ABSTRACT
The Lean and agile project manager (PM) will benefit from becoming familiar with the work of W. Edwards Deming. Deming was a pioneer in the quality movement and is well known for a number of works and theories related to process improvement and project management concepts. This theory states that the following things are a key to good management: appreciation of the system, knowledge of variation, theory of knowledge, and understanding of psychology. Assessing the leadership model of the company and how much authority will be given to the Lean and agile PM is just as important as understanding how employees will react to the new leader or manager. Even when the Lean and agile PM are expected to perform in a project management role, some leadership skills will be necessary to move the team forward. Some Lean and agile PMs come by both leadership and/or management competencies naturally.
