今天,我们将讨论项目经理的权力。
A project’s environment is much like a startup company’s environment. There is continuous pressure to perform with a limited budget and a fixed schedule. More importantly, you will always have new team members.
In this situation, you will have to manage your team and motivate them to perform their best.
This is not an easy task, and you will have to use your soft and hard skills to push team members continuously.
项目经理的权力
As a project manager, you can have many powers. The sixth edition of the PMBOK Guide recognizes the following fourteen powers of project managers:
- 正式或合法权力
- Reward Power
- Punishment Power
- Expert Power
- 关系力量
- Informational Power
- Persuasive Power
- Ingratiating Power
- Personal Power
- 情境力量
- Pressure-Based Power
- Guilt-Based Power
- Avoiding Power
- 威望权利
Now the question arises—which one is the best power of the project manager?
这是我最喜欢的部分PMP exam preparation.
While I was studying this topic, it was stated everywhere that expert and reward powers were the best powers for a project manager. However, I could not understand this; are they the best together or separately?
I researched it and gave much to think about, but I did not find a convincing answer anywhere.
Since I have passed my PMP exam and own a blog, I am posting my understanding of this topic.
Please note that all the views expressed in this blog post are my own. You might disagree with them. I would appreciate it if you would share your thoughts in the comments below.
Let’s get started.
You can define power as influence overstakeholdersto make a favorable decision. For example, you can force them to dance to your song or attract them with your charisma.
You can group these powers into two categories: positional power and personal power.
You get positional power just by being the project manager. Some examples are formal power, reward power, and punishment power.
Personal power is something you have due to your personality, experience, or knowledge. Some examples are expert power and referent power.
Many experts say that reward and expert powers are the best. I agree that these are the better influencing powers for a project manager.
However, are you sure that these two powers are equally good, and that each one alone can help a project manager to completetheir projectsuccessfully?
I do not fully agree with this.
Let me explain this to you in detail; I believe that after going through this blog post, you will agree with me.
First, we will take a quick look at all the types of power, and then we will have a detailed discussion.
#1。正式或合法权力
As long as you are a project manager, you have this power. This power comes with the position itself; therefore, this power is also called positional power. Team members will obey orders from you because they know that you have the authority.
在这种类型的权力projectizedand strongmatrix-type organizations.
However, this power does not exist in afunctional organizationor a weak matrix organization. In those cases, you will have to use your soft skills to get the job done.
#2. Reward Power
Rewards are desirable, and team members will support you because they think that you will reward them if they perform well. Rewards may be monetary such as a salary increase, a bonus, or a promotion, or non-monetary, such as recognition, professional development, an appreciation letter, or days off.
Reward power is attached to the formal authority of the project manager.
You may be working in a functional organization or with a tight budget, so giving monetary rewards may be difficult. Therefore, non-monetary rewards such as recognition, training recommendations, or a valuable assignment are common.
奖励应该是可以实现的,它不应该be a win-lose type of reward. Criteria for it should be fair, transparent, and possible for all.
Reward power is positional power, and you can have it if you are working in a projectized or strong-matrix organization. Although you can have reward power in a functional or a weak matrix organization as well, here you can offer your team members only non-monetary benefits.
#3. Punishment Power
Nobody wants to receive a punishment. Punishment power comes with the formal authority of the project manager. Here, team members will obey you because they are afraid that if they do not perform efficiently, they may get punished. Here you use fear as a primary tool to get work done. Punishment power is also known as coercive power.
This type of power is associated with a strong-matrix organization.
通常,当成员表现不佳或正在造成问题时,您将使用此功能。
#4. Expert Power
Being a subject matter expert is an excellent influential power. Team members will respect you for your expertise. They trust you because you are an expert and you know how to manage work.
Expert power is considered to be a positive power that influences others to follow your lead. If you do not possess expert knowledge, it is difficult for you to gain respect from team members.
#5。关系力量
If you have connections with some influential people in the organization, you possess relational power. Your connections mean team members want to connect with you as well.
If you are a new project manager, this power may help you in the initial stages of the project when you may not have any other power, except formal power, as you may be perceived as being closely aligned with the top management.
#6. Informational Power
As the saying goes, well-informed means well-armed. Information is the key to success for any project. If you are responsible for processing information or possess some information, you have a greater chance of completing the project successfully.
#7. Persuasive Power
If you can say “go to hell” in such a way that people look forward to the trip, you have this power. The point is that you can convince your team to follow your lead.
#8. Ingratiating Power
If you are an expert in flattery, you have this power. Here, you try to find common ground, emphasize, and achieve cooperation. This is a beneficial skill when avoiding tough situations.
#9. Personal Power
This power depends on your personality; how you look, how you speak, and how you behave. This power is also known as charismatic power.
#10. Situational Power
If you have rescued your project from a crisis in the past, you have this power. Team members will remember your efforts and respect you for your heroic act.
#11. Pressure-Based Power
If you regularly pressure your team members to work harder and complete the task within a tight schedule, sometimes in unrealistic conditions, you have this power.
