- \n
- PMP certification<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- \u201cDeep knowledge\u201d of electrical engineering and architecture<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3 years of Python development<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Expertise in grant writing<\/strong> and contract law<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
I mean\u2026 WHAT?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honestly, are you looking for someone to manage your project\u2014or hoping someone has already built you a Frankenstein monster that can perform the exact<\/em> magic you need?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rant over.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now look, I get it. You’re trying to get things done in a purpose-driven SME. You move fast, wear multiple hats, and need people who can flex. That\u2019s the nature of small, scrappy, ambitious teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here\u2019s where things can get off course:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your job description is a mashup of every possible role involved in the project, you\u2019re looking for a Frankenstein monster.
And do I really have to tell you the risks of having a monster on your team?<\/p>\n\n\n\nMore importantly: by writing the job this way, you might be overlooking the exact<\/em> person who could bring your project across the finish line with less stress, fewer delays, and a whole lot more trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, Who Is<\/em> a PM, Really?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s get one thing straight: a Project Manager is<\/em> a Subject Matter Expert – in Project Management. Full stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We shouldn\u2019t be expected to double-check your code, write your data schemas, or swoop in with obscure configuration hacks that only 1% of Salesforce super-users know about. (You know the ones. They’re on Reddit forums solving bugs most of us didn\u2019t know existed.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could I help troubleshoot something in a pinch? Sure.
Could I hop into a system demo and ask informed questions? Absolutely.
But that\u2019s a moment of support it should not be a requirement<\/em> before I\u2019m even considered for the job. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLet your Project Manager focus on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Defining the project\u2019s direction<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Aligning the team with the goal<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Managing risks and removing blockers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Coordinating across functions and personalities<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Keeping everyone focused on the big picture<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Think of the PM as the captain of the cruise ship<\/strong>. We chart the course, we know the destination, and the crew trusts us to get them there. The swabber cleans the deck. The cook runs the kitchen. The engineer keeps the engines humming. I trust them to do their part and they trust me to do mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I\u2019m allowed to focus on actual<\/em> project management – facilitating, planning, anticipating risks, removing roadblocks, engaging stakeholders, and keeping the team aligned – I\u2019m operating in my zone of genius. And trust me, you want your PM in that zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ChatGPT-Image-Jun-25-2025-05_14_09-PM-1024x683.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy PMs Shouldn\u2019t Be SMEs (in Everything)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When a PM is expected to also<\/em> be the system expert, QA specialist, and technical writer, a few things happen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- We spend time chasing down low-level details instead of steering the project<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- We inadvertently step on the toes of actual SMEs, disrupting trust and momentum<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- We risk missing broader signals because we\u2019re zoomed into tasks, not outcomes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The irony? You hired<\/em> us to keep the project on track, but now we\u2019re the ones off course, buried in work that belongs to the rest of the crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why \u201cMust Have Done This Exact Project Before\u201d Misses the Point<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s something I see all the time in job listings: \u201cMust have led a Salesforce implementation.\u201d
Or Workday. Or ServiceNow. Or whatever platform the org is currently wrangling.<\/p>\n\n\n\nKnowing a specific platform might help shorten the learning curve, but is it really what determines project success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What about the PM who\u2019s led successful implementations of various SaaS platforms – HR systems, CRMs, ERPs – across different industries, different teams, and under very different conditions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because here\u2019s the deal:
The steps<\/em> to implement these systems are often similar. But the variables<\/em>? Never the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Different data structures<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Different org cultures<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Different systems and tech stacks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Different team members with various levels of experience, influence, and attitudes<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Different priorities and definitions of success<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You try to apply a cookie-cutter approach to projects and you run into problems.
Every project looks simple from a template.
What happens when your dough has nuts, your oven runs hot, and your team is allergic to gluten?<\/p>\n\n\n\nYup\u2026 didn\u2019t think about that, huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Project success doesn\u2019t hinge on whether your PM knows the exact platform you\u2019re using. Success comes from knowing how to assess the landscape, engage the right people, manage complexity, adapt under pressure\u2014and steer toward the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PM who gets that <\/em>and has done it in different environments, with different outcomes, and still<\/em> crossed the finish line? Yeah buddy – That\u2019s who you want leading your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, the PMI has found<\/strong> that generalists often outperform specialists because they understand how projects ripple across departments\u2014and can navigate complexity better.
And studies show: past performance isn\u2019t always a reliable predictor of future success<\/strong>, because each project is a new context .<\/p>\n\n\n\nSo What Should<\/em> You Be Hiring For?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Do I want someone who\u2019s dedicated<\/em> to managing the project and delivering results?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Or someone who can wear five hats but maybe drops the ball on the one<\/em> role I actually needed them to lead?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t get caught up in, \u201cOh, if he hasn\u2019t done this exact<\/em> project before, we can\u2019t consider him,\u201d
or \u201cWorkday isn\u2019t listed on her resume, so she\u2019s not a fit.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nZoom out. Consider the dynamics of your team. The terrain of your organization. The project\u2019s real needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look for people with strong PM fundamentals, adaptability, and a proven ability to deliver. Look for someone who has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- led teams through change and uncertainty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Managed cross-functional complexity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Delivered real results in different environments<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Adapted when conditions shifted (including personalities and priorities)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Because if you keep writing job descriptions like you\u2019re building a monster, don\u2019t be surprised when the results get monstrous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ChatGPT-Image-Jun-25-2025-05_25_27-PM-1024x683.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s Do Better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Seen any Frankenstein monster job postings lately?\u00a0 I know I\u2019m not the only one \u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drop it in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If your job description is a mashup of every possible role involved in the project, you\u2019re looking for a Frankenstein monster.
\nAnd do I really have to tell you the risks of having a monster on your team?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5693,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"[]"},"categories":[1,10],"tags":[44,8,7,19,38],"class_list":["post-5692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-project-management","tag-efficiency","tag-leadership","tag-project-management","tag-project-manager","tag-project-success"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5692"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5698,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5692\/revisions\/5698"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teresadurham.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Or someone who can wear five hats but maybe drops the ball on the one<\/em> role I actually needed them to lead?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Do I want someone who\u2019s dedicated<\/em> to managing the project and delivering results?<\/li>\n\n\n\n