A good project manager does not shine, but lights up others.
The agency world is always talking about performance, creativity and project management. But the more time I spend in my role as a project manager, the more I'm interested in another aspect - the less visible one. The level of trust, respect, calm and space. The one that not only determines whether a project successfully runs its course, but more importantly, the state the team is left in.
From Manager to Guide
Having the title of manager does not automatically mean that people will listen to you with respect. Trust does not come with a title. It comes when a colleague knows that they can turn to you with uncertainties and comments, that they will not face criticism but interest. When they know that their perspective has weight – even if it is different. Here, a hierarchy does not begin, but a partnership.
In the agency, the project manager is not the boss. They are a connector. A bridge between worlds. Between the client and the team. Between the assignment and the output. They translate the language of expectations, filtering signals from the noise and maintaining direction. And often, they do not make it into the presentation and remain in the background. And that is okay. A good project manager does not shine; they illuminate.
The art of extinguishing chaos
People in agencies do not burn out because they have too much work. They burn out because they do not know what is important. Because everything is on fire, everything has priority, and everything is constantly changing. But calmness is an advantage. When the team knows what we do first, what can wait, and what can be left unfinished – concentrated work begins to happen instead of chaos. Performance without a big bang. And with that comes quality.
It may sound like low priority, but distinguishing the important from the noisy is one of the most important skills a good project manager should have in their hard skills backpack.
Rest as Part of the Performance
Our field is fast. But not everything that is fast is efficient. I encounter this all the time – colleagues who rush from meeting to meeting, handle tasks on weekends, and scroll through tasks in the evening instead of taking time for themselves. But the mind is not an infinite processor.
Rest is not a reward. It is a necessity! Micro-breaks, mental shifts, lunches with eyes glued to the mobile screen or monitor. No good! Sometimes just 10 minutes "off system" is enough to reboot and breathe a little.
Therefore, the job scope of a project manager should not only include caring for the completion of assigned tasks but also monitoring the capacities and energy of the people in the team.
Assignment is a Form of Care
A good brief is not a checkbox. It is an act of care. For the team, for the project, for the client. When the assignment is clear, it creates space for freedom. When it is vague, energy is lost right from the start.
The assignment is not a control light. It is a compass. It helps people understand what they are doing, why they are doing it, and what it means. And above all – that they can ask questions, disagree, and add their perspective. Because even a brief is a dialogue, not an order. A good brief creates safety in which courage can arise. And courage is a prerequisite for every good creative concept.
Team is not a Spreadsheet. It is a Feeling.
You can have a clearly defined mission, values on the website, beautiful presentations, and amazing bonuses for employees, but you will not recognize the true strength of a team by how happy it looks in photos from team-building events. It lies in how people feel in it every day. They feel that they have their solid place in it, that their voice matters, and that they have space to grow.
And when most people in the team experience this, something strong starts to happen. A team is not just a collection of individuals. It is an environment that empowers everyone – and thereby strengthens as a whole.
Difference is not a complication, but an advantage
At first glance, it's easier to have a unified team. But creativity is not mass production. An introvert who is silent in a meeting can come up with the most thoughtful solution. An analyst points out a gap that others overlooked. And an extrovert brings energy when others are struggling. Diversity is not a complication. It is an advantage. But only if we are not afraid to let people work in their own way.
Leadership without words
Not every day brings a wow moment. Most of a project manager's work happens between the lines. In the way they react when something goes wrong, how they ask questions, how they recognize overload, or how they notice that someone needs more time or recognition.
Leadership that inspires does not come from a stamp. But from presence. And that is not guided by process, but by feeling.
My job is to create conditions in which every team member can shine. That means talking less and listening more, and keeping the team together, even when the world around is shaking a little. And when something really succeeds? Step back. Because success is not a solo. Success is always a joint merit.
At WeBetter we know that a good project is not just about the goal, but also about the journey.
And that journey can be calm, even when the client aims very high – especially when you have a team that sticks together, does not fall apart, brings things to completion, and even comes up with new ideas along the way.
We handle marketing without unnecessary drama, with perspective, a clear direction, and a desire to move brands forward.
If you are looking for a partner who feels the same, reach out to us.
Karolina Böhmová
