The Accidental Project Manager
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
Have you ever found yourself responsible not just for your own work, but also for coordinating the work of others — without any real authority over them?
If so, congratulations — you’ve entered the world of project management and earned the title accidental project manager*.
“Wait… Is This Even a Project?”
In today’s business environment, most people are involved in some kind of project work — even if they don’t call it that.
Often, the people leading these efforts don’t even realize they’re managing a project at all. To them, it’s just “work.”
So when does it actually make sense to have a project manager?
The Honest Answer: Not Always
At least not someone with the formal title or a PMP certification.
“But Mark, you’ve got your PMP! How can you say that?”
Because in reality, many projects are small in scope, involve only a few people, and don’t cross major functional boundaries.
For those, you don’t need a full-time project manager.
But if you’ve suddenly become the “default” person leading one of these efforts — what can be called an accidental project manager — you might need a few new skills to succeed.
The Good News (and the Bad News)
✅ The good news: There are countless resources out there to help you build those skills.
❌ The bad news: There are so many that it’s hard to know where to start.
Where I Can Help
Using a #FractionalLeadership model — or what I like to call #MentorForHire — I bring 25+ years of project experience to support you, your people, and your project objectives.
Leadership Isn’t Reserved for Executives
I believe deeply: leadership isn’t reserved for executives.
There are opportunities for leadership at every level — especially for those new “accidental project managers” who find themselves guiding a team, solving problems, and delivering results without the title or authority.
If that sounds like you, reach out — I’d love to connect.
*I need to thank Mark Mullaly for introducing me to this term. I'm a big fan Mark!
Comments