I am a Project Manager

During a recent tech workshop at Shopzilla, our VP of engineering, Phil Dixon, challenged some of us to think about our roles from a different perspective; to give our “job descriptions” a bit of a different spin — focusing on job expectations. One of these exercises was to finish the thought, “I am a …”

In a nutshell for me, what does it really _mean_ to be a Project Manager at Shopzilla?

Here is my take.

I am a Project Manager

• I own it.
• I follow through. I drive. I am relentless.
• I am responsible for getting it done.
• I know the context and can clearly articulate the “why”.
• I possess sound judgment. I know when to push, when to pull, when to say no, when to say yes, when to stand aside.
• I am good under pressure.
• I know how to balance getting things done with the need to coach and empower teams.
• I am a strong, contributing partner along with my Tech and Quality Leads.
• I am adaptable.
• I am self-aware and know when to modify my style based on my audience and the task at hand.
• I facilitate the scrum process while recognizing we are here to build value, not process itself.
• I possess the know-how to help a team self-improve.
• I am closely aligned with my business partners.
• I remove roadblocks and protect my team’s focus while supporting and motivating them.
• I schedule, I plan, I organize, I prepare, I facilitate, I communicate, I coordinate, I follow up, I track and I chase things down.
• I listen aggressively to ensure team members are always on the same page and have access to decisions, agreements and actions.
• I am committed to continuous improvement.
• I develop relationships, embody partnership and cultivate trust.
• I understand what’s at stake.
• I know that if I don’t, maybe nobody will.

I am a Project Manager because I am these things.  Period.