Project Managers, Practitioners, and Professionals There are three archetypes: project managers, practitioners, and professionals. A good project team will be staffed with all three. There's the gal who keeps the project on track, on budget, and within scope; the geek (with a faint, detectable glow of a halo around his head) who can deliver a soliloquy on the history of bate numbers and can lecture at exhaustive length on recall and precision; and last (but not least) the partner who, between negotiating the big deals, instills ethical and professional behavior in the team. A bad team, mind you, can still be staffed with all three archetypes. The difference is that a good team knows that they need each and every one of these role players. They rely on a mixture of every one's talents. A bad team will have individuals who have an overinflated view of their own contributions. They downplay the relative worth of everyone else's role on the project and have a heroic view of themselves. Whenever you're embarking on a new project, get to know the role players. If you notice bickering, infighting, or grandstanding this is a huge red flag. This, even more so than the value of the technology that's being employed, will give you some indication of the project's ultimate chance for success.  ¶ 6:57 AM