Competency and Technical Project Management skills don't make you a great project manager. They just make you good enough to get the job done. So, I have been thinking about what does. And I have come up with three answers...
A great project manager is a great leader. And a great leader is first, confident; 2nd well spoken and well organized; and 3rd - knows how to execute. The final and most important attribute of a great leader is attitude. The leader whose aim is to serve, with an attitude of positivity, can achieve greatness. Some are simply born this way and get even better over time.
Irene - great points, thank you. I especially agree with your point about service. I did a video about Servant Leadership: th-cam.com/video/9JLv3kU5P7M/w-d-xo.html The only part I may disagree with you on is that 'some are born this way'. We must not forget that all skills are learnable. The life you are born into should never constrain our ambitions and anyone can learn to be a great leader.
@@Onlinepmcourses Great points Mike. Please know the intention in stating that some are born leaders was not to dismiss that others can learn. Thanks for sharing your talent - you are a pro👍
+1 for suggesting "Leaders Eat Last". I just skimmed a summary and now know I need to add it to my growing collection of leadership books. Thanks, Mike!
Great video Mike, a well presented summary from your evaluation of the key Project Management skills. If you look at personality trait theorist Professor Piette Casse, he created 4 main headings: Action, Process, People and Ideas. I would suggest there is a correlation in defining personality traits of good project managers to your list of three key attributes. Your summary would suggests Project Managers are not 'Action ' based (in the traditional sense of 'direct doing'), but fit the Process, People & Ideas mentality.
I a not familiar with Casse. But I agree with you. Action is the 'obvious' defining trait for Project management. Yet, as Project Managers, we need to step back to encourage and oversee action - not to necessarily take action, ourselves. When we are taking action (and we do, of course, at times) then we are not managing or leading... we are doing. I'm off to look up Piette Casse, Thank you.
"Always being "kind and courteous" is the best way to get people in line and to do what they are supposed to", is not true. It all depends on the organization you are working in and the people you are working with. You don't get people motivated to "do the right thing" by being "kind and courteous". You get them to do what the organization feels is the "right thing to do" by setting clear and concise guidelines as to what is expected of them; and then setting concrete boundaries and results if those guidelines are not kept, with a set up reward program if they are exceeded. How your organization (or individual managers) manages the "discipline/reward paradigm" depends on the company's goal, culture, expectations, needs; balanced with/against the specific characteristic of individuals involved. A couple of points also missed are: 1) "Be Genuine": if your team doesn't believe you are being "real' with them, then they won't trust anything you say or do. (everyone has been in meetings where the leader hands out empty praise that in the end just becomes work salad) 2) "Lead by Example": This one can fall kind of in with "Generosity of Spirit". Lead by Example is the "Do as I Say, not as I Do" killer and reinforces the "Be Genuine" characteristic.This is also a GREAT motivational tool. Most of the time, if a subordinate sees their leader going the extra mile, then that will motivate them to go two (or more).
Thank you. You say 'You get them to do what the organization feels is the "right thing to do" by setting clear and concise guidelines as to what is expected of them, and then setting concrete boundaries and results if those guidelines are not kept' Agreed. But there is nothing in the world to stop you from doing that in a kind and courteous way. People who have worked with me know I am strong on clarity and directness. With that, I have been learning, over the many years of my professional life, to be more kind and courteous. I do very much agree with your comment on genuine. Some call it authenticity; I like the word integrity. And yes, I do believe we need to walk the walk: not just talk the talk. I am not 100% certain, though, that this is the same as leading by example. But I am certain that leaders eat last (to coin a book title) and that we should be prepared to roll up our sleeves and plunge our arms into the poop with the rest of our team.
@@Onlinepmcourses Very valid points Mike and this is what I was about to respond with also. If a company culture is built around authentic practice, and these values are shared by its employees, then it will follow that you can lead with a "
@@mattdavis6373 I think something got deleted from your point. But I think you are saying something akin to 'you reap what you sow'. If you treat people with respect, that creates a culture of respect.
I have adhd, Can you talk faster? This pace really makes it hard for me to watch the vid. But it looks informative I just can for the life of me watch even a minute
Oscar - the little gear wheel allows yu to adjust the playback speed to 1.25xor 1.5x A large part of my audience do not have English as a first language. So, whilst you are comfortable following English at speed, they may not be. So, I speak deliberately slowly for them.
Competency and Technical Project Management skills don't make you a great project manager. They just make you good enough to get the job done. So, I have been thinking about what does. And I have come up with three answers...
1, 2, 3
this is very educative for me as a young and junior project manager who is curious and looking for opportunity to learn more.
That's great - most of my videos are intended to help early to mid-career Project Managers.
A great project manager is a great leader. And a great leader is first, confident; 2nd well spoken and well organized; and 3rd - knows how to execute. The final and most important attribute of a great leader is attitude. The leader whose aim is to serve, with an attitude of positivity, can achieve greatness. Some are simply born this way and get even better over time.
