4 Lessons Project Managers Can Learn From Their Parents

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If you don't know my mom, you should. She would be the best PMP, leadership advisor, scrum coach, project management expert you won't name, known from here to Botswana - and she's not even technically a project manager.

My two brothers and I were never late for school. We were never poorly dressed, never without a neatly packed lunch (with a note!) and never (sometimes to our chagrin) without an allotted time to do our homework.

Evening copy for parents

In many ways, mothers and fathers are project managers car owner database in their own right. As Ben Ferris wrote for Cobalt PM , “Anyone with kids already has a head start on several different aspects of being a project manager.” And Ferris is right: Project managers can learn a number of lessons straight from the parenting books.

There are only four of them.

1. Set expectations.
In another post titled “ Parenting Skills for Project Management ,” Eric Spiegel details how counting to three helps create an expectation of discipline when working with his daughter. He says this means setting limits and expectations for team members.

While team members aren't necessarily kids, creating a clear set of expectations not only helps the project management process, but can also lead to a more cohesive project team . This means defining clear goals, setting clear milestones, and determining which tasks are more important.

Additionally, if your job involves analyzing the successes and weaknesses of your team members, be specific about what will be in the performance review so there are no surprises.

2. Be an adult.
My mother had surgery on her right eyebrow and can't raise it. Since childhood, I've imitated her and only raised my left eyebrow, although I've always been able to raise both. This is an example of mirror neurons in action.

Children will pick up on everything from facial expressions to behavior. And just as children look to their parents, team members will look to project managers to set the tone for their organization.

Project managers must be careful to practice servant leadership and take pride in their work as role models. Remember, just like at home, you set the standards for behavior in the office.

3. Don't be afraid to be a bad guy.
Children need to do chores. They need to do their homework, brush their teeth, make their beds, and learn to use the bathroom.

None of these tasks are fun, and they are controlled by one or two people: the parents.

Every project has tasks that no one wants to do. There are deadlines that get forgotten, miscommunications, and, in the worst case, project managers have to act as disciplinary actions.

No one likes to be the "professional bore" of the corporate world. But often, it's the job of a project manager—your job—to make sure your team and project get things done. Project managers shouldn't shy away from hurting their colleagues' feelings when they're not getting the job done—instead, they should be motivated to solve and fix the problem. (This may be why some personality traits are better suited to project management than others.)