Great project managers don’t just manage a project; they lead it. They don’t just point to the flag on the hill; they constantly remind everyone why it’s a flag worth reaching. They wear assorted hats and become coach, counselor, and motivational speaker as the project requires. Great project managers persevere through thick and thin, constantly driving toward a successful solution.
At Resultant, project management is a core component of everything we do. Our diverse experience has enabled us to define an approach to project management that delivers incredible value to clients. In it, great project managers take a unique approach to every project, employ empathy, communicate robustly, dig into the details, and deliver a holistic solution.
1. One-size-fits-none Approach
A great project manager understands that each project is unique, and while experience and best practices should inform decisions, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. Project managers understand the goal of a project is to deliver results. Therefore, whatever methodology and tools are needed to achieve those results are considered, adapted, and deployed in service of that goal. This process is ongoing and iterative, with a constant eye toward the results the client needs.
2. Empathy
As the saying goes, “all problems are people problems.” To deliver great results, project managers take the time to deeply understand and empathize with teammates, clients, users, and stakeholders. To that end, they avoid the trap of ruthlessly focusing on only cost and schedule. Great project managers instead seek to understand what success looks like in every aspect of the business and find a way to deliver that success. Doing so requires a mixture of technical expertise to develop a solution, true understanding to ensure all needs are met, and the ability to move stakeholders toward the optimal solution while acknowledging their ideas and beliefs.
3. Robust Communication
Great communication is a powerful tool that keeps projects moving forward. Project managers are tasked with keeping stakeholders aligned, teammates engaged, and clients informed throughout the project lifecycle. Their role is to put the right information in the right place, at the right time, on a continuous basis. Great project managers are good listeners with the ability to pull out the meaning beyond the words in order to understand how best to move a project forward.
4. Digging into the Details
There is a distinct difference between problem solvers and problem pointers. A great project manager can see the big picture and lead the team toward the goal. They also understand the details enough to know when even minor problems are emerging. A successful project manager operates effectively in the weeds and in the clouds. They are seamless in their ability to transition from rolling up their sleeves to move a project forward to effectively communicating with executives at the highest level. This deep understanding and versatility are what leads to overall organizational buy-in and success.
5. Delivering the Whole Solution
In every project, a successful solution involves more than just the technical components and on-time delivery. A number of cultural, political, personal, organizational, and frankly messy factors come into play. A great project manager understands they are often in the best position to detect, comprehend, and integrate these factors into the plan. In other words, they are best able to deliver the whole solution, not just the technical or contractual one.
Great project managers serve as the glue that holds teams together, aligns expectations, and delivers results that exceed expectations. In the end, great project management is all about delivering maximum value for the client. In order to do this, great project managers must integrate into their approach a unique method for every project, empathy, robust communication, detail orientation, and delivery of the whole solution. It’s how we believe great work gets done.
To see how great project management is put into practice at Resultant, Meet Our People and get to know our great project managers.