#12. Guilt-Based Power
Here, you inform team members that they are performing poorly, and it is affecting the project; even if they are performing well. You instill in them that they have to perform better. Therefore, the team member will feel guilty and try to work harder.
#13. Avoiding Power
If you avoid making tough decisions and miss meetings, you have avoiding power. This is one of the most negative powers, and you don’t want to be associated with it.
#14。威望权利
如果您长期从事职业工作并获得了一些信誉,那么您将拥有这种权力。
我的看法
您可以在此处解释任何或全部的权力,但是要成功完成该项目的最小麻烦,您应该至少拥有其中三个权力;即,正式的权力,奖励能力和专家权力。
For example, formal power establishes your authority as the lead of the project, reward power helps you motivate team members, and expert power will help you to gain trust and support from your team members.
在某些情况下,惩罚能力有效。关系力量的影响并非持久。
Now, again, ask yourself: what is the best power for a project manager?
Let’s see in which cases the team members will be more motivated and committed to performance:
愿意的团队成员会做得更好,工作动力来自奖励能力。如果团队成员知道将获得奖励,他们将更加坚定。
With formal and punishment power, team members are beaten into submission, which does not motivate them.
With expert power, though team members respect you and they trust your decisions, this trust is not going to translate into motivation; it can be a stabilizing influence but can never be a motivation. An increase in performance and efficiency will not happen without a motivating factor.
I accept the importance of expert power; however, I firmly believe that reward power is better than expert power in motivating team members and results in a better performance.
Summary
It is vital to understand every type of power that a project manager can use in different situations and variouskinds of organizationsso that you can be flexible and adaptive. If you are working in a projectized organization, you will have punishment and reward power. However, if you are working in a functional organization, you will have to depend on expert power and your soft skills.
Here is where this post on the power of project managers comes to an end.
What kind of power do you hold in your organization, and how do you find it useful? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
供参考:搜索时for a project manager’s job, I came across Jooble, I found it useful. Sharing it here and I hope you will find it useful too.
Hi Fahad,
Do not you think that persuasive + charismatic powers are also desirable to reach a collaborative end and create a win-win situation while dealing the CONFLICTS, which are inevitable in projects?
For me,except some standardized form of power such as formal or legitimate; relational; Punishment; all other forms are more of an attribute of a personality, something related to own perception;
Fahad Thanks so much for what you are doing and I am really loving PMP. Please can you give me a guide on professional courses that will be vital for me as a QA/QC Inspector in the Heavy Fabrication Industry.
Hello Emmanuel, are you a PMP?
For QA, I would suggest you go for ISO lead auditor course. Regarding QC, please check your peers.
Want to say that your blog was excellent! It really helped me with my studies.
Thanks Rob.
Great stuff
谢谢拉维。
Thanks for putting your excellent work into making this blog a great blessing to all PMP aspirants. With your useful explanation on Earned Value Management, I now answer EVM questions with ease.
And I have passed my PMP exam last week.
Keep up the good work!
Congratulations Zechariah on passing the PMP exam.
Hi Fahad,
Thanks for all your guidance and help. I have passed the exam on 26/01/2017
Your notes were of great help. And in future it will keep me updated, I am sure.
Congratulations Arpit on passing the PMP exam.
Thanks ,for making concept clear
欢迎您。
why is it important that a project manager should consider the number of potential communication channels?
它可以帮助他更好地管理沟通。
Update: You can find total number of communication lines and classify them according to the their importance. And then you will be able to manage them effectively; for example, you can plan to distribute information according to the need of each stakeholdrs
I am a little baffled by this practice question – which I answered incorrectly.
“Which power of the project manager comes from another person respecting him/her?”
A. Expert
B. Formal
C. Reward
D.参考
在看到这个问题之前,我阅读了您的博客,因此我自然而然地回答A.专家基于此评论:“团队成员将尊重您的技术专业知识。”但是,正确的答案是D。请指教。
Thank you,
Stacy
The question should provide more clarity. Team member can respect their boss for both reasons.
If the question says both top management and team members respect you, then It is Referent power. If it is only team members, then it is Expert power.
It is about connection with higher management. If you have connections with influential people, you will have this power.
Fahad, Its a very interesting read but I noticed you wrote/explained Relational Power twice. One should be for Referent Power. I like how you make it simple and I am grateful I spend more of my idle work time on your blog. Thanks.
Thanks Emmanuel for pointing out this error. I have corrected it.
Hi Fahad,
Your posts very well explains the areas in details. Thank you.
In your last statement where you mentioned about if the exam asks about selecting best power for PM and the options listed are Expert and Reward Powers are two independent options. Then i think we need to look for other information in the question such as “PM is working in which organization?”. If PM is in functional organization which likely would have less power to Reward. In such a case Expert power is best option that can be selected.
Thanks
Sushil
Yes, you are right Sushil. In this case we need to look deeper into the question for any hint.
Hi Fahad!!
希望你一切都好。
From many days i have a lot of confusion in the study of “effort driven tasks”.
I am not at all able to understand its meaning.
Can u plz explain me. Will be of great help.
谢谢,
Yogish.
