Have you checked in with your PMs lately?
For shops of any size, success comes down to execution. There’s a lot of pressure on project managers to bring the goods. But if you’re struggling with too much or too little, is it the PM’s fault? Let’s talk about how you’re managing your project managers!
Are You Managing Your PMs Effectively?
Did you know that if insects grew giant they would collapse under their own weight because the legs would be too thin proportionally? Well, as your company grows you can’t necessarily keep things the same, whether it’s your reporting structure or your approval process. One area that deserves special attention is project management.
Think about some of the challenges you face every day. It might include understanding customer needs, scoping projects correctly, or alternating between too much and too little work. These problems tend to increase along with your customer base, especially if you stick to the same standard operating procedures.
It's easy when we're dealing with problems to blame the project manager, but there are any number of points of failure that can lead to a missed deadline or a damaged customer relationship. Here are a few things to consider if things aren't going great.
Increase communication: Any time you think there’s a project management problem, the first people you should talk to are your PMs. They will know what they and their team members are capable of, and why things seem off. PMs may be blamed for missing a deadline when a developer has too much work, or a writer is out on parental leave. Have an open conversation to see where things stand, and as you grow these conversations should happen more often.
Empower PMs: You hire people for their skills, and PMs are no different. You should listen and empower PMs to make the decisions necessary to keep the work on track. If they say something can’t be done, or that it will require additional resources, take note. Be sure they understand how much authority they have, and also when you need to make the final call.
Define responsibilities: Everyone does things a little differently, and in a growing company it’s essential to understand who is doing what. If you have more than one PM, they might need to coordinate, and you’ll need to set clear expectations to prevent confusion. Put it all down in writing.
Focus accountability: You can’t blame people for others’ decisions, and at times things will simply go wrong and there's nothing (and nobody) to blame. In those situations, consider whether something else could have been done to alter the outcome, or if it was something out of your team's control. Don’t place blame where it doesn’t belong. And talk about the situation in the moment when possible.
Examine SOPs regularly: As you grow, things will inevitably change. You can’t be as hands-on when you have 100 people as you were when you only had 12. Approval processes will need to shift, budgeting becomes more complex and people need to step up and accept new responsibilities. Make sure you're keeping up with the impact on your processes and your team.
Staff up: Project management is where a lot of people try to cut corners because it’s harder to see the direct line between the employee and the revenue. But good PMs are worth their weight in gold by helping meet deadlines and keeping clients, and the team, happy. Don’t scrimp when you need more people. They will most likely deliver more than enough to offset the hit to your payroll. And if you don't staff up, you can expect someone on your team to burn out and possibly leave.
One final word on this, if you don't bill for project management that could be part of the strain your feeling. A construction crew wouldn't dream of building a skyscraper without a foreman, and there isn't a client who doesn't want their project managed. I know, because anytime they asked me if they would pay for project management I always responded, "only if you want the project managed."