So I received an email today from a top UK job board, with the title of "Project Managers - You're the special ones!". I found that title actually pretty disturbing because in my time as a developer the worst link in the chain of a product lifecycle is often the Project Manager, that doesn't mean that all Project Managers are shit - it just means it job that we seldom see done well.

It also signifies that the UK IT industry is expanding (a good thing) but is potentially investing in the wrong area, IMHO it should be investing in technical leadership and training technical staff. Otherwise the IT landscape in the UK is at risk of becoming top-heavy with Project Mangers.

Common Project Manager Pitfalls

Having done some Project Management, and worked with Project Managers I wanted to write down some of my pet-hates about PM's and the annoying things they sometimes say:

• Just do it, and do it now! I have had this, or some variation of it, screamed at me at 100Db. This is perhaps the fastest way to alienate the technical team and drive down team morale. A good PM should ask themselves if it's really worth taking this approach - the PM may have someone from management breathing down their neck telling them to "be hard" with their team and that company priorities are of paramount importance. But a good PM should have the balls to sheild the team from the pressures of management, not exascerbate it.
• You made it, you stay behind to meet the deadline A good PM will communicate often with their team, if a deadline gets missed it is invariably not the fault of the team, it is very unlikely that the team has been jerking around. Similarly, it's probably not the fault of the PM, but the PM should be checking in with team frequently enough to smell a missed deadline from a mile away.
• All of this, is because I'm that good A PM may well be very good, but shouldn't forget that the role is to embody, record and structure domain logic and act as a buffer between the team and management. It is likely that the PM has not developed, nor designed a single thing. And if they have, then they're not a Project Manager.
• Developers love to code! I've actually heard that from a PM when asked how he would motivate his team - I find this analogous to saying that Builders love to build! or Taxi Drivers love to drive! All of those occupations can be horribly frustrating and have their ups and downs. This is not a proper long-term way to deal with team motivation & morale.
• You're company couldn't survive without me I've heard this said by a PM to a CEO and seen it in action. PM's talk to upper management, they may even form strong friendships with upper management and managers may come to rely on that PM for all their IT needs/queries. But the role of a PM is not irreplaceable - it's a transferrable skillset - most of our modern IT project management practices come from completely different industries to IT.
• We'll just push your technical input to one side PM's are famous for ignoring technical advice, and then falling on their own sword later. If a PM has a technical team then there's a good chance that some of team members are significantly more qualified than the PM to comment on technical issues.
• I've had an idea!! The role of a PM is not a creative role, unless the PM is more technically qualified than any team member, and if the PM is being creative then there's a good chance that the team is not structured correctly.
• I'm leading the SCRUM! No, you're not - go and learn what a SCRUM is.

If you're a PM or a Senior Manager and you've read this and you strongly disagree with what I've written - maybe you need to read up on the difference between Project Managers and Product Managers.