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5 Reasons not to listen to a PM (for Managers)

Usually a PM cares about his projects and is keen to develop them as per the planned budget, time and scope. However, managers should not listen to their PMs for the following reasons:5Reasons

1. PMs are Time Wasters

PMs plan… They study and mitigate risks and project issues in proper ways to guarantee the smooth execution of the project.

Planning is a bad practice that PMs should stop using and referring to whenever they discuss a project related issue. Plans are not really needed and in most of the times they are useless because no one follows them (all gratitude and respect reserved for PJs).

Also, it is preferable to face risks when they fire. Anyways, who really cares for risk mitigation and contingency stuff! Let’s face surprises when they arise and use panic mode to push on teams to solve their issues!

2. PMs Forecast

PMs track their projects and use trends, issues, project and client historical data to forecast project status and use corrective actions properly to maintain their projects on track.

Again, this is not needed as surprises are the most pleasant thing in the world, why eliminate them?!

3. PMs care for their Teams

PMs care for their teams although this is a bad practice that has to be avoided. Teams should be treated as “…”!

4. Projects are designated to fail

Projects and specifically strategic ones should fail no matter what the PM does and despite all efforts the team exerted or will exert. So, this is a very good and obvious reason why not to listen to PMs.

5. To find someone to blame

At the end of the project, and when things get seriously messed up, there should be someone to blame. The best candidate for this assignment is the PM, especially when you don’t listen to him from the beginning, this task becomes very easy.

Finally, PMs are PMs, whether they plan, track, forecast, report or not, it is not important. The important thing is not to listen to them and particularly when they are good PMs because they understand what they are doing and they may produce output at the end!

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Comments

Ayat Elshami said…
:)
It took me too long to figure out you're pissed off at some PM Manager (no redundancy in the M and Manager here) :D
I only read this article and am so excited about reading the rest. I like the breakdown and the sarcasm.. like it better the explicit explanation of the deep self.
Missed you Menna... the first PL I ever worked with... and the first person I ever looked up to being like someday in my career :)
April 11, 2011 at 9:28 AM
Mena M. Eissa said…
Basically, actually, I am not pissed off at all :D
Please refer the Acknowledgement section, it will give you a better idea about how I feel now :)
April 11, 2011 at 1:11 PM
Fatma Ali said…
awalan mabrok el villa el gededa :P wa thaneyan to find someone to blame is my favorite :D
April 11, 2011 at 10:49 PM
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