Project Management
Communication
Being able to communicate effectively is probably the most important quality of a strong project manager. Usually, there are multiple stakeholders that you must coordinate with, and each of those stakeholders has their own communication preferences.
Spend time observing people, their personalities and how they communicate. If you know any master communicators, try to observe their skills in action. People with different personalities communicate differently. A Type A person will be all over the wall while a Type B person might seem more reasonable.
Constantly practice all forms of communication. If you’re an email junkie, practice making phone calls, and vice versa if you’re a phone addict. Hold an occasional meeting as well, as that’s the most effective form of communication.
Planning
What’s a project without a plan? A project plan, even if just a mental picture, is essential in establishing a desired outcome. Without a plan all you really have is an undefined job that needs to get done in an undefined amount of time. Chances are, that project will never get done. A project plan doesn’t necessarily need to be a lengthy document with charts and situation analyses. Instead, a project plan just needs to get you to the point where you can clearly identify milestones, responsibilities and tasks, and communicate that in an effective fashion to the stakeholders involved.
Communicate directly with new clients and ask them specifically what they envision as the perfect project. This isn’t something that needs to be shrouded in mystery and your client will likely have some excellent feedback.
Learn how to be adaptable by developing contingency plans or options. No project is ever going to be perfect, but you should at least have some options on the table for when things start to go awry.
Organization
Projects are a mess of milestones, expectations, plans, ideas, people and messages. It’s the job of the project manager to organize this mess into a cohesive, well-oiled machine that can get the job done. Poorly organized projects are always a source of misery especially when no one has any idea what’s going on.
Constantly evaluate your own methodologies. Figure out what is and isn’t working. Is there a certain activity that takes too long or becomes too cluttered? Review options to alleviate that pain point.
Compromise
Compromise can be tough. There are many theories on how to approach different situations, and in the end, your situation always seems to be the unique case. Regardless, being able to negotiate with a variety of people is a valuable skill. Whether it’s fleshing out the details of a proposal or settling on a service charge with a vendor, compromise can save you time and money.
Constantly evaluate your own methodologies. Figure out what is and isn’t working. Is there a certain activity that takes too long or becomes too cluttered? Review options to alleviate that pain point.
Constantly evaluate your own methodologies. Figure out what is and isn’t working. Is there a certain activity that takes too long or becomes too cluttered? Review options to alleviate that pain point.