Directions to Create Competency for Being Professional Project Managers
Section 1: Sense of Accountability
 Not only should professional project managers possess scales of complete and correct knowledge as well as excellent skills on project management, but also they should promote good work attitudes. As project management is directly related to people in various roles, duties, expertise, ideas and expectations, it is very important to manage projects by depending on positive work attitudes. Mind-set on understanding of roles and duties at work is tremendously crucial. Being referred to as one of the tools which is used in Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) on Project Human Resource Management, Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) emphasizes on appointing a responsible person in each activity. Roles of responsibility are separated into two functions: person with responsibility and person with accountability. PMBOK identifies the differences between responsibility and accountability as the following:
- Responsibility is a person or a group of persons who is responsible for work by undertaking work.
- Accountability is a person who is responsible for results on work of both him/herself and of others.
Sense of Accountability is a significant working attitude for all project managers and team members. In a broader viewpoint, project managers should have senses of accountability for all issues happened in their projects. Although project managers do not undertake all works by themselves, they must undeniably be in charge of results on project performance. Consequently, project managers need to have in-depth understandings of their projects and acquire full authorization in decision-making on work assigning, monitoring, supervising and controlling which leads to further project achievement. We can experience the following poor behaviors or work performances if project managers are lack of Senses of Accountability:
1. Blaming subordinates, vendors or other teams who undertake works related to their projects for any mistakes happened.
2. Emphasizing on explaining limitations of their teams to senior managements when confronting any errors.
3. Accepting others’ working limitations which cause mistakes without any investigations and possible solutions. Miscomprehending that those mistakes are not their accountabilities.
 Professional project managers with senses of accountability focus on controlling, monitoring and preventing project mistakes before those may occur for both their own and others’ works. Due to their senses of accountability, professional project managers understand all issues and activities of their projects and pay attention to finding causes of errors for future control and prevention. Having sense of accountability is difficult in some cases due to the fact that working teams sometimes do not under project managers’ authorization. This incident effects project managers’ working efficiency and limitation which could be reported to senior managements. However, professional project managers with positively different perspectives and solutions seeking mindsets might use new methods to control and manage those working teams in ways beyond normal procedures. For instance, using mutual target technique, influencing others to realize negative results from working mistakes, searching for causes of problems and finding out supports for problem solutions as well as requesting for official authorization to control and to instruct all of other relevant team members. They even come across new choices for team member relocation. These examples are methods which professional project managers are able to analyze and to consider for their works, even in situations which they may not have full authorization. Senses of accountability not only increase higher project achievement opportunities, but they also build up more trust and confidence of stakeholders and senior managements on those project managers. Wise project managers should have senses of accountability in their own projects and initiate them among team members and all related to achieve mutual collaborations and successful project performances.
Paiboon Panyayuttakan (PMP) |
line ID :