PMI FORUM 2017. Project management gender styles or who makes a better PM, girls or boys? Marija Bajica, PMP President PMI Croatia

MANAGER VERSUS PROJECT MANAGER a person responsible for controlling or administering an organization or group of staff https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/manager a person responsible for doing business through other people, or with them, to achieve organizational goals in a dynamic environment, with the efficient use of limited resources

MANAGER VERSUS PROJECT MANAGER A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Management Skills The ability to plan, organize, direct, and control individuals or groups of people to achieve specific goals. PROJECT MANAGER (PM) The person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. ©2013 Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Fifth Edition

WHAT MAKES PMs SUCESSFUL Command authority naturally Possess domain expertise in project management as applied to a particular field Set, observe, and re-evaluate project priorities frequently Ask good questions and listen to stakeholders Do not use information as a weapon or a means of control Know what to note and what to ignore and prioritize Exercise independent and fair consensus-building skills when conflict arises Cultivate and rely on extensive informal networks inside and outside the firm to solve problems that arise

WHAT SUCESSFUL PMs DO Command authority naturally Possess domain expertise in project management as applied to a particular field Set, observe, and re-evaluate project priorities frequently Ask good questions and listen to stakeholders Do not use information as a weapon or a means of control Know what to note and what to ignore and prioritize Exercise independent and fair consensus-building skills when conflict arises Cultivate and rely on extensive informal networks inside and outside the firm to solve problems that arise

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCESSFUL PMs Leadership Competence Problem solving Communication Organisation, Collaboration, Task delegation Team development Integrity Empathy

GENDER LEADERSHIP STYLES TASK ORIENTED PREFER FLAT ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE PROMOTE COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION PREFER INDIRECT COMMUNICATION PREFER MENTORING AND TRAINING OTHERS TRANSACTIONAL /STICK-CARROT) ORIENTED PREFER HYERARCHICAL ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE PREFER DIRECT COMMUNICATION LIKE TO CREATE COMPETITION

GENDER LEADERSHIP STYLES - outline Each gender tendency has its own advantages and disadvantages Adapting a personal leadership style that incorporates nuances of both tendencies would be ideal While this may be easier said than done, it is something managers should strive toward

GENDER COMMUNICATION STYLES ABILITY TO READ BODY LANGUAGE AND PICK UP NONVERBAL CUES GOOD LISTENING SKILLS EFFECTIVE DISPLAY OF EMPATHY OVERLY EMOTIONAL MEANDERING – WON’T GET TO THE POINT NOT AUTHORITATIVE COMMANDING PHYSICAL PRESENCE DIRECT AND TO-THE-POINT INTERACTIONS EFFECTIVE DISPLAY OF POWER - OVERLY BLUNT AND DIRECT INSENSITIVE TO AUDIENCE REACTIONS TOO CONFIDENT IN OWN OPINION

GENDER COMMUNICATION STYLES - outline There is no “best” communication style for all work related interactions Typically women have the edge in collaborative environments where listening skills, inclusive body language and empathy are more highly valued Men are thought to “take charge” more readily and viewed as more effective in environments where decisiveness is critical

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (1) "You want to delegate outcomes, not tasks. You must have the ability to let go.” Women can do that better than men because their self-esteem is multifaceted. Men's self-esteem is based on what they do, it's uni-dimensional. Kenneth N. Siegel, PhD, ABPP, President of the Impact Group, Inc., a Los Angeles-based group of psychologists who consult to management  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT (2) Study of managerial behavior (360-degree assessments for > 6,000 managers Previous studies showed that women excelled in interpersonal skills (right brain), not in intellectual skills (left brain). Our study demonstrates that women are considered better performers in both right- and left-brain skill areas. Women received higher evaluations than men in 28 of the 31 individual behaviors, representing 90% of items. The most problematic factor for women is Managing Self . . . The worst rated of the 31 behaviors is coping with one's own frustrations Michael R. Perrault, Janet K. Irwin , Advanced Teamware/Consulting Tools, 1996  

THE MIRACLE OF COMMUNICATION THANK YOU! Marija Bajica, PMP President PMI Croatia marija.bajica15@gmail.com