Changing roles?

[JennaB]

So weird situation at work recently - I'm a developer, recently switched to a new job. Our pm is leaving and it takes about 6 months to train a new one. My mgr asked me to take on the pm role until a replacement is found.

Your thoughts - is it in any way advantageous (I hate tracking my own details but I am uber organized about work stuff ... tracking other ppl's things would kill me/be tough...) or am I right in being negative about this (no growth, no learn and diminishing tech skills). Any advice?

Thx in advance

 

[Sinny91]

So weird situation at work recently - I'm a developer, recently switched to a new job. Our pm is leaving and it takes about 6 months to train a new one. My mgr asked me to take on the pm role until a replacement is found.

Whats weird about that?

Your thoughts - is it in any way advantageous

There is zero information to base an answer on here..

(I hate tracking my own details but I am uber organized about work stuff ... tracking other ppl's things would kill me/be tough...) or am I right in being negative about this (no growth, no learn and diminishing tech skills). Any advice?

Thx in advance

Are you able? and do you want to?

and Hi, btw.

 

[JennaB]

Hi! It's weird that I'm asked to take on the pm role full time, since I expected this to be a technical role where I could develop technically.

I am able to do the role, if I force myself to do it. I think I can get used to it eventually, but it doesn't excite me. Has anyone had experience of this sort and does it usually lead to a bad end ... I'm thinking if this indicates some corp writing on the wall? Thx in advance

 

[Sinny91]

Yea, I went through something similiar.. Didn't like all the new responsibility n stuff. Ran a mile.

Based on the fact we are having this discussion, I don't think that your hearts in it.. and if that's the case, best not start something you dont want to finish.

 

[JennaB]

Yeah, it is tough. Thx for your reply!

 

[redbaron]

Do you get any sort of renumeration for the role?

Is the amount of tech skill lost worth the extra skills earned? Is being an interim project manager something you'd likely be able to put on your resume, or are you really going to just be a placeholder who exerts minimal real influence over the entire project without picking up any extra skills? I feel like it's the latter, in which case I'd not do it personally. There doesn't seem to be much in this opportunity that really benefits you.

Put simply: if you aren't getting paid more to do it and you don't actually want to do it - then don't do it.

 

[JennaB]

Don't you get repercussions if you just decide outright not to do it?

I've always thought of it like - either do it or walk? Is there an elegant way to manage the no then?

 

[redbaron]

Sometimes it's like that. I don't know your manager though or the circumstances. Generally speaking it's bad form to reject a promotion, but I can't tell if this is a promotion or not. A lot of this depends on the kind of relationship you have with your manager and/or the type of person they are.

If it's, "do it or walk" then I'd make sure you have another job lined up before you walk.

If you were just going to stay in the exact same role you're in now, would you consider leaving? If not it might be better to just ride it out. Also depending on your manager, it might be worth mentioning your concerns on losing tech skills and that you don't really have the other skills to be PM. Be careful about this though as you could just end up looking like soneone who's, "difficult" and fights against management even if all your concerns are legitimate.

It's definitely a skill to be able to reject requests from bosses and have them be happy about it. You could try explaining the angle that the loss of a developer's work time may overall hurt the project more, and offer some alternative solution to having an inexperienced PM.

You could collaborate together to keep each other headed in the right direction as a team, instead of having an inexperienced PM trying to keep people to task on their own for example. Neither one is an ideal fit but if you're real hesitant about the role you could suggest it.

Also if your manager's not the type to really listen to you then don't bother with this stuff. It might be easier to just accept it and wait it out - a lot of work situations resolve themselves given time.

 

[QuickTwist]

Sounds like your manager wants you to fulfill X role. I think it would come down to if you want that particular job or not. Much of the time a manager just wants to plug someone who is able to do X job and if its not your cup of tea, just be ready to jump ship.

 

[Haim]

Sometimes it's like that. I don't know your manager though or the circumstances. Generally speaking it's bad form to reject a promotion

But this is not exactly the situation, as he was intended to work as normal developer not a manager, if they wanted to hire a manager they should have mentioned that to him beforehand.

 

[JennaB]

Thanks for the feedback redbaron, QuickTwist, and Haim. I've decided to give it a try for a few months and see if it fits. I'll supplement my tech skills in another way for the time being. There are a few people skills that I can develop and maybe some better organization skills these pms have. I'll bring up the topic with the mgr after the trial period if the fit could be better. Thx again for the help.