To be a better project manager, take care of yourself physically and emotionally Tom Peters says that every project deserves to be a “Wