Holding Project Managers Accountable for Project Profitability

Over the course of my career, I've worked with several different types of agencies (advertising, branding, digital, web developers, software developers, one-stop-shop creative, etc).  Among the common issues that appear consistently: project managers are not responsible for financial health.  WTH?!

IMHO, I really don't understand the point of a project manager who isn't controlling the financial health of a project along with the timeline.  But Kelly:

• we don't want to track time, it ruins our culture
• the idea happens when it happens
• we don't want to share profitability information
• excuses, excuses

For every excuse you have, I'm 100% certain there is a middle ground solution that empowers your project management team to lead both timelines and financial viability.  You don't want to track time?  Great - I've got some ideas on tools, metrics and planning that can help to work around it while still holding people accountable.  News flash: Accountability is a value that needs to exist in EVERY organization (if you're not interested in accountability as a value, feel free to stop reading my writings :)).

The thing about running a successful business is you have to make money to support your: people, values, initiatives, and goals.  Without the tension of accountability, the money factor is difficult to achieve.  Don't get me wrong, you can't lean too far into watching financials either.  Nothing stifles my creativity more than a perceived box around my thinking; I definitely "get it".  I also know there is an art to finding the balance.

How about you?  Have you found the balance between operational excellence and creative?

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