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ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER 19

quires special knowledge and skills. So does the effective uti-
lization of project management software. You wouldn’t think
of asking your Human Resources manager to design a hydro-
electric plant. Nor should you ask your Manager of Electrical
Engineering to be responsible for project management.

If we review some of the key things that we ask of project managers, the re-
quirement to have specialists for this function should become apparent.

Tasks and Responsibilities for Project Managers

• Get all key players on the project team.
• Manage task interfaces.
• Assure clear identification of task completion.
• Assure communication of task completion.
• Manage responsibility interfaces.
• Question blurry responsibilities.
• Clarify delegation levels.
• Balance the needs of project, client, organization.
• Identify stakeholders and their definition of project success.
• Balance project objectives with other objectives.
• Act as a catalyst, and when necessary, a devil’s advocate.
• Promote effective communication and wide participation in decision making.
• Manage conflicts. Conflict and aggressiveness are necessary elements in an

adhocracy. Management’s job is to channel them toward productive ends.
• Bring conflicts to an early resolution. Do not sweep them under the rug.

They won’t go away.

Role of the Project Manager

In short, the project manager has a very special role, which requires very special
talents. The project manager acts as an integrator. The project manager channels
conflict and aggressiveness. The project manager pays attention to the stakehold-
ers. The project manager creates a structure for project planning and control.
The project manager initiates practices to minimize possible failure. The project
manager makes sure that risks have been evaluated and that risk mitigation plans
have been prepared. The most effective project organization will have a Manager
of Projects, who will be responsible for the firm’s project management standards
and practices, and the project management personnel. In the pure Project Orga-