Back in April 2022, I discussed the important role an individual fills when assigned the project manager (PM) position on a job, noting the position is more than just being a good communicator. In my recent book, I dedicated a third of it to managing projects and included a job description within this section of the book.

This position is the foundation to a successful project for the company the PM works for and also for the client. It can mean the level of success during and at the end of a specific job. It can make the difference between achieving the estimated profit margin and not reaching that profit margin. It can also make the difference between a “one and done” job and establishing future business with this client.

To be a successful PM managing one’s projects, I believe a PM should be proficient at:

• Communication, both in-house and outside the office (refer to Tomorrow’s Environment, April 2022).
• Time management, e.g., my 24-Hour Rule “completing and distributing meeting minutes”.
• Follow-thru, e.g., dependable and someone the client can count on.
• Understanding contracts associated with the project e.g., contract between Owner and Consultant, Owner and Builder, etc.
• Finance as it pertains to the project, e.g., every project awarded should immediately include a Team in-house kick-off meeting where the PM can have an open discussion regarding the upcoming project and the meeting agenda item, “how can they improve the project, as well as improve the profit margin”.
• Negotiating a scope of work and the subsequent contract.
• Interpreting and ruling on contract document issues and concerns.
• Overall knowledgeable of each trade and experienced in at least one of these trades.
• “Client maintenance” to exceed expectations, e.g., call the client in advance of a “degree day” design to collect data on how the HVAC system is operating.
• Creativity, routinely looking for a better way to succeed with projects by reviewing each completed job, identifying what was good, as well as what not to do next time.
• Positive thinker, contributor, and project leader, e.g., “a PM can’t lead from the rear.”

It is important to note that someone responsible for a group, and not a specific project, can “lead from the rear” analogous to a successful coach leading from the sidelines while the team on the field, expedites the game plan, what they have been trained to do, and to exceed expectations.

Managing a group is different than managing a project. A “group” is a collection of individuals filling specific job descriptions to complete the work assigned to them on a daily basis throughout the year. A group leader, such as department head, a small company owner, etc. responsible for the complete success of his or her group. As President Harry S. Truman said, “The buck stops here,” and so it should when managing a group. At the same time, it is the PM’s responsibility to take responsibility for acknowledging a project problem and, without stopping to assign blame, focus on a solution.

I’ve heard it said, “If a project is a success, the Team receives the credit and if the project has problems, it is the PM who receives the blame” because it is the PM who is responsible to lead the Team and the project to a successful end. That said, being a PM is a rewarding role to fulfill through the good times and not-so-good times of being that project’s leader because he or she is the “face of the company” to the client.

Just like a design engineer can add credentials to their resume with the suffix, P.E., (registered professional engineer), a PM can enhance his or her resume with a project manager suffix, such as PMP (project management professional) by completing a project management certification program or by completing another project management course offered by certain colleges and universities to add project management suffix, e.g., CAPM (certified associate in project management).

For those who seek to be acknowledged as a professional project manager, these simple three or four letters at the end of one’s name speaks for itself.