Here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
An’ I’ve made up my mind, I ain’t wasting no more time
– Whitesnake
I am a Project Manager. I am also a Project Manager ready for another contract! Know of one? I didn’t dream of becoming a Project Manager when I was in high school. Neither was I like Tiger Woods whose father placed a golf club in his hands before the age of 2 and broke 80 at the age of eight. He knew his destiny. I am a Project Manager because I have a fascination with Technology and Leadership for most of my adult life. I enjoy the art of planning and collaborating with a team to add value to a corporation. I also reduce mundane tasks, streamline organizations, remove silos and improve Profit and Loss. My path to project management was not always linear but I was always in some sort of a Project Leadership position throughout my entire career.
How did I become a Project Manager? Like I said, my path to PM stardom hasn’t been a linear one. My career path has been motivated by money (admit it, you like money too) and the need for multiple terrifying challenges. Money wasn’t always my prime motivation. Sometimes I joined a new company just to reduce a hellish and mind numbing commute. Sitting in traffic for hours a day, inhaling fumes can literally take years off your life. Once I had the pleasure of sitting in traffic for 5 hours! Don’t you love Canadian winters? But in retrospect I admit that I am first and foremost a very ambitious person. After being refused a promotion at the Aerospace Company (Pratt and Whitney) I had given pieces of my soul to for many years, I quit. There are 2 routes to more money and more responsibility. One is to move up the corporate ladder. The other is to move to another company. I chose the latter. I’m not going to bore you with the details, just look at my LinkedIn profile to see my path. Now as a Project manager, I get to deal with insane clients, absurd deadlines, and panicky teammates while working in clients underground concrete bunker! Isn’t that where most consultants work? OK, I am kidding. Sometimes the clients, deadlines and teammates are pretty damn good.
Why I am a project manager? I like the challenges that Project Management brings. There are multiple phases and you have to have an excellent skill set to lead each phase. Those phases include Discovery and Mapping, Blueprint Creation, Realization (or Execution), Testing, Go Live prep, Go live and Go Live Support. However as Project Manager my primary duty is telling people Why, What, When, Where and How to get things done. Isn’t that the best part? I also bring many added skill-sets to projects. Best practices in Mapping, extensive Technical Knowledge (SAP), deep Supply Chain knowledge, Change Management, Motivation expertise…etc. I also firmly believe that it’s important to recognize skill-sets over knowledge. Knowledge can be learned in a book. Skill-sets are gained through years of experience and trying and failing until an effective mental representation is developed. Having good mental representations means you already know how to solve multiple problems or issues easily. It’s like learning to drive a car. You already know in your mind how to drive, right? You probably picture yourself as the world’s greatest driver. Now go drive an 18 wheeler. Would you need additional driving skill-sets?
Skill-sets and the science of expertise are explained beautifully in the book: Peak – The Secrets from the New Science of Expertise.
Is Project Management a fabulous career choice? That is up to you to decide. Maybe if I write an article on why projects fail, I can really help you decide. That will be my next subject to tackle.
Terry Vermeylen is a Next Generation Project Manager that has advised the US Navy, spoken at conferences, lost his soul a few times, and inspired teams to the point that they want to hug him.