Why Manage, If You Can Lead?

Outsourcing a complex medical design is a complicated process. Once a service provider is chosen, it’s not enough to pass the ball to the development team and follow the usual script of managing deadlines and checking progress. Anyone who’s managed a complex design project knows it’s difficult enough to assemble a qualified team and keep everyone engaged—the management metaphor often used is “it’s like herding cats.” For this reason, many firms rightly emphasize the need for system-focused project managers to drive a project to a successful conclusion. In recent years, however, companies are realizing successful projects have more to do with the leadership skills—rather than the management skills—of the project manager.  See MPO article