Chapter 10 Review Questions
What is the difference between leading and managing a project?
Leading involves recognizing and communicating the need to change course and direction of the project, aligning people to this new direction, and motivating the team to overcome obstacles to achieve the new objectives. Managing is about formulating plans and objectives, designing procedures to achieve those objectives, monitoring progress, and taking corrective action. Managing is about putting out fires and maintaining the course. Leading is about change, and altering the course of a project.
2. Why is a conductor of an orchestra an appropriate metaphor for being a project manager? What aspects of project managing are not reflected by this metaphor? Can you think of other metaphors that would be appropriate?
There are many parallels between conducting an orchestra and managing a project. Conductors and project managers integrate the contributions of others. Each is dependent upon the expertise and talents of others. They facilitate performance rather than actually perform. Project managers orchestrate the completion of the project by inducing participants to make the right decision at the right time. Both control the pace and intensity of work by coordinating the involvement of players. Finally each has a vision of performance that transcends the music score or project plan.
The conductor metaphor works best in describing how a project manager interacts with project members to complete the project. The metaphor fails to capture the intricacies of dealing with all of the project stakeholders (government officials, contractors, top management, customers) that impact the project.
Other metaphors that emerge from class discussions include: quarterback, steering wheel, and ship’s captain.
3. What does the exchange model of influence suggest you do to build cooperative relationships to complete a project?
According to the exchange model of influence, the primary way to gain
Leading involves recognizing and communicating the need to change course and direction of the project, aligning people to this new direction, and motivating the team to overcome obstacles to achieve the new objectives. Managing is about formulating plans and objectives, designing procedures to achieve those objectives, monitoring progress, and taking corrective action. Managing is about putting out fires and maintaining the course. Leading is about change, and altering the course of a project.
2. Why is a conductor of an orchestra an appropriate metaphor for being a project manager? What aspects of project managing are not reflected by this metaphor? Can you think of other metaphors that would be appropriate?
There are many parallels between conducting an orchestra and managing a project. Conductors and project managers integrate the contributions of others. Each is dependent upon the expertise and talents of others. They facilitate performance rather than actually perform. Project managers orchestrate the completion of the project by inducing participants to make the right decision at the right time. Both control the pace and intensity of work by coordinating the involvement of players. Finally each has a vision of performance that transcends the music score or project plan.
The conductor metaphor works best in describing how a project manager interacts with project members to complete the project. The metaphor fails to capture the intricacies of dealing with all of the project stakeholders (government officials, contractors, top management, customers) that impact the project.
Other metaphors that emerge from class discussions include: quarterback, steering wheel, and ship’s captain.
3. What does the exchange model of influence suggest you do to build cooperative relationships to complete a project?
According to the exchange model of influence, the primary way to gain