Irene - great points, thank you. I especially agree with your point about service. I did a video about Servant Leadership: th-cam.com/video/9JLv3kU5P7M/w-d-xo.html
The only part I may disagree with you on is that 'some are born this way'. We must not forget that all skills are learnable. The life you are born into should never constrain our ambitions and anyone can learn to be a great leader.
@@Onlinepmcourses Great points Mike. Please know the intention in stating that some are born leaders was not to dismiss that others can learn. Thanks for sharing your talent - you are a pro👍
+1 for suggesting "Leaders Eat Last". I just skimmed a summary and now know I need to add it to my growing collection of leadership books. Thanks, Mike!
Yes, it's excellent.
Surprise for me .
That was a hidden jewel.
Happy to surprise you 😀
My sincere thank and gratitude to you Sir. You just amazingly addressed the chemistry of becoming a great manager.
Thank you very much.
Dr Mike Clayton - you are quite different from most of the online lecturers. It is real pleasure, being your student!
That's great to hear, thank you. And thank you too for your generosity.
amazing
Thank you.
These are great tips and advice. Thank you for sharing this knowledge
You are so welcome! Thank you, Jarod.
Hi Mike, This is a great channel to learn new Project Management Ideas. Thank you
You're very welcome, Arshid. THat's exactly what I intend this channel to be!
Nice! ⭐️
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video Mike, a well presented summary from your evaluation of the key Project Management skills. If you look at personality trait theorist Professor Piette Casse, he created 4 main headings: Action, Process, People and Ideas. I would suggest there is a correlation in defining personality traits of good project managers to your list of three key attributes. Your summary would suggests Project Managers are not 'Action ' based (in the traditional sense of 'direct doing'), but fit the Process, People & Ideas mentality.
I a not familiar with Casse. But I agree with you. Action is the 'obvious' defining trait for Project management. Yet, as Project Managers, we need to step back to encourage and oversee action - not to necessarily take action, ourselves. When we are taking action (and we do, of course, at times) then we are not managing or leading... we are doing.
I'm off to look up Piette Casse, Thank you.
... and Google has told me you mis-typed! Pierre Casse - the r is next to the t on most keyboards!
@@Onlinepmcourses Oh yeah - doh! Sorry, sent you on a wild goose chase!
Well said, sir.
Thank you.
Inspiring principles!
Thank you, Julio.
Thanks
You're very welcome
"Always being "kind and courteous" is the best way to get people in line and to do what they are supposed to", is not true. It all depends on the organization you are working in and the people you are working with. You don't get people motivated to "do the right thing" by being "kind and courteous". You get them to do what the organization feels is the "right thing to do" by setting clear and concise guidelines as to what is expected of them; and then setting concrete boundaries and results if those guidelines are not kept, with a set up reward program if they are exceeded.
How your organization (or individual managers) manages the "discipline/reward paradigm" depends on the company's goal, culture, expectations, needs; balanced with/against the specific characteristic of individuals involved.
A couple of points also missed are:
1) "Be Genuine": if your team doesn't believe you are being "real' with them, then they won't trust anything you say or do. (everyone has been in meetings where the leader hands out empty praise that in the end just becomes work salad)
2) "Lead by Example": This one can fall kind of in with "Generosity of Spirit". Lead by Example is the "Do as I Say, not as I Do" killer and reinforces the "Be Genuine" characteristic.This is also a GREAT motivational tool. Most of the time, if a subordinate sees their leader going the extra mile, then that will motivate them to go two (or more).
Thank you.
You say 'You get them to do what the organization feels is the "right thing to do" by setting clear and concise guidelines as to what is expected of them, and then setting concrete boundaries and results if those guidelines are not kept' Agreed. But there is nothing in the world to stop you from doing that in a kind and courteous way. People who have worked with me know I am strong on clarity and directness. With that, I have been learning, over the many years of my professional life, to be more kind and courteous.
I do very much agree with your comment on genuine. Some call it authenticity; I like the word integrity. And yes, I do believe we need to walk the walk: not just talk the talk. I am not 100% certain, though, that this is the same as leading by example. But I am certain that leaders eat last (to coin a book title) and that we should be prepared to roll up our sleeves and plunge our arms into the poop with the rest of our team.
@@Onlinepmcourses Very valid points Mike and this is what I was about to respond with also. If a company culture is built around authentic practice, and these values are shared by its employees, then it will follow that you can lead with a "
@@mattdavis6373 I think something got deleted from your point. But I think you are saying something akin to 'you reap what you sow'. If you treat people with respect, that creates a culture of respect.
@@Onlinepmcourses Yes indeed.
I have adhd, Can you talk faster? This pace really makes it hard for me to watch the vid. But it looks informative I just can for the life of me watch even a minute
Oscar - the little gear wheel allows yu to adjust the playback speed to 1.25xor 1.5x
A large part of my audience do not have English as a first language. So, whilst you are comfortable following English at speed, they may not be. So, I speak deliberately slowly for them.