Signs that you might be a project manager

I’ve been a project manager for so long, it carries into my personal life. I’ve received ridicule from my wife and friends about my unique approach to getting things done. So (with apologies to comedian Jeff Foxworthy) here is a primer to determine if you might also be a project manager.

You might be a project manager if…

• If you referred to your wedding rehearsal as a kickoff meeting… you might be a project manager
• If you refer to your landscapers and postal delivery person as “stakeholders”…you might be a project manager.
• If you’ve ever performed a risk analysis prior to cleaning out your gutters…you might be a project manager.
• If you’ve ever developed a RACI matrix for your neighbors volunteering for a block party…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever estimated within a 10% range, how long it will take you to get through airport security…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever asked your plumber how much contingency was built into his estimate to fix your sink…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever referred to the waiter bringing the dessert tray as a demo…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever referred to your child’s school divider as her knowledge repository…you might be a project manager.
• If you’ve ever used a Microsoft Project Plan to move…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever had a lessons learned session with your spouse on your wedding anniversary…you might be a project manager.
• If you have ever gone out for a fancy dinner and referred to the courses as milestones…you might be a project manager.
• If a neighbor has ever moved away and you referred to it as “rolling off the neighborhood”…you might be a project manager.

Related post: Running Things as Projects

What habits do you have that show that you are a project manager?

If you would like to learn more about a career in Project Management, get Lew’s book Project Management 101: 101 Tips for Success in Project Management on Amazon.

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