Elita: A day in the life of a project manager

Great Project Manager Metaphors:

• EMT: Manages chaos, triages tasks, develops and participates in action plans.
• Ninja: Influences others subtly and avoids overt actions that could be poorly received.
• Jazz Musician: Keeps a steady beat and ensures the team works in harmony.

Daily Responsibilities:

• Communicates with a variety of stakeholders, including engineers, product managers, and sales teams.
• Updates key stakeholders on strategy and status.
• Organizes tasks using lists (post-it notes, electronic lists, email lists) to manage time effectively.
• Holds stand-up meetings to track daily progress and address issues.

Key Skills:

• Organization: Keeps team actions and thinking organized.
• Bias to Action: Makes decisions to move projects forward.
• Resilience: Adapts and learns from mistakes, remaining flexible to new information.

Daily Workflow:

• Uses lists to prioritize daily tasks and budget time.
• Holds morning stand-ups to review previous day’s progress and set the day’s agenda.
• Checks in at lunch to ensure tasks are on track and address any technical issues.

Elita’s Attributes:

• Action-Oriented: Makes decisions to prevent stagnation.
• Resilient: Learns from mistakes and adapts to new information.