From Team lead to Project manager

[former_member182354]

Hello,

         Can you share your experience on your transition from a Team lead to an SAP Project manager.

         This discussion is intended at SAP Project managers to share their success story.

Raghav

[sanilbhandari]

Hi

I have been working as an integration and FICO lead for some engagements and have been working now as a Project Manager for some time now. A succesful PM would be a team lead, who has been meticulous in his job, breaks down the tasks into small jobs, delegated and completed on a day to day basis. There should be a clear tracking for planned and actual activities. This would help you execute the same activities at a much broader level when you are working as a Project Manager. You will have to deal with various phases and stake holders. You should be able to break up the tasks into small objects and have a clear tracking of these activities.

Another important activity that a successful Manager would need to do is to be a clear communicator. You should be able to align with the team and in turn communicate clearly to the team and to the stakeholders.

An important transition for a successful SAP Project Manager is the skills on the integration side. A team lead who is able to clearly understand the Process Flows will be a very succesful to work with the various stakeholders as a project manager and close the gaps for an SAP Implementation.

Thanks & Regards

Sanil Bhandari

[former_member195427]

Hi Sunil,

How much time (years of continuous learning and experience) it takes for a consultant in his/her career to move from one stage to another,lets say from Consultant to Sr. consultant -> Module lead->Team Lead-> PM and so on...

Though I believe that it depends from person to person yet is there any ideal time gap between such transitions? If yes then how it should be planned?

Please share your views on it.

Thanks & Regards

Saurabh

[sanilbhandari]

Hi Saurabh

You are absolutely correct that it depends on person to person. I have seen in my short career of 7 years in SAP, folks managing small projects as PM. These folks have been excellent consultants, who have been able to translate Business Process into SAP and have been very good team managers. They have always supported team members and were meticulous. They have grown year on year and are Project Managers. PM in the SAP world are a bit different from other technologies, in that they should be able to talk and breath Business in addition to their management skills. This is again my personal opinion.

Some of the folks who are excellent team leads have also chosen to broaden their skills in technology and have adapted the newer fields in Mobile, HANA and so on from traditional areas like SD, FICO and MM to name a few. 

On the other hand, I have also seen people with more than 10 years of exp, in the comfort zone, happy and contended with the position they are in. These folks have neither adapted to new changes and are still happy with what ever they have been doing for last so many years.

So at the end of day, I strongly believe, it is clarity of thought & passion alone which drives a success. It is really hard to put an exact no of years in which can arrive at X level.

Thanks & Regards

Sanil Bhandari

[Former Member]

Hi Raghavender,

In India, we have a different hierarchy level when you see transition from Team Lead to Project Manager.  However, If you look at US, Aus, New Zealand, it purely based on your own interest.  I saw many people who transitioned from SAP Senior Consultant to Project Manager directly.  I have recently see a person, who transitioned from Project Coordinator to Project Manager where I am currently working on the project.

PMM and Prince certifications are major advantage to become Project Manager.  Always experience matters everywhere, if you done a small project on time and within budget then you can get next project slightly big.

Regards

GGOPII