I see Project Managers as the captains of a ship. The good ones know the route, guide the crew, and make sure the ship docks exactly when and where it should, with the cargo safe, the crew confident, and the mission a success. The bad ones? They’re usually busy telling everyone how great they are while the ship quietly drifts toward an iceberg.
A bad Project Manager is all talk. They spend more energy promoting themselves than promoting the work. They want to be liked, the “popular” one in the room, and that usually means keeping the team too comfortable. Sure, everyone seems happy at first, but over time the energy fades, the team gets lazy, and the work suffers. Projects slip into jeopardy, clients get nervous and annoyed, and before long, the losses pile up, projects, money, even good employees start to disappear.
A good Project Manager is the opposite. They believe in doing, not just talking. They put the project at the center, not their own ego. They might not be loved by everyone, they might even be disliked by a few, but they are respected, because they deliver. Their teams aren’t just happy, they’re productive. They run projects that last, keep clients genuinely happy, and in doing so, they not only earn money but also protect jobs, their own and those of others.
The best Project Managers are change agents. They take project goals personally, as if they were their own mission. They know how to inspire a shared sense of purpose so the whole team moves in sync. They’re passionate, organized, and thrive on the adrenaline of new challenges. Most importantly, they understand the bigger picture, how their work drives the company’s growth, and how each win helps the organization adapt and move forward.
And here’s the real test, when the storm hits. The bad PM blames the weather and hopes it clears. The good PM grabs the wheel, steadies the crew, and finds a way to steer everyone safely to shore.
So, the next time you see a project run smoothly against all odds, remember—there’s a good Project Manager behind it, quietly (or sometimes loudly) making it happen.
Oh, and… Happy New Year!
