There are a lot of advantages to a company having good project management within its organisation. Even companies which are at the peak of its field are always looking for new and innovative ways to improve work performance. A project manager can make extensive changes to a companies infrastructure in order to yield positive results. This is reflected in the £40 -£50k salaries they earn, with some industry sectors rocketing salaries to even dizzier heights.

With any organization, there are areas where problems occur. A good project manager will be able to spot these areas and iron out any creases so as the department runs more efficiently both in terms of cost and time. Below are five typical examples of problems a project manager may face when trying to implement changes.

1) Many hands make light work
Senior management often make the assumption that a project manager can work miracles single handedly without the interaction of other major players within the company. However, a project manager is only as good as the team who supports him/her. Even the most flawless project plan can come to an abrupt standstill without the co-operation of staff.

2) Directors do not always know best
Although senior managers have the right to know what their staff will be doing, they can often conflict with the carefully laid down plans of the project manager. An experienced PM will not take risks; every planned step will have been made with a successful end result in mind. When upper managers try to usurp these plans and implement their own way of doing things, it devalues the purpose of the project manager who has had many years training in risk management. Rather like hiring an interior designer when you already know how you want to decorate a room.

3) Time is of the essence
In order to get a successful project underway, sufficient time has to be allocated to prepare and plan for the desired results. Missed deadlines are statistically the most common cause of project failure. Therefore, it is important to be realistic when it comes to forecasting a completion date. A good project management plan can become thwarted when a manager tries to impose an unrealistic turnaround time. This is completely disadvantageous and leaves room for failure. Communication is the key in this situation and the best solution would be to re-negotiate the impractical deadline. However, if the completion date is set in stone, use the project schedule to justify the trade-offs. These could vary and include an increased cost of hiring additional resources or a reduction in the final outcome if the budget cannot be increased.

4) Lack of resources
If resources such as software, manpower or a good communication infrastructure are limited, the collaboration of a team working toward a common objective will be undermined and the deliverables seriously hindered.

5) Understanding project management
The role of a Project Manager is often misunderstood and underrated by upper management and the departments that they manage. Managers often pull against the services of PM's due to the time it takes for them to rearrange departments. In some cases project managers are asked to tip toe around marred practises which is frustrating and useless. It also leads to hostility within departments when changes are suggested.

The above are common problems which a project manager has to face. It may take a little time for every department to adjust to the changes but once this has been established, the full potential of the company as a whole can shine through. Upper management or directors should encourage these changes and insist on co-operation from all sides. The investment will far outweigh the disruption and the results will speak for themselves.