Project Driver or Enabler 

Having a work experience of around 11 years, I spent around 2.5 years in project management. There I am witnessing two kinds of roles - Driver and Enabler. 

A driver is someone who takes on the responsibility and accountability for the project deliverables. Enablers act as complements to the driver.

Diplomatically speaking, I have found myself in both roles, but can honestly be classified as an enabler. 

In fact initially, when I started my career as Project Manager, I tried to become a driver. Driver is something like a person who always telling everyone what to do. As an enabler, we are working together, and my excitement level with regards to the project is higher and experienced by the other team members.  As an enabler, I need to listen to the people, their concerns, their issues, their problems (personal as well as professional).

I am a team/people-oriented person, so the enabler role comes naturally. I believe a project succeeds or fails as a team, not because of one person. When project managers are enablers, they are more in touch with the team dynamics and human factors as well as the project requirements. I am very much sure that teams tend to run more efficiently and are more motivated when the project manager is an enabler. Sometimes, you need to act as a enabler for a person whom you designate as a driver. 

But there is one more aspect here. When you are working in a company, you have to work with the same people again and again for various projects. It is more challenging and requires you to play as a Driver as well as Enabler. Being the driver gets you attention from management, which leads to the next project. Being an enabler helps form a healthy relationship with people.

Final words – select the role as per your personality and skill sets. Both the roles – Driver and Enabler – are important for the success of the project.

-       Sanat Sharma