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
Focus on the Outcome
As a young project manager, I achieve
outcomes and deliverables through
influence rather than a directive
leadership style.
When a new project manager who was 20 years my