As a Project Manager your job as you know it (mind you), is for you to lead and execute. So why is it that sponsors, stakeholders and other team players always seem to think you are there to become the Subject Matter Expert and solve their problems? Yeah it happens, more often than I care to admit and it sucks. Why do you do it? Simply because if you are the “personal accountability” type, you will do what is right regardless of whose job it is. And if no one steps up to the plate you will just do whatever is needed to get it done and over with, so you can move on. But do not get me wrong, always CYA. Get your approvals, CC (Carbon Copy) everyone that should’ve done it and didn’t in all your emails, call it out in your status reports, so if it ever comes back to bite you, it will bite everyone else not you.

Now to be fair, sponsors also cringe just at the thought of who they might get as their Project Manager. Some will even go the extra mile to interview the pool of the Project Managers available to make sure they can pick who they feel is a fit for them, but not all have the luxury to do so. Sometimes they get whoever is available even if not the best fit. I can tell you the sponsors’ rep preceedes them too. I recently interviewed with a sponsor at his request because he apparently thought great of me; however, on my end I was crossing my fingers and toes that he picked someone else to manage his project. He picked me!

There are two sides of the story from my perspective. As a seasoned Project Manager, and based on candid conversations (internal project managers jokes) with other peers, we always hope that our next assignment brings at minimum:
1. A sponsor that knows exactly what s/he wants.
2. A sponsor that is not afraid of making a decision.
3. A sponsor that is not a micro-manager. (God forbid!)
4. A team of people that will be problem solvers and not look to you to tell them what to do.
5. A team of people that actually work, and not take hours of your day to tell you why they didn’t complete something that was due.

Also having been on the other side of the fence as the Sponsor / Stakeholder, I can tell you that a Sponsor wants:
1. A Project Manager who knows his/her shit.
2. A Project Manager that is not scared to escalate.
3. A Project Manager that tells it like it is and doesn’t paint a rosy picture when things are bright emergency room RED.
4. A Project Manager that knows how to lead a team regardless of the circumstances.
5. A Project Manager that is creative and proactive.

I was searching thru the net, and found a very interesting list by Marios Alexandrou of the various types of project managers. Check it out, and share what kind of Project Manager you think you are.

Types of Project Managers
If you get in my way, I’ll kill you!
- ideal project manager

If you get in my way, you’ll kill me!
- somewhat less than ideal project manager

If I get in my way, I’ll kill you!
- somewhat misguided project manager

If I get in your way, I’ll kill you!
- A tough project manager (eats glass, live cats, etc.)

If get kill in will way I you.
- dyslexic, functionally illiterate project manager

I am the way! Kill me if you can!
- messianic project manager

Get away, I’ll kill us all!
- suicidal project manager

If you kill me, I’ll get in your way.
- thoughtful but ineffective project manager

If I kill you, I’ll get in your way.
- project manager who has trouble dealing with the obvious

If a you getta ina my way, I gonna breaka you arm.
- project manager from New York

I am quite confident that there is nothing in the way, so no one will get killed.
- project manager who is about to get in big trouble

If you kill me, so what? If you get in my way, who cares?
- weak, uninspired, lackluster project manager

If I kill me, you’ll get your way.
- pragmatic project manager

Kill me, it’s the only way.
- every project manager to date

**Dutchess Xpress

http://dutchessxpress.wordpress.com/

http://www.mariosalexandrou.com/jokes.asp

Article Source: Project Managers: What kind are you?