3 Leadership Behaviors of IT Project Managers

1: Demonstrate a drive for results

Project management isn't easy or filled with glory. The reality is projects are tough and can be stressful, frustrating, and have administrative challenges that can detract from the end goal. Focusing on the tasks that need to be accomplished (regardless of obstacles) and keeping the end goal in mind are easier said than done, but both concepts are critical nonetheless.

Effective project managers take responsibility to achieve the results defined by the project; this means you may not be able to simply delegate tasks to others and wait for the status update.

  

2. Demand the truth

In order to make the best decisions, project managers need to know the real issue or risk affecting the project. Effective project managers need to demand the truth from their teams and then present the truth to their management and peers. Minimizing problems and hiding issues with colorful explanations doesn’t help the project team or the project manager succeed. By asking team members to explain the status in basic terms without corporate rhetoric or political spin, the entire team will benefit.

3. Demonstrate courage

Projects don’t always go as planned, and it’s the project manager’s job to present the current status updates and describe any corrective actions needed to improve project performance. In some organizational cultures, there is a tendency to avoid reporting bad news until it’s too late. If you present a positive status update, it may give you a little more time to resolve problems on your own, but when a project is in trouble, project managers often need management support and attention to help turn things around.

It takes courage to communicate that there are problems with the project and to ask for help. It takes courage to have a conversation with a team member who isn’t performing well or to talk with a peer who isn’t providing the necessary support. It takes courage to make the hard decisions to cancel a project to save funding or to let an employee know they no longer have a position with the project. As project managers, these situations are difficult, but dealing with them is your job.

More leadership behaviors

It’s difficult to try to categorize all the leadership behaviors a successful project manager needs to exhibit into just three areas. A commitment to customer satisfaction, a focus on quality, and continuous improvement are secondary behaviors. Successful project managers possess the technical project management skills and the leadership behaviors to deliver a project effectively.

Courtesy by Andrew Makar

How to Become a Software Engineer?

In today’s computer-driven world, individuals and corporations alike are extremely dependent on computer technology and software. From the chat room to the board room, trained professionals are needed to design and develop computer programs to meet the ever-changing needs of the users. This is the job of the computer software engineer.

No matter how unwelcoming the job market might seem, there are always opportunities for software engineers because it is such a fast-growing field in the world especially in developing countries such as Pakistan. Computer is the future!

If you love computers and would like to get paid for what you love, here's a primer on how to become a professional software engineer.

1. Get a Degree. One mistake potential software engineers making is, thinking it isn't as labor-intensive as other forms of engineering. This just isn't the case, and due to the competition from other software engineers, having a degree in software engineering/CS is very important. Software engineering takes a lot of study in a number of different fields, such as programming, operating systems, data management and math etc. Therefore one should be a computer science graduate.

2. Find a Focus. For any software engineering degree, you're going to be taking general computer science courses, but you should have some idea about what wing of software engineering interests you most--business applications, portable media or games development, among others. Again, taking specialized courses/workshops can help you get a job in your chosen category. So look to get a specialized software engineering degree as opposed to a general computer science degree.

3. Work on your own side projects. You'll be designing software through lab work in a degree program, but you should also be working on independent projects such as freeware programs.

4. Become an Intern. If you're interested in Programming or Web designing, you'll be much more likely to have a career in the field if you initially take a job with no pay. It's not all about securing a good job in the future, but learning about the field and being the best engineer possible. You can't expect to jump into full-fledged software engineering right out of school. Becoming an apprentice to a top-flight software engineer is a possible dream job.

Software Industry of Pakistan

During the last decade the IT sector of Pakistan has experienced an unprecedented growth. Software Industry is the only industry in Pakistan which is rapidly growing even in bad economic situation.  It having 41% growth in employment of professionals. The IT and IT enabled service export in Pakistan is US$ 2.8 billion  approximately. Software industry is the only industry which is producing 39% export of the whole individually. Experts estimate an average annual growth of 33% in this sector. This will result in the total IT export revenue crossing US$ 10 billion in the next five years.

It is fact; the professionals who are working in this field are getting more compensation comparative to any other industry in Pakistan. But, still we are unable to tap the arena of human resource capacity building in the most optimal fashion to meet the demands of the growing IT sector.

Due to lack of market awareness and choosing wrong subject of study by students is the chief cause of un-employment. Due to this our country and software industry export is suffering.

Why Computer Science Degree?

1. Computer is part of everything we do!

2. Computer engineering offers many types of lucrative careers/high salaries with rapid growth

3. Expertise in computer engineering helps you even if your primary career choice is something else.

4. Expertise in computer engineering enables you to solve complex, challenging problems.

5. Computer engineering enables you to make a positive difference in the world.

6. Computer engineering jobs are here to stay, regardless of where you are located.

7. Computer engineering offers great opportunities for true creativity and innovativeness.

8. Computer engineering has space for both collaborative work and individual effort.

9. Computer engineering is an essential part of well-rounded academic preparation.

10. Future opportunities in computer engineering are without boundaries.

Pakistan’s IT industry has been rising steadily since the last three years. A marked increase in software export figures are an indication of this booming industry’s potential. The scale and pace of growth in this sector is faster than any other industry in Pakistan. Experts estimate an average annual growth of 33% in this sector. Software Engineering is one of the most demanding job now a day in Pakistan and globally.

Where IT Industry Stands?

Currently, more than 60 foreign IT and telecommunication companies working in Pakistan and many other companies are ready to start their business. Domestically owned companies are more than 2400 working with foreign and local clients. The industry as a whole is doing over 2 billion dollars revenue in a year, up from less than a billion dollars a few years ago.

And now, this sector is going to produce 11 Billion USD approximately within next 5 years (inshallah) what other sectors and countries have achieved in 15-20 years. Most tech companies are growing in excess of 30% a year annually. Current number of IT professionals employed in Pakistan are more than 130,000. This is the only sector which has 41% growth in employment of professionals.

This indicates the scope of computer science education and up-coming employment opportunities.

Computer Science has Became The New Popular Field of Choice

There was a time not too long ago when the only three successful career options used to be engineering, medical or civil service. The lure of ‘Sarkari Nokri’ (Government Jobs) and climbing the grade ladders was overwhelming.

There were few multinational companies (MNCs) around. Those who wanted to do something different usually went abroad to try out their luck. Then in the 90s we witnessed soaring IT demand and the shift towards offshore outsourcing for services.

NOW! Computer science has became the new popular field of choice. Pakistan is fast becoming the destination of choice for a significant number of international IT/ITeS companies looking to relocate their operations offshore. The ready availability of skilled professionals, an appropriate IT infrastructure, and affordable rates for connectivity result in considerable time and cost-savings for entrepreneurs.