EXTREME
Project Manager Makeover!
Pattie Vargas, PMP, MAOM
The Vargas Group
Building effectiveness through better business relationships!
It was bound
to happen …
First …. Extreme Makeover!
Followed by …
Extreme Makeover – Home Addition!
Technology
followed …
Extreme Programming!
So we should
have known …
Extreme Project Manager Makeover!
New
Competencies
It’s a new game with new job
requirements
Manage,
lead and motivate highly skilled
project teams
Motivate a varied, cross-functional staff
Lead and promote change, growth and
effectiveness
Forge collaborative relationships among
cross-functional teams
The job
description …
Must possess:
Proven
leadership of technical and nontechnical teams
Exceptional collaborative, teaming and
consensus building abilities
Proficiency in staff motivation, conflict
resolution and disciplinary procedures
Experience in staff management,
recruitment and selection, creation of goals
and objectives, performance assessment
Radical
Concepts
Extreme Project Managers must:
Assume
a Leadership Role
Invest in Team Development
Learn to Manage Conflict
Balance Empowerment / Accountability
This is not a
leader
A Leadership
Role
Leadership Competencies
 Share
the Vision
 Ability to Motivate
 Good Manager
 Champion for the Team
 Build A Collaborative Network
A Leadership
Role
Mediation
Leadership
Vision
A Leadership
Role
Understanding the
value of a
Social Network
is a critical part of
being a good leader
…although I doubt this
is what Zuckerberg
envisioned
A Leadership
Role
A Leadership
Role
Most
Important Guy
Important
Guy’s Admin
Pretty
Important Guy
Pretty
Important Guy
Pretty
Important Guy
A Leadership
Role
Let me
introduce you
Your
to …
I’ll take Try this
ideas?
that
Here’s what
worked for me
Let’s
discuss
Thank You
How can
I help?
Team
Development
Team
Development
For Me to Buy In …
Know
my part in the vision
Understand
the ground rules
Have
a healthy team environment
 Trust
in my management support
Team
Development
Buy-In = Commitment
 Solicit
input and then LISTEN
 Ask for help
 Don’t require consensus or certainty
 Make a decision once in awhile
 Recognize milestones and achievements
Team
Development
Have Fun!
“There
may be 50 ways to leave your lover but
only 4 ways out of this airplane.” Herb Kelleher
“Energetic,
joyous teamwork drives out stress,
boredom, burnout and apathy.” John Christensen
“There are just too many people at work with
tight underwear.” Ken Blanchard

“I think it's wrong that only one company
makes the game Monopoly.” Steven Wright
ROI
Cost of
consumable
goods:
$13.87
Return on
team
investment:
PRICELESS
FastPaced
Focus
Pace
Task
Focused
SlowPaced
Who We
Are
People
Focused
Who We
Are
Dominant
Director
Interactive
Socializer
ominant
nteractive
Athlete
Performer
Decisive
Likes to Win
Pace: Fast
Focus: Task
Spontaneous
Fun-loving
Pace: Fast
Focus: People
Steady
Relater
Collaborative
Value Stability
Pace: Slow
Focus: People
Cautious
Thinker
Systematic
Logical
Pace: Slow
Focus: Task
teady
autious
Teacher
Scientist
FastPaced
Focus
Pace
Task
Focused
SlowPaced
Where Do
You Fit?
People
Focused
Who We
Are
ominant
Athlete
nteractive
Performer
teady
autious
Teacher
Scientist
•Asks questions that
challenge tradition
•Works quickly to
resolve issues
•Brings a sense of
enthusiasm
•Easily negotiates
conflicts between teams
•Excels at calming
disagreements
•Looks for different
approaches
•Clarifies complex
issues
•Demonstrates
technical expertise
•May hesitate to
delegate
•Can be seen as
blunt or critical
•May be impulsive; not
think things through
•May need help
prioritizing tasks
•May take themselves
too seriously
•May be perceived as
rigid or inflexible
•May expect unreasonable
standards from others
•May delay action by
needing more data
Manage
Conflict
Manage
Conflict
Conflict is OK when it’s:
 Productive
 Limited
to ideas, concepts, methods
 Not focused on personalities, individuals
 Focused on the current issue – not from
residual resentments
Manage
Conflict
Common Misconceptions
Harmony
is normal; conflict is
abnormal
Conflict is the result of personality
problems
 Conflict and anger are the same thing
 We
can Kum-Ba-Ya our way out of
conflict
Manage
Conflict
Teams that engage in effective conflict:
 Have
lively, interesting meetings
 Extract and exploit the ideas of all team
members
 Solve real problems quickly
 Minimize politics
 Aren’t afraid to put critical issues on the
table for discussion
Manage
Conflict
Minimize and Neutralize Conflict
 Prepare
for it
Dissatisfaction
/ Unrest = Unmet needs
Create a safe environment
Encourage coaching within the team
Know when to take it off line
Throw a PARTY!
Empowerment
& Accountability
Empowerment
& Accountability
Empowering Actions
 Collaboration
 Flexibility
 Consistency
 Unwavering
support
 Distributed decision making
Empowerment
& Accountability
Not So Empowering Actions
 Weak
leadership
 Taking credit for others work / success
 Dishonesty
 Micromanagement
 The 3 P’s
 Coalitions / Alliances
Empowerment
& Accountability
Reinforce Accountability:
 Hold
ourselves and others accountable
 Have the difficult conversation
 Define standards and expectations
 Model accountability
 Positive peer pressure
So Now
What?
 Assess
 360
Your Leadership Skills
degree surveys, accountability coach
Develop
What
steps did you miss, if any?
Manage
What
the Team
Conflict
is your conflict management plan?
Accountability
Are
Problems
you motivating or demotivating?
Recommended
Reading
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People –
Stephen Covey
 Drive – Dan Pink
 FISH! – Stephen Lundin, Harry Paul and John
Christensen
 Peopleware – Tom deMarco, Timothy Lister
 The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick
Lencioni
 MY Book!

Thank you!
Pattie Vargas
pattie.vargas@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/pattievargas/
EXTREME
Project Manager Makeover
Available at:
Amazon.com
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