncertain path due to the possibility of said opportunities not being feasible which may culminate into significant losses (Ashkenas, 2014). However, without gamblers, the potential for significant growth initiatives may unfortunately be overlooked, and a company may coast and become stagnant within the marketplace within which they compete.
The American multinational consumer goods corporation, Procter & Gamble, is known for creating a climate and environment where all types of managers are encouraged to pursue opportunities that are within the technical strategy of the company, but may lack reasonable evidence to support the potential growth of these opportunities.
The Prophet
Unlike the gambler, the prophet pursues opportunities that do not align with the strategic boundaries/goals of the organization. These opportunities also lack reliable quantitative evidence as it is usually difficult to gather trustworthy data concerning the likelihood of these types of projects being successful. In simpler words, the prophet is one who takes a leap of faith when pursuing projects. In some organizations, a leap of faith is not enough to convince executives that a project is worth pursing especially when projects of this nature were unsuccessful in the past. Nevertheless, a prophet is needed to challenge the existing strategy, take a company forward beyond the status quo and to pursue overlooked growth initiatives. Cespedes (2020) argues that the reason why companies like Google and Apple have been so successful over the years is because executives/leaders allow their employees to step outside the obvious and ride the probabilities of risk and reward from multiple visionary ventures.
The Expert
Similar to the prophet, the expert pursues business opportunities that do not align with the strategic boundaries/goals of the organization. However, unlike the prophet, the expert ensures that these projects are supported by reliable data that is later used to build a strong business case. Therefore, they sometimes face the challenge of having to convince executives that there is a need for a strategic change even though the opportunity is supported by a business case that demonstrates its feasibility. Like the prophet, the expert is needed to challenge the existing strategy and take a company forward beyond the status quo by pursuing well-supported growth opportunities that lie outside the organization’s current strategy.
A great example of experts facing the aforementioned challenge is well documented in Intel's move from memory chips to microprocessors. For several years, many employees at Intel tried to persuade the company's executives to switch to microprocessors. Smoak (2016) explains that this proposed move was not aligned with the organization's existing strategy, but was heavily supported by data proving its commercial potential. Nevertheless, it took executives several years to agree with this technological paradigm shift. It goes without saying that this delay could have jeopardized the very existence of the company.
Ultimately, as was mentioned above, all four types of project managers operating within the same organization complement each other, but they are sometimes unaware of this. For example, prophets tend to view executors as overly bureaucratic and rigid, while executors oftentimes perceive prophets as being unrealistic and disorganized. Consequently, conflict tends to loom among the different types. This is why executives need to create a climate and environment that allows the different types to co-exist and work collectively when needed. Tharp (2012) suggests that executives need to meet the various types of project managers where they are and ensure to match projects and project managers correctly. This proves that executives are paying attention to the diverse ways of thinking within the organization.
It should be clear by now as to why executives need to create a climate and environment that houses four specific types of project managers in order to develop a business in a commercially sustainable manner. Tharp (2012) contends that the diversity of different styles of project managers creates a competitive advantage that propels any organization forward. My final insight on this topic is that all great executives must possess the skills needed to discover and capitalize on the unique strengths of their employees.
Feel free to comment below and let's all discuss our perspectives on this topic.
References:
Alfimenkova, S. (2019). The Tale of the Perfect IT Project Manager. Management Styles and
Roles. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://ppm.express/blog/the-tale-of-the-perfect-
it-project-manager-management-styles-and-roles
Anthonysmoak, A. (2016). Andy Grove and Intel's Move From Memory to Microprocessors.
Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://anthonysmoak.com/2016/03/27/andy-grove-and-
intels-move-from-memory-to-microprocessors/
Ashkenas, R. (2014). Every Manager Is a Risk Manager. Retrieved October 21, 2020, from
https://hbr.org/2011/05/every-manager-is-a-risk-manage.html
Cespedes, F. (2020). Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business. Retrieved October
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Dyer, J. (2020). Lessons from Tesla's Approach to Innovation. Retrieved October 20, 2020,
from https://hbr.org/2020/02/lessons-from-teslas-approach-to-innovation
Nieto-Rodriguez, A. (2016). Project managers have the skills to become CEOs, so why don't
they? Retrieved October 09, 2020, from https://www.cio.com/article/3138895/project-
managers-have-the-skills-to-become-ceos-so-why-dont-they.html
Shenhar, A. (2002). Strategic Project Leadership™ Focusing Your Projects on Business
Success. Retrieved October 24, 2020, from https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/spl-
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Tharp, J. (2012). Project management and global sustainability. Retrieved October 24, 2020,
from https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-management-global-sustainability-6393
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