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Steps To Becoming The Best Project Manager You Can Be

22nd September 2022

     

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We all want to be the best at what we do; and in order to do so, it’s essential to constantly evaluate and challenge both our skills and work-related beliefs on a regular basis in order to continually adapt to the situation in front of us and improve on all fronts. No matter how long you’ve been in the industry doing project management, there will always be new information and ways to learn and improve on.  It is always a good idea to improve when you have some free time, and even when you don’t. After all, learning and upskilling yourself is the greatest gift you could give yourself, plus your team and future self will thank you for it!

Managing a project, whether a small in-house project or a large multi-corporation event, can be daunting to say the least. The reality is that there is no secret formula that will help you execute projects perfectly every time, it’s more than likely that you’ll stumble upon a series of challenges and obstacles before you reach the end of a project and hopefully the success of it. The ability to overcome these unexpected challenges and obstacles, and be able to deal with them on the go without losing your cool is what makes a successful project manager.

What makes a good project manager?

Behind each and every successful campaign, organised event, or functional product launch, is a project manager with a sharp skill set that’s been able to pull their team forward and get everyone back on their feet when things go wrong. Plus, they make it look easy while doing it. A good project manager isn’t afraid to get stuck in the trenches along with their team to ensure that they get the job done on time and on budget. They’re able to align the objectives of the company with the objectives of the campaign seamlessly, and pick up any faults before they become an issue.

There are a few key areas that if you follow and improve on, can take you from being a project manager, to being the best project manager you can be. Let’s explore them below.

How to be the best project manager you can be

By working on these key areas; you’ll not only improve your work life by taking away avoidable stress, but also improve your work relationships by ensuring the closest thing to a seamless project execution. After all, a happy project manager makes for a happy team!

Set goals and priorities for each project right from the beginning

Never underestimate the power of working towards a common goal. Without something to work backwards from, planning and managing become extremely difficult, when it doesn't have to be. Knowing what you are working towards allows you to properly execute your projects and measure your progress both during and after a project. This in turn will make it easier to know what the success of a project looks like and it will help keep you and your team on track. Define and measure the goals you’re working towards by setting SMART goals and even project checkpoints if it’s a large-scale project so you can ensure nothing slips through the cracks and everyone knows exactly what the project process is.

Write it all down

As a project manager, you’re constantly getting new information thrown at you from every direction while you juggle and prioritise an array of tasks simultaneously. Don’t try to remember everything off-hand because inevitably it won’t work, so rather write it down to ensure there is a record of everything. Use a notebook or digital space where you can keep all your notes together so you have a reference to go back to in case you forget. You’ll thank yourself for it later!

Invest in Project Management tools

No matter the size of the company; whether you have 100 employees or 10, using a helpful project management tool will help keep everyone on the same page and aid in effective communication between teams. Your company may already have invested in a specific project management tool for estimating, scheduling, and delegating, but there is always room for improvement in regards to using some smaller, supplemental tools to help keep you and your team organised. Tools like Monday.com, Trello, Slack, Jira, Atlassian, and InVision can improve team collaboration and communication in multiple aspects of any project.

Delegate efficiently

There’s nothing worse than a project manager that doesn’t delegate efficiently. It breeds distrust among your team members as it comes across as though you don’t trust them to do the job they are more than capable of doing. A lot of project managers fall into the trap of thinking they should know everything, but this is not the case. Trust your people and assign tasks accordingly. You’re not alone so use your team the way they’re supposed to be.

Be realistic and honest

Where a lot of project managers go wrong is that they over promise to their clients and under deliver. Always make sure you’ve done your research and if needed, get your team involved to figure out the full scope of work before agreeing to any timelines with the client. It’s important to be realistic when setting timelines and creating estimates as this will prevent any frustration and stress in the future that could have been avoided if you had been honest and realistic from the beginning.

Honesty and transparency between you, your team, and the client are all important in both the planning, and the delivery of work. If you lie just to impress the client or embellish the work you’ve done, this will come back to bite both you and your team. Rather be honest and upfront from the beginning so you can deliver high-quality results instead of rushing towards the finish line and delivering subpar work. Your clients will understand if you explain the process and deliver quality work.

Be as detailed and organised as possible

As a project manager, it’s your job to make sure everything and everyone is organised, and to keep all teams and team members involved in the project on the same page. It’s almost a requirement that you have the ability to be detailed and organised as a project manager and it is definitely a top requirement if you want to be the best project manager you can be. Everyone involved in the project relies on you to keep the project moving no matter what comes up and in order to do this you need to have a well-thought-out and well-documented plan.

Hold regularly scheduled meetings

It’s important to hold regular meetings with everyone involved in the project to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Feedback and approval from all parties involved help shape the final outcome and having regular and open communication will benefit everyone involved and ensure a smoother delivery of the project. It’s a good idea to hold meetings around specific delivery points in your project to ensure everyone is on the right path and if not you can quickly adjust accordingly before it’s too late.

Have a backup plan

Even if your plan seems foolproof, odds are, it’s not. This is why it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan just in case something falls through or plans change, which they always seem to do. By having a backup plan you can be confident that you can deliver value to your clients even when things go wrong. And by having a plan on the back burner, you can make the transition to a different plan a quick and easy one if needed.

Be a team leader

It’s important to support your team no matter what, help them whenever they need it, and listen to their opinions even if they challenge yours. After all, your team doesn’t work for you, they work with you. By fostering a good work relationship with your team, you can improve productivity by tenfold and if your team trusts and respects you, they will go above and beyond without even batting an eye. Set the example and be a true team leader by respecting and listening to your team and helping them meet both their goals and yours, and don’t forget to let them know just how important they are to the success of the project. A little morale boost can go a long way!

Final Words

Many project managers will naturally develop these key project management skills over the course of their careers. Through trial and error, experience and short courses like the Project Management Short Course, will all aid you in becoming the best project manager you can be.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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