Managing projects is hard. Much of the work involved is routine. More of it involves dealing with people and events that a project manager has little control over.

Success in project management means delivering the promised results in the promised amount of time, with all involved feeling part of the team. That’s easy to say but hard to do in even the best of circumstances.

Nina and I recently spent almost three weeks touring Japan. We were part of a group of 15 “mature” people, from the U.S. and other countries, meeting up in Tokyo to be led by our tour guide, Mariko.

Over our time together, I was impressed by how Mariko managed people who had such different backgrounds than hers. I noted how impressed I was by the way she did her job with several words that made up the acronym MARIKO. Here they are.

Magical
Mariko made hard things look easy. She was very good at setting clear expectations.

The first time we met her was at a gathering of our group. Mariko carefully explained the itinerary, what we could expect of her and what she needed to get from us.

Sometimes, she used a blank pad and a Sharpie to make drawings of what she was asking of us. She always repeated everything twice. She asked if we got it. And she looked to see if we all truly did.

Lesson: A good project manager does this as a matter of routine. In order to be regarded as magical, one needs to have a clear idea of that the goals and resources are, and set clear expectations about the desired results with all involved.

Aware
I don’t think Mariko had eyes in the back of her head but sometimes she seemed to.

Think about it: We’re talking here about a person half the age of those she was guiding, yet managing to keep all in the group in line.

Sometimes, one of us would get lost in wonder at what we were seeing, unintentionally lagging a bit behind. Mariko continually checked to see where we were and prevented anyone from getting lost.

When a project manager is working with those she manages, paying attention is critical. Verifying and double-checking constantly reduces the likelihood of mistakes and unpleasant surprises.

Doing this takes time. Recovering from what happened because the project manager was not aware takes a lot more time.

Responsive
Despite the best efforts of anyone, sometimes something unexpected happens. One of our group got something in her eye. Her husband, a doctor, could not get it out.

Mariko coordinated getting both of them to a hospital for the required care. All worked out fine, even though things looked a little dicey initially.

When running a project, the manager needs to be on top of all the routine things so that she can take care of the unexpected. This means having anticipated what could go wrong and having solutions in hand before anything happens.

A good project manager does this. Where are the nearest emergency resources and how do we get there as quickly and safely as possible? These need to be known before the project starts. Once the unexpected happen,s there is no time for research.

Inspiring
Our group was the sixth of seven such groups that Mariko was guiding this year for our tour company. And she was doing similar tours for other tour companies this year.

You would think that doing more or less the same routine over and over would make her feel less and less enthusiastic.

Nothing could be further than the truth.

Every three days, Mariko prepared a written agenda for where we were going and what we were doing. She would distribute copies and then go through the info with us carefully.

Watching and listening to her describe what we were going to do was always a treat. Why? Mariko made me feel she was excited to be showing us her remarkable country. And that we were the first group she was taking on this tour!

A project manager needs to influence people. Yelling won’t make that happen. Holding things close and not sharing information is ineffective.

When describing what all will be working on to achieve the desired results, a good project manager builds up a bit of excitement. By sharing her enthusiasm and sense of possibility about what is about to be worked on, she makes those working with her more productive and more collaborative.

Kind
Maintaining an even keel when working with a new group is a challenge. Everybody is different. Some are easier to manage. Some have special needs.

Mariko paid attention to all the details unique to each of the group.

One man had food restrictions that had to be met. He was one of a couple of people in our group dealing with similar issues.

Mariko sent this info ahead to the different restaurants where we were to eat.

Mariko always checked with those serving us food to make sure that each of us was getting what we could eat.

Honestly, I don’t know how she kept it all in her head.

While doing this, Mariko never made anyone feel that this was a pain for her. Her kindness made all of us start looking out for the well-being of our fellow travelers in a caring way.

When running a project with many people involved, too often the project manager does not pay attention to the unique needs and styles of those she is working with. The simmering discord that results then becomes evident as progress slows or comes to a halt.

Being kind while not being a pushover is key to helping those you are working with be as successful as everyone wants to be.

Outstanding
We have done a lot of travel. We don’t always travel with a guide and a group but have done it several times. Fortunately, many of the guides we have had were good.

Mariko was outstanding.

Every day I was surprised by something she did. I learned a lot about managing others from her. Honestly, that was one of the best things about the trip.

A good project manager does the same thing for those she is working with. Ideally, the people who were part of the team take away techniques and approaches that they can use on future projects.

In that respect, a project manager is a teacher. Great teachers help others in ways that are usually never anticipated.

They make the world a better place.

I wish for you that you experience someone like Mariko. When speaking to groups, I often say that you are fortunate if you have an employee or employees who do something that is so good, so right you can’t believe how lucky you are to be working with them.

When looking for a project manager, look for a MARIKO. Don’t settle for less.

After all, the journey of managing a project to completion needs a great guide. Your clients will love you for having found one.