Do Project Managers Have to Know the Subject Matter?

It has long been a source of debate whether a project manager must understand the subject matter of the project they're leading.

In my experience, it's not absolutely necessary, but it definitely helps. I've managed plenty of projects successfully where I didn't know the subject matter all that well. But even then, I made it a point to learn enough about it so that I understood the issues. And I had people on the project who were subject matter experts, and I made sure to ask questions.

If we look at leadership in the truest sense of the word, it means to "lead" -- to be out in front. General Patton likened it to a piece of cooked spaghetti. You have to pull it, you can't push it.

Also, consider this quote from Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, a French labor reformist who took part in the barricades of 1848: "There go my people. I must find out where they are going so I can lead them."

You can almost picture Groucho Marx saying this as he chomps on his cigar. However, funny as it is, it's really not a bad way to approach managing projects where we're deficient in the subject matter. We need to learn enough to be able to lead the effort and resolve issues.