Do you remember the Disney movie Hercules? The classic tale follows the story of an awkward outcast with incredible superpowers who knows that he is meant for something greater. Hercules feels led to help people, to build relationships and to be accepted. But he feels so alone and he doesn’t know how to use his powers. Then, at his lowest point our lovable protagonist learns that he is the son of the mighty Zeus, and everything clicks. Armed with newfound purpose, Hercules seeks out a trainer and finds Philoctetes. Philoctetes guides and supports the demigod through challenge after challenge, and Hercules grows into a mythological hero with his name in the stars.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: project managers are superheroes. Just like Hercules, PMs have incredible powers, but they may not understand how they can be best used. They may not even realize their talents are superpowers at all! Project managers may also feel uncertain, isolated and misunderstood in their roles. But like our Greek hero, once a PM finds their purpose and their support system, they become an unstoppable force, slaying project hydras, lions and Titans.
Whether project management is a new discipline in your organization or you have a growing PM team, investing in your project leads is always a good idea. Put simply, project managers have a big impact on your organization’s bottom line. Because of the nature of their role, your project leads are ultimately responsible for your organization’s profit margins, team capacity and the satisfaction of your employees. Healthy project managers contribute to the health of your organization. Fortunately, by providing your PMs with training, mentors and challenging opportunities, you can support them on their path to becoming legendary project leads.