Chapter 3: Working with Management

Overview

Management. That very word conjures up so many different visions for project managers. For some, it brings up the image of the irate and belligerent boss who s always unhappy with someone about something. For others, it s the image of the boss who hides away, dreading to make a decision on anything. Still for some, management is not a bad word at all. To these people, management is a mentoring, guiding presence that wants projects to succeed.

Whatever type of management you re stuck with, you have to deal with them, work with them, and usually answer to them. If you re fortunate to have a good manager, count your blessings. There are plenty of people out there who would trade you places any day.

The thing to remember about management is that it s not necessarily an us- against-them mentality . Management s job is to support the vision of the company. Their role is to cut costs, increase productivity, increase revenues , and ensure that the requirements of upper management are met.

This chapter will examine how you, the project manager, can work with management toward success. Here you ll learn how to present a plan to management, get management involved in the plan, and then work with management as the project progresses.