4Sight Case Study #2: The Project Manager
My first real job was for a company called ELF in Maryland back in '94. I was hired to do multimedia production as I had acquired a wide-array of the required skills over the years. I composed storyboards, directed video productions, edited video and audio, and was even dabbling in scripting (pseuso-programming). While I couldn't do everything needed - the graphic design work was never my forte - I could at least design wireframes and work with the creative staff to obtain what was needed.
Because of my diverse background I was often the coordinator on projects. I began riding the Internet wave as my background easily transferred to web production. I acquired many more technical skills and worked on larger and larger projects. Within five years I was the de facto project manager on two major projects for a Fortune 500 company, one intranet and one extranet-based. For me, though, I was just doing my job and getting things done. My role or title was much less important than making sure a project was successful.
It would be several more years before I would learn a very interesting statistic. Apparently, 50% of all software development projects started never even finish. They are scrapped or abandoned. As for the remaining half, they weren't even guaranteed to be on-time or within budget. This was in stark contrast to my experience where none of those things were ever an issue. I generally worked ahead of schedule, never cost the companies more resources than expected, and always delivered a product that did what it was designed to do.
Over time I've learned that it was not the depth or breadth of my technical experience that made me successful. It wasn't even my core project management skills, which, themselves, were also impressive. Rather, it was the way that I interacted with people. I inherently approached each relationship as a partnership. There was something that I and another person needed to accomplish. To a large extent, I wasn't concerned with who did it or ever what I needed to do to help them do what they needed to do. Yes, at some point I had to draw a line because I wasn't going to endlessly chase someone, bow to their poor behavior or do their job. But I would go, occasionally, to great lengths to make sure our interaction was positive and contributed what was needed to the project.
If all your coworkers interacted in this fashion - as a collaboration that must enabled if it isn't naturally present - it would have a dramatic impact on all involved as well as the general operation of your organization. 4Sight is the tool you use to get to this end result because it removes the emotional conflict that limits us all. It can show you how to see yourself accurately in your work life, and, just as importantly, how to see others accurately as well. You may be lucky enough to be in a situation where professionalism of this caliber is present if not required although that is rare. However, even if it isn't, you can use the 4Sight on your own to help manage interactions so that all involved are successful.
4Sight. Taking the guesswork out of behavior.