5 minutes with… Manisha Patel
Manisha is a Project Management professional with over 14 years of experience delivering Waterfall and AGILE projects for websites and mobile apps. Certified in PRINCE2 and SCRUM, she builds Project Management Office functions and processes to ensure that one method is followed which is unique to clients.
This article was originally posted on LinkedIn in October 2023 and Manisha has kindly given permission for the content to be added here.
Why did you choose a career in delivery or project management?
I started off my career in Project Management Office (PMO) and absolutely loved what I did. I was lucky enough to be in the team who built a PMO function from scratch and enjoyed putting processes and governance in place for the project teams to use. It was fantastic to see uniformity throughout the organisation. As my understanding of project management grew I decided to make a small pivot into project management working for some well known UX and Service Design agencies.
I love the fact that I am always part of amazing teams who carry out some awesome work for varied clients across many sectors. I love seeing the amazing work that gets produced behind the scenes and I know that I have been part of the success to make it happen, ensuring the right skills have been put in place, there is a plan with contingency and most importantly building wonderful relationships and partnerships with clients.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Have an understanding of what project management is and what it entails. Get your qualifications in PRINCE2 so you have a sounding board you can refer back to. Ask loads of questions in the beginning as you're so new, this will certainly help with your confidence when you start taking on bigger projects and working with different types of stakeholders. Work on those communication skills as they are key when running a successful project. You will be the voice of what's going on.
Have you ever worked on a particularly difficult project? Why was it rubbish/tough/hard?
I've had my fair share of demanding projects, but there's one that stands out as particularly tough. I had the opportunity to collaborate with an American client, who were genuinely pleasant to interact with, but the project itself was an uphill battle.
One of the key challenges was the misalignment between expectations and actions. The client had high aspirations and ambitious goals for the project, which was great. However, they consistently fell short on their end when it came to fulfilling the tasks they were responsible for. It was frustrating because we needed their input and cooperation to move forward effectively.
The project manager on the client side compounded the difficulty. Despite their friendly demeanour, they had a hands-off approach when it came to chasing down their team's tasks or holding them accountable. This lack of proactive management resulted in delays, miscommunications, and missed deadlines.
What made it even more challenging was the fact that the client seemed to believe that any issues were solely on our end. They were often displeased that our team wasn't progressing as fast as they wanted, but they failed to acknowledge their own role in the delays. This made it challenging to have open conversations about the project's roadblocks and limitations.
Overall, the project served as a valuable lesson in the importance of clear communication, mutual accountability, and setting realistic expectations. While the experience was certainly tough, it provided insights that have been valuable in navigating similar situations since then. It highlighted the significance of establishing a collaborative partnership and fostering a sense of shared responsibility for the success of a project.
What do you think are the most important skills for a delivery or project manager to have?
There are a lot of skills that a Project manager should have, but I do believe it depends on the type of project you are working on. Here are my top 6.
Communication: Clear and effective communication is paramount in any project. Project managers need to convey expectations, goals, and updates to team members, stakeholders, and clients. They should be adept at both verbal and written communication.
Leadership: Project managers need to inspire and motivate their teams to achieve project objectives. Strong leadership skills involve guiding, supporting, and empowering team members to perform at their best.
Organisational Skills: The ability to organise and prioritise tasks, resources, and timelines is crucial when managing projects. Project managers need to create structured project plans that the team understand
Time Management: Project managers must be skilled at managing their time and the time of their teams.
Stakeholder Management: Project managers need to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, understanding their needs, and keeping them informed about project progress.
Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing one's emotions and empathising with others' perspectives can enhance collaboration and teamwork.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing delivery and project managers today?
I do believe that there are a few challenges project managers face some of them are the following:
Resource Constraints: Managing limited resources, including budget, time, and skilled team members, while still meeting project objectives can be a constant struggle, when you do not have the correct experts delivering the work.
Remote and Distributed Teams: The rise of remote work and distributed teams can lead to communication gaps, collaboration difficulties, and potential misalignment, making it harder to ensure everyone is on the same page, you end up over-communicating.
Agile and Adaptive Practices: While agile methodologies offer flexibility, their implementation can be challenging, especially for teams transitioning from traditional project management approaches or clients who do not understand the approaches taken.
What projects would you have loved to have been involved in?
Having a background in Project Management Office (PMO), I would have loved to be part of initiatives within small businesses that choose to invest in establishing a PMO. The opportunity to streamline project operations, optimise resource allocation, enhance communication, and ensure consistent project management practices could significantly benefit small businesses by fostering efficiency, informed decision-making, scalability, and a culture of continuous improvement. As a project management enthusiast, contributing to the transformation of small businesses through effective PMO implementation would be truly fulfilling and impactful.
This post is from the ‘5 minutes with’ series of articles from people in the delivery management and project management space.