http://www.techcentral.co.za/pity-the-poor-project-manager/11331/ South Africa's technology news leader Mon, 21 May 2012 08:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.techcentral.co.za/pity-the-poor-project-manager/11331/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 Alan2 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:49:23 +0000 http://www.techcentral.co.za/?p=11331#comment-1106 After 20 years as a project manager for several blue chip companies (including banks) I have finally put it all behind me and am now running my own little business fixing pc's. Much less stress. I have to say that in the corporate world in SA the PM has almost zero power to really influence a project. I wouldn't go back to the days of being a PM if you offered me a telephone number salary. A certain major bank (no names but they aren't red, green or light blue) treats PM's as the go-between from high level steering committees who really don't understand the project and spend an hour a week on the project, and the techies who have to do the work. The PM is powerless to move dates without steercom approval, cannot assign resources without Steercom approval, is given a budget and timeframe before a single plan is produced...... It is a thankless job that I only stuck with for the money. Now I earn less but I am a much happier person. After 20 years as a project manager for several blue chip companies (including banks) I have finally put it all behind me and am now running my own little business fixing pc’s. Much less stress. I have to say that in the corporate world in SA the PM has almost zero power to really influence a project. I wouldn’t go back to the days of being a PM if you offered me a telephone number salary. A certain major bank (no names but they aren’t red, green or light blue) treats PM’s as the go-between from high level steering committees who really don’t understand the project and spend an hour a week on the project, and the techies who have to do the work. The PM is powerless to move dates without steercom approval, cannot assign resources without Steercom approval, is given a budget and timeframe before a single plan is produced…… It is a thankless job that I only stuck with for the money. Now I earn less but I am a much happier person.

]]> http://www.techcentral.co.za/pity-the-poor-project-manager/11331/comment-page-1/#comment-1093 Marinus Snyman Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:28:15 +0000 http://www.techcentral.co.za/?p=11331#comment-1093 Good article. Good article.

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