Project managers must(n't) be pig drivers
“A project manager has to be a pig driver. “I heard that sentence literally from one of my former bosses. He wasn't just any boss, but the plant manager and managing director of a well-known pharmaceutical company. And he meant it. He lived this role description every day. I wonder what kind of training you would need for the position of a pig driver. Quite apart from the fact that the plant manager in question would not have even survived the first five minutes of a certification exam for project managers at the GPM/IPMA with such a statement, this understanding is also completely wrong. A project manager may not be a pig driver! What kind of way of thinking would that be: my employees are all (lazy) pigs? An attitude that is guaranteed not to lead to success. And as the responsible project manager, you would also have to reflect on who was responsible for selecting the employees (=pigs). That doesn't reflect well on him/her.
Of course, there is stress in projects sometimes. Due to delays in deadlines, budget constraints or even personal conflicts. The project manager is then asked to take the right measures. And yes, that can and must be pressure sometimes. He then has to explain this pressure to the project staff. They're not stupid and, if the project goal can be achieved, they can usually handle the pressure well. And they have the expectation and the right to be treated with respect. If you deny them this appreciation, just like a pig driver, they can also behave according to the role assigned to them. And what do you think will happen to the desired deadlines and project milestones? In my experience from many projects, treating all project team members with respect is the best way to achieve the project goals.
Especially in the pharmaceutical industry, I have also had the experience that you meet many good freelance engineers again later in other projects. Once you've treated them as pigs, you can't expect them to work for a pig driver again. Make sure to put together a good project team and establish the right leadership of the team, especially at the start of the project. Communication rules must be agreed upon and then adhered to. This creates reliability and avoids information gaps, misunderstandings and the stress that often results from this right from the start. A project manager saying goes: “Tell me how your project begins and I’ll tell you how it ends.” If you need support and advice on how to successfully start a project, please feel free to contact me. And even if the project is already underway, Behrens Project Management offers a project audit according to DIN 69901 in order to identify undesirable developments and take corrective measures before it is too late. I look forward to your contact. Detlef Behrens