Read this blog post:
http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/8198-understanding-effort-driven-scheduling/
Hello Dear
Very simple & easy to understand . though i read two books still i had little confusion , now its clear & unnderstand the importance of Power .
谢谢你 。
我要阅读您的所有帖子。我计划在2015年11月参加考试
-Prakash
I am glad that you liked my posts Praskash. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Fahad
First of all, thanks a lot for the help. I really like the way you explain the concepts. Keep sharing! :)
Now, I have been looking in which one of the 47 processes the PMI refers to the different type of authority the PM has over the people, can you share?
Thanks again!
It comes under develop project team.
Can you share the page number under pmbok, where it says about these authorities and power? I’m not getting it under pmbok.
该主题在PMBOK指南中并未具体提及,但是在考试中经常看到问题。bob手机客户端
The other example is kickoff meeting. This topic is also not mentioned in the guide but in exam you will see many questions on it.
Hi thanks again for u r blogs….
您有任何有关蒙特卡洛模拟的文章吗?
Soon you will see a blog post on Monte Carlo Simulation on this blog.
您的老板对您的一位同事正在处理项目的方式不满意,她将项目重新分配给您。她告诉您与此人一起工作,以了解他已经做了什么,并讨论了他可能拥有的任何其他必要信息。她希望在本月底之前您的项目报告。这个人对重新分配感到沮丧和愤怒,不会为您提供启动所需的信息,更不用说完成该项目。除非您获得此信息,否则您将无法满足您的截止日期。
What type of power does your colleague appears to be using?
这篇博客文章是针对项目经理的权力,而不是针对团队成员的。
无论如何,在这种情况下,您可以与您的项目经理联系,并让她知道情况。她可能会利用自己的合法权力和/或惩罚能力来解决这个问题。
please explain more to the above question
In the question the project manager is using her formal power.
Wikipedia says about referent power
Referent power is power of an individual over the Team or Followers, based on a high level of identification with, admiration of, or respect for the powerholder/ leader.
Your blog says
和一些有影响力的有某种联系吗people in the organisation, the project manager is said to possess Referent Power.
哪个是对的?
谢谢。
Both.
Hi Fahad,
Good Work… Keep it up!…
Have PMP exam in a week… Will join u after passing PMP exams to answer people queries..
Do feel free to message me..
你好raj,
Good Luck for the exam…
Fahad
Hi Fahad,
I just found your site & i found it very helpful, so many thanks. could you please help me with the following question I came across. The answer as per the test is Project 3, but I don’t see why project 1 is not also right !!!!
根据以下信息,哪个项目肯定是有利可图的?
Project 1 with NPV of $300,000
project 2 with Benefit to cost Ratio of 1:1.7
项目3的我nternal Rate of Return of 15%
or can’t be determined
对不起,Marwan迟到了。
Here is my understanding, let me know if you are agree with it or not!
NPV is the difference between the current value of cash inflow and the current value of cash outflow of the project. It does not show you exactly how much you are going to invest.
On the other hand, IRR is shown in percentage regardless of invested money. Therefore, it is safe to proceed with 15% IRR.
This makes a sense Fahad :)
:)
Hi,
For estimate activity duration, Enterprise Env factor is rightly mentioned as input but examples of EEF are confusing. It states estimation database and productivity metrics as part of EEF. I believe these should rightly belong to Org Process assets . Can you pls clarify and guide?
估计数据库基于市场条件。例如,人工速度,原材料成本等。因此,它属于企业环境因素。
Let me know your thoughts.
Hi Fahad,
Can you please explain to me why we have Approved change request as an input in the Direct and Manage project execution and an output in the same knowledge area. for some reason I thought that changes can only be approved in the monitioing an controlling process and that were it is approved and changed
只是可视化它。
You’re in executing phase of your project.
And you notice that certain procedure is not correct that causing you some trouble. Therefore, you raise a change request and get it approved.
Since your change request is approved and your procedure is updated, you will now execute your work as per current updated procedure.
See, you are still in executive phase.
In first statement, change request is an output, and in second statement it is an input.
希望它能清除您的疑问。
这让我清楚地了解对我的回答final paper as part of my master process in Open University Malaysia. The way you write is more on logic and the application of the logic.
Thanks
Thanks for your visit Hae.
Salam Fahad Saab,
Thanks for explaining each and every topic with easy to understand examples.
You ‘re welcome Saurabh.
Hi Fahad,
You have explained it very precisely and in simple language.
I am glad I found your posts before my exam.
Please keep posting.
Regards,
Rajesh
我很高兴您发现我的博客很有用。
Thanks for your visit.
Hi,
I want to share my experience , recently i attended the PMP workshop in hyderabad. it was really good. but when i started reading the PMBOK , i use to read 2-3 times to understand that topic.
But last week when i found your site in google. i covered may topics in 2 days .. which is really surprising for me.
您已经用非常简单的词和示例来解释。
请不要停止发布新帖子。
11月,我打算写PMP考试。
Hello Naga,
Thank you for liking my blog and I appreciate your visit.
Best of luck for your exam and let me know if you require any assistance. I will be glad to help you.