The True Confessions (and Practical Advice) of a Technically Challenged Project Manager

by Tom Terez

On his first day as a project manager at an IT company, Steve had a full-blown case of nerves. He was starting the job with a little secret -- a secret that just about everyone has at certain points in their career.

The first week went well enough as Steve filled out paperwork, met new co-workers, and settled into his office.

Then came the second week. Assigned to lead a troubled project, Steve asked team members for a briefing. They were anything but brief, expounding on their technical woes in ways that far exceeded Steve's IT know-how.

He did his best to maintain a look of confident understanding, but he could read their faces. He could sense that some in the room were uncovering his secret. They were figuring out that their brand-new project manager knew precious little about the technical matters at hand.

Steve pointed to the clock, ended the meeting, and raced to his office -- where he closed the door, fell into his chair, and began to panic.

If you could meet Steve, you'd have trouble picturing him in panic mode. He has a laid-back manner, an easy smile, and an entertainer's ability to put complete strangers at ease. He also has a certifiably cool goatee, superb guitar skills, and an easy-listening voice that goes great with ballads.

After college, Steve worked for an environmental firm. That's where he got his first experience in the wonderful world of project management. Then he signed on with a telecommunications company, where he became the resident expert and go-to guy on a key software product.

Meanwhile, overloaded project managers began asking the ever-likeable Steve to fill in for them at meetings. He happily obliged, exuding his entertainer's charm while effectively facilitating the teams. He often knew less about the technical details than anyone else in the room, but no one caught on or seemed to care. Steve began thinking that his technical deficits were actually a strength -- because they kept him from getting sucked into arcane project details and allowed him to focus on process and interpersonal dynamics.

Whatever it was, it worked. Steve became an official project manager, and largely through his facilitative guidance, his teams always got the job done.

But two weeks into his new job at the IT company, while sitting behind his closed door, Steve knew he faced a moment of truth. This good musician had achieved success as a project manager largely through improvisation. With the stakes now higher and the technical issues more complex, he would have to be more composed, more thoughtful, more strategic.

So what did he do? Five things, all of which you can do too, especially when you're in over your head.

1. Take copious notes
During team meetings, Steve began writing down key points, themes, and technical terms as they flew around the room. He still does, taking time afterward to study the notes, make connections, and figure things out. This speeds up his learning process. Try it yourself. Individual team members will still have deeper expertise on various facets of the project, but you'll get a grasp of all the pieces and how they fit together.

2. Build a network of trusted explainers
As Steve grew familiar with the technical details, he experienced that age-old phenomenon that the more you know, the more you know you don't know. So he built a bond with several trusted colleagues who would take his questions outside of regular team meetings. He'd scribble their answers in his notebook, making sure never to ask the same question twice. What about you? Do you have your own informal help network?

3. Make connections with people on their terms
When Steve needed information from the one person in the company who knew the ins and outs of a particular operating system, he weighed his approach carefully. The man was widely known as a brilliant yet prickly problem-solver who associated with very few people in the company. Steve had heard that the guy was interested in all things automotive. So instead of launching into his computer questions, he started a casual conversation about his recent problem with a bad transmission. The man's problem-solving gears began turning, and they talked cars for 30 minutes. Mr. Touchy morphed into Mr. Niceguy and answered Steve's questions. They've been friends ever since.

4. Pose key questions to help teams get smarter
Every once in a while, Steve would ask a "dumb" question at a project meeting. These were summary-type questions aimed at getting team members to question their assumptions, see how individual parts of the project fit together, get a grasp of the big picture, and generally freshen their thinking. For instance: "Let's step back and take a look at the overall flow here. What does the user enter, how long should it take, and how again does this information get processed?"

5. Earn respect the old-fashioned way
As the weeks unfolded, Steve followed his three rules for getting respect: always put in a full week of work, always give an above- average performance, and make a point of making lots of friends. It's common sense, Steve admits. And it's all too rare in a world where people often carve out their comfort zones and proceed to do the minimum. If you can exert your work ethic and your emotional intelligence on a regular basis, Steve says, "it's just a matter of time before you're a necessity."

For Steve, those first-day jitters and second-week panic are distant memories. He's currently managing several project teams, and all are rolling along on schedule.

The next time you're similarly overwhelmed, feel free to disappear for your own five minutes of private panic. Then take a deep breath, grab a notepad, and start following Steve's advice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Terez is a speaker, workshop leader, and author of the book 22 Keys to Creating a Meaningful Workplace. Visit him online at TomTerez.com, BetterWorkplaceNow.com, and InnerBest.com.

Copyright 2007 Tom Terez. All rights reserved.