PM Network - July 2015

VOICES Project Toolkit
Establishing a track record as a proven
leader while supervising staff members of
varied ages can present unique management
challenges. We asked practitioners:

What are your best tips for leading a team as a young project manager?

Young Leaders

senior joined my project, he viewed me as his apprentice.

Though I was accountable for the project controls and he was accountable as the project manager, he was under the impression he would be teaching me about project management and leadership. That was okay because, for me, it’s good to gain insight into various project management approaches from various project managers.

We had some heated discussions, but once I understood his needs and he understood my capabilities, we developed a working relationship and earned each other’s respect.” —Chris Booth, CAPM, project management cadet, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance, Moranbah, Australia

Be Assertive

Listen to what your team is telling you and, more importantly, what they’re not telling you.

I was once selected to manage a change management project instead of one of my colleagues, who had more

Define Your Role

I’m the youngest on the team, so I had to prove my competence and earn the team’s trust over time.

At first, an older member on my team wouldn’t listen or provide any relevant status updates to me, because she didn’t like the fact that I was the same age as her last-born child. She couldn’t comprehend why I was in charge.

I told her it’s nothing personal and we shouldn’t have any issues if I’m able to verify her work. She agreed, but still was reluctant.

I told my boss about my challenges and suggested I give a presentation about what project managers do to ensure work gets done. After explaining the differences and benefits of our roles, she understood I was there to help the team and not to impose power on them. She has since changed her demeanor to me.” —Yewande Akin, CAPM, information technology project manager, Fiserv, Sugar Land, Texas, USA