Does a manager need same qualities as of a project managers?

            Leadership is an important aspect of managing. The ability to lead effectively is one of the keys to being an effective manager. In an organization, the role performed by a leader goes a long way in showing the position occupied by him/her. It is believed that, when the leader is good, the group will also be good. This is true with quite a number of organizations. Good plans, good programs, adequate resources, etc. do not make an organization to be good unless there is a leader who could harness all these to achieve the goals of the organization. According to Hellen and John cited by Akintayo (2003); the essence of leadership is followership. In other words, it is the willingness of people to follow that makes a person a leader. Ajayi (1983) opined that a leader is an individual or a member of an organization, who attempts to wisely utilize both the human and material resources at his/her disposal in the most prudent way to achieve the group or organizational goals.

            Davies cited in Richard (1973) identified leadership traits as follows:

·         Intelligence: leaders generally tend to be more intelligent than the average of their subordinates.

·         Social Maturity and Breadth: leaders are more emotionally mature, capable of handling extreme situations and resolving conflicts. Also, they are able to socialize well with others and have reasonable self-assurance and self-respect.

·         Inner Motivation and Achievement Drives: leaders have a strong mind to achieve goals.

·         Human Relations Attitudes: leaders know how they rely on people to get things done they, therefore, try to develop social understanding.

Management thus exists and also provides a means of working with others to achieve goals which among other things, Stewart (1974) cited in Akintayo (2003). From the above premise, management implies a social process… The process consists of planning, control, coordination, motivation and evaluation, Akintayo (2003). On these basic fire areas of management constitute the essence of proactive performance in our contemporary but chaotic world of work. These are:

·         An obsession with responsiveness to customers;

·         Constant innovation (creativity), in all areas of the firm;

·         Partnership- the wholesale participation of and gain sharing with all people connected with the organization

·         Leadership that loves change and instills and shares an inspiring vision and

·         Control by means of simple support systems aimed at measuring the “right stuff” for today’s environment.

Therefore, management must be something of an art, especially in so far as it involves personal judgment and dealing with people. It is seen best, as a process common to all other functions and carried out within the organization. Management is essentially an integrating activity with its overall responsibility, seen as the attainment of the given objectives of the organization.

            Based on the metaphor, average managers play checkers. All the pieces are uniform and move in the same way through planning and coordination are required for their movements. For great managers that play chess, each type of piece moves in a different way and most importantly the game (chess) requires critical thinking to win. In the case of great leaders rally people toward a better future. On this premise, I will say it (metaphor) has described and differentiate their roles successfully.



            There is variation in project management which leads to project management techniques. Management techniques appropriate for physical projects (building and maintaining infrastructures) differ significantly from those needed in the people-centered projects (education and health etc.). In the human-centered projects, beneficiaries participate in design, construction or maintenance. Whereas, much is known about the management of physical projects; less is known about how to change patterns of behavior.  In other words, unlike physical projects, there are many uncertainties associated with people-centered projects. Consequently, it is very difficult to control these people-related projects since success depends on stimulating peoples’ participation. Therefore project managers require experimentation, flexibility and a willingness to work closely with program-beneficiaries. Based on the foregoing their qualities are relatively different.

            Projects have different characteristics that require different approaches; (James, 2011). Project execution is quite different from the management of an organization. This is a specific task which requires special qualities. In project execution, according to James (2011), there are three elements to be covered namely: Project definition and scoping, Organization of project teams and estimate, planning and control activities. Thus, it requires special qualities different from normal managers will possess. Experience project managers are required for breakthrough projects, thus, this requires the project manager to be vast in knowledge and skills in project management which managers may not have adequately or abundantly.

            According to Quinn (2010), there are different skills to be a manager. The skills are conceptual, technical and human skills.

·         Conceptual- be able to see the “big picture” of the situation. Ability to arrive at ideas, create a vision and plan for the future.

·         Technical- possesses specific knowledge or has specialized expertise.

·         Human- being able to work well with others both individually and in a group setting. Based on the foregoing all managers need to have all three skills but in different quantity. In the case of the project manager, he will need more technical skills compared to managers.

According to Fayol (1949) cited in Akintayo (2003) says that it is the functional role of managers to- plan, organize, coordinate, direct and control. In sum, the qualities of a manager and project manager are intertwined, while sometimes are specific.

REFERENCES

Akintayo and Oghenekowo (2003). Corporate Strategies for policy formulation. Yemi Modern Printers, Ibadan, Nigeria.

            Ajayi, A.O (1985). Administration and Supervision of Education, John West Publication. Lagos, Nigeria.

James, T. (2011). Operations Strategy. Bookboon.com

Richard Hodgotts (1973). Management Theory: Process and Practice. London, Saunders Comp.

Quinn, S. (2010). Management Basics. Bookboon.com