The project manager is one of the most important personnel in the project. This person plays a major role in planning and executing a project. The project manager also embodies the image and reality of the project to the organization and to external groups. Harold Kerzner (1982) states that because the roles and responsi- bilities of the project manager are so important, selection should be general man- agement's responsibility. In large organizations a group or committee is usually assigned to help screen project manager candidates. This committee should
use a set of selection criteria that includes final product/service specifications and profit objectives, in addition to professional qualifications;
have a policy directive from corporate management for selecting a project manager; and
involve and obtain the support of corporate management in the selection process.
If you are the project manager or are on the task force to hire one, this chapter can help you organize your thinking about the selection and organizing process for the project manager and the team before you get started.
TIMING
The timing in selecting a project manager varies. In larger organizations, the project manager can be assigned after the proposal giving the "go" to the project has been signed by senior management. One rule to remember is, "The sooner the project manager and team are involved in planning the project, the more committed they will be to its implementation." (This is also true for other mem- bers in the organization whose expertise and resources are required to implement the project.)
SELECTION CRITERIA
The major goal in selecting a project manager is: to assign someone who is experi- enced, capable, and competent in getting the end product or service planned and implemented on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Toward that end, the predominant characteristics of an effective project manager can be sum- marized under five categories:
1. Background and experience 2. Leadership and strategic expertise 3. Technical expertise
4. Interpersonal competence/people skills 5. Proven managerial ability
No single set of characteristics under any one category can be sufficient justification to hire a project manager. The categories presented here provide a balanced set of general characteristics for reviewing a candidate. The Project Manager Selection Quality Control Checklist at the end of the chapter provides a detailed review of these characteristics, which are summarized below.
Determining Personnel Needs: Selecting the Project Manager 55 Background and Experience
The background and expertise of a prospective project manager should be consis- tent with the nature and needs of the project requirements. As one saying goes, "A drop of experience can outweigh a ton of theory." Again, the goal is to assign someone who can get the job done within the means specified. The project man- ager should have a solid educational background in addition to experience in the desired project area. As a rule of thumb, you should look for a candidate who shows an acceptable mix of conceptual, analytical, operational, and practical experience.
Leadership and Strategic Expertise
The project manager is a leader who helps design, coordinate, control, and imple- ment the project plan. The project leader stays the course until the project delivers the final product. Leadership and strategic expertise mean the ability to envision and actually design the "big picture," or all phases of project planning and imple- mentation, while working on detail. It means seeing the forest in spite of the trees.
Strategic expertise also involves the ability to ask guiding questions which direct the goal and planned end result through the critical path. A project manager should be able to separate strategic thinking, planning, and decisions from tactical or operational aspects of the project. Again, results-oriented experience and train- ing of candidates are among the best indicators of strategic planning and imple- mentation ability.
Technical Expertise
No project manager has all the technical expertise necessary to get a complex project completed. However, you are looking for a person who can direct, evaluate, and make sound decisions on technical alternatives related to the project. A project manager, then, should have technical expertise based on knowledge and training both in the content area of the project domain and in project management tools and skills. Kerzner (1982) states that technical skills-and here he focuses on engineering-related projects-include:
Technology involved
Engineering tools and techniques
Specific markets, customers, and requirements Product applications
Technological trends and evolutions
Relationship among supporting technologies People who are part of the technical community
Whatever the nature of the project, project managers should have work experience in one of its significant areas, whether construction, technology hardware or soft- ware, educational training techniques, or conference planning. Project managers should understand the markets, customs, and technologies involved in the project and be associated with the networks of professionals in the technical field of their profession. The checklist provided below may seem at first glance too perfect or complete for anyone to actually qualify; remember, it is a guide.
Interpersonal Competence/People Skills The project manager should be able to
motivate, inspire, cheerlead, and coach;
actively listen and give and receive meaningful feedback;
assertively-not aggressively or submissively-relate feelings, needs, con- cerns, and interpersonal issues of the project to and among others;
prevent as well as solve conflicts;
communicate tough decisions yet be sensitive to others' needs; and be flexible-perform well in multiple roles.
Mintzberg (1973) identifies such traits as: figurehead, liaison, information dissemi- nator, entrepreneur, negotiator, conflict resolver, and resource allocator. Other important roles include politician, salesperson, power broker, facilitator, monitor, and counselor. Indicators of interpersonal competence include favorable recom- mendations from past successful project personnel who worked with or under the candidate.
Proven Managerial Ability
The past is one of the best indicators of the future. Managerial ability is evident in a track record of getting the end product or service accomplished within budget, time, and resource constraints. To do this, a project manager should have a basic knowledge of organizations: how to organize, determine personnel needs, articu-
Determining Personnel Needs: Selecting the Project Team 57 late project needs, interface with all levels of management, link the project goal to an enterprise mission, and reward and discipline employees.
Other rules of thumb in looking for effective management skills include screening individuals who can
manage entrepreneurs,
use organizational resources without being overly bureaucratic,
relate effectively and comfortably upwardly, horizontally, and downwardly in large organizations, and
give as well as take credit for tasks accomplished.