The hardest part about being a project management consultant

What is the hardest part about being a project management consultant?

I think the hardest part of being a project management consultant is not being given enough breathing space (I mean authority).

Most of times, a consultant has to manage a client’s team or a team of outsourced developers , and there could be understanding issues there, so the initial 1/2 month is spent in awareness, training of the Team and also generating awareness and selling benefits to the Project owners of a good Project , delivering the stated value, scope, features and functionality within a time frame and resources. This time can be saved if a Project Manager consultant brings in his own Team (which may be expensive but experienced Team)

Sometimes owners may want their people (or services vendors) to be hired for a particular job - because they were obliged earlier by them ... in such cases a PM should say I will be transparent in my selection procedure.I will define the Job description as per Project requirements and advertise it through HR. Your people or services vendors can apply but will be shortlisted only if they meet the JD requirements. 

Getting right resources is always tough - comes through after rounds of negotiations with owners and HR. Everyone and anyone cannot be a part of a Project managers Team, this message should go out clearly. Budget over runs are a reality, especially if you were not involved in the estimation or the project was just handed over to you from owners... You need to explain the cost of noncompliance , i.e., scope and time over runs, customer dissatisfaction and defects during time of delivery and cost of re-doing and removing errors to the owners (by owners I am referring Sr, Management) . This should be explained in Financial terms so they understand it.

Breathing space and authority in above matters can make life easier for a Project Manager.

This article is written by Mr. Anil Oberai, C.E.O of OberaiITConsultancy, with more than 2 decades of experience in managing and Consulting for IT Projects. Information Security is one of his pillars for consulting. You can read his blogs on https://oberaiitconsultancy.blogspot.com/