How to assess your reputation as a Project Manager

So you are a Project Manager in an ABC company.

Have you ever asked your self some basic questions, like:

How is your management behavior, Approach or Style in managing your projects and subordinates.

Have you really ever assess your skills as a Project Manager and rate it out?.

Literally rating yourself from 1 to 10.

Then asking from your employees whether they would give the same ratings or are at least satisfied with your own evaluation.

When ever a new team member joins your teams, have you ever asked about their perception towards you as a person and as a Project Manager?.

What was the direct response whether the team member finds himself to be among the luckiest one or if some one who is sent to jail for the first time?.

A major portion of team members or subordinates hates and dislikes their project manager.

And, one of the major causes of resignation or leaving a job, leads to Project Manager.

Organizations tend to provides a lot of certifications, training’s, workshops and different mentoring programs explaining how a Project manager should behave and treat their team members.

Why organization put so much effort in doing so while spending huge amount of money, there could be various explanations but some of them could be:

• To have highly motivated employees willing and pushing organizations mission and goals.
• Provides better customer experience and support.
• Getting and expanding more business and profit.
• Better and efficient use of resources.
• Resolves critical issues and problems effectively and efficiently.
• Gains customer loyalty and recognition.

and much much more, depends upon the organization strategic goals.

Project Manager’s: Time For Self Assessment

I have compile a list which should not be considered an exhaustive one, but these points should be asked by every project manager from himself and his team members.

These points will be updated based on feedback received;

• What is the team members perception about your knowledge, are you considered some one highly knowledgeable?
• What is the team members perception about you as their boss, have you ever heard from them saying we are proud of you?
• Have you ever heard from your team members referring to you as the second best thing since slice bread. (that was a joke 🙂 ) Means do they consider you as the best project manager hard to be found?
• Are you a strong advocate for your team members?
• What is your approach towards getting things done?
• Do you give equal opportunities to your team members keeping in view their interest and competence level?
• Do you have good plan for team members nourishment, growth and training?
• Are you a negative thinker or approach everything positively?
• Are you the one always finding ill and negative things in your team members or appreciate and finds the positive one?

I am confident after reading this article you will sit some where in a quite place and assess yourself first before reaching to team members and ask them these questions.

You will hopefully finds an answer where you stands and how can you improve further from being a good project manager to a great project manager.

Conclusion:

The way project manager assess, grade and evaluate team members based upon their performance and competence level.

Its now time for you to make the same competence grid for yourself and collect feedback, and based upon the competence in each skill level evaluate and rate yourself.

Here are a few tips that I can think of:

• Rate yourself and then ask your team members to rate you.
• Ask your team members whether they are proud of you, if not what are the things they want in your management style to be changed.
• Notice whether you are liked and respected or just a boss for your team member.

Over to you.