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Blog posted by: Ana Bertacchini – Project management expert, 10 September 2019.

Many professionals are given the responsibility for running projects without even realizing it. Although this can happen for any number of reasons, in my experience, there are generally two routes into this “unofficial” project manager role.

Does this sound familiar?

The first is as an appointed workstream leader, which often happens in big projects involving many different teams. In this situation, someone is usually assigned as lead on a specific workstream, in effect a mini-project for that person to run, but without the title.

The second is when an individual is delegated a specific task, which requires the engagement of other team members. The scope may not even be defined as yet but needs collaborative involvement to decide what needs delivering and the best course of action. Often approached via a workshop scenario, someone will have to take the initiative or be accountable for developing an action plan.

How do you know?

The first sign that you have taken on a project manager role – albeit temporarily or unofficially – is failure, usually due to over-committing or under-estimating the task in hand. This is because a lot of inexperienced people work on gut feel or guess work in terms of deliverables and only realize a week before deadline that it won’t happen.

It’s only by failing that you realize the “project” may need a more rigorous approach. In which case, you need to ask yourself, what can I do to be more efficient?

How can you make it work?

Considering any – or all – of the following tips can help bridge the gap and achieve a successful outcome:

• Reach out for support: Qualified project managers have the authority to engage with people within the organization at all levels, including their sponsors. But for those working in an unofficial capacity, this can be difficult. So, you need to connect with senior managers, explain the issues and ask for their support in getting what you need. 
• Be clear about competing priorities: If you have a “day job” and are suddenly given an ad-hoc project to run, you need to understand which takes priority and why. Clear and regular communication with senior manager and stakeholders to make them aware of what is – and is not – getting done, is essential.   
• Consider formal training: As a minimum, get familiar with the methods and concepts of project management. In fact, there is always an argument for completing a qualification, whether that means PRINCE2®, PRINCE2 Agile® or Six Sigma. All of them are beneficial, as they provide the basic tools to be more organized, productive and efficient, no matter what your official role.

Opening doors

While it’s obviously not for everyone, I have found that many people enjoy being given a taste of project management work. They find it rewarding to own something and get the recognition for its ultimate delivery. So much so, that it’s sometimes the beginning of a new career path towards bigger and more complex projects. It can happen – after all, it’s how I started out and I’ve never looked back.

See our website for more information about PRINCE2 and PRINCE2 Agile certifications - and to search for a training provider .

Read more AXELOS Blog Posts by Ana Bertacchini

4 steps to a successful project management career

How to survive project management for the non-project manager

How to align project management to corporate strategy

How to use 'lessons learned' to reduce project failure

How project managers can always improve emotional intelligence

The multi-faceted project manager