Jan 6, 2010
2 comments
Can a Hands-on, Analytical Person become a Good Project Manager?
A reader in South Africa asked if a person with strong analytical thinking skills can be a good project manager? They’ve seen this person get very involved in the project activities themselves and, as a result, drop the ball on managing the project and keeping the ball rolling.
I answered that with the right coaching this person could be a great project manager. But, it depends on what the company is looking for in a project manager.
- If they are looking for someone to keep the flow of traffic moving, communicating between people, updating lists and assets, then it won’t be a great fit.
- If, however, they are looking for someone keep the flow of traffic moving and to document how things get done and improve the way they are done, then this person could fill the role and succeed in it.
The trick is to allow the project manager to formalize the process so that each action item is its own data point. That way the project manager can map out the process and find ways that it can be done better or faster.
It can also be very satisfying for an analytically-minded person to cross things off a list rather then shuttle back and forth, keeping balls in the air, without structure.
