The activity of a Project Manager

I've found a very interesting web in Internet, looking for articles about "The role of Project Manager": www.pmjob.ca.

Three of the most interesting articles in this website are:

• The job of Project Manager
• Project Manager Skills
• Place of the Project Manager within the company
  

I would to reproduce some of the content for the first two articles.

"Project managers are catalysers.
They see projects through to successful completion and coordinate all the players concerned by a project, for both its implementation and its deliverables.
They manage project impacts while the work is under way and after completion."

"They guide the various players in order to deliver the symphony on time.
Conductors don't necessarily have to be good pianists; they are not required to specialize in a particular instrument, but must know the music and how to coordinate the whole thing." (Hélène Bénéteau de Laprairie, project manager at Keyrus Canada and Vice-President of PMI-Montreal)

There are three main categories of activity in project management:

• Management

• Communicating:
• Informing all players
• Maintain the link between all players
• Seeking out information

• Managing risk:
• Planning and preventing change
• Confronting contingencies (e.g. budget, players, needs)
• Adapting in order to remain on coursse

Let's talk about these three different activities

• Manage. Project management requires a liking for management. The teams involved on a project are often quite varied, including personnel across all levels and divisions. Relationship management, leadership, negotiating expertise and conflict resolution abilities are essential to rally all the players around the same objective. Project managers are also good stewards: they know how to organize, manage a budget and are familiar with the legal framework.
  

• Communicate. Project managers must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and be able to talk to all kinds of people.They know how to listen, and where to look for information, then how to summarize and convey it.

• Manage risks. Project managers are independent and familiar with all the issues. They know how to define problems, evaluate the potential of resources and find creative solutions. Always vigilant, they continually assess the appropriateness of the project in accordance with changes in the environment. They are able to make timely decisions, and even put a stop to things as required. Stress management is included under managing risks. Deadlines are tight and the ability to adjust to changing priorities is key.