Behavioral Differences Between Functional Managers and Project Managers

Functional managers are usually different from process managers in that they deal with the resources allocated to the various projects. They are highly talented and skilled people who are used when projects are to be done excellently and ensure the projects are finished as early as possible. They are in charge of acquiring skilled personnel and paying them in the end. Functional managers have to enquire of other resources especially people from process managers who may choose to either add or deny their request. As such, functional managers may be limited in certain areas like the request of more people and process managers manage them (Rosenau & Githens, 2011).

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Process managers on the other hand are business manager who are structured in the process organization. The process managers usually deal with any issues that might arise in the process of doing the project and they do not control how the people involved in the project carry out their functions. The process managers usually do not have much control on the working group’s esepieaclly in the functional teams but may act as oversight manager’s esepieaclly when the work is not done properly. Process managers may further include more workers who may not as skilled as those in functional teams do. Such laborers can help on some tasks that do not need many skills and further lessen the time for the project to finish.

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Process managers help ensure that the projects are worked out smoothly to ensure that they are finished early. The process managers can only change the sequence of events in the project but may not change the working schedules of the functional teams, as the functional managers are the one who dictate how the work is to be carried out. Both process managers and functional managers work together though in different areas with the process managers having more say on how the process is to be carried out but not how the employees should work (Gasik, 2011). Therefore, the process manager deal with authority especially in directing the sequence of events while the functional managers deal with the workers and finding the necessary skills.

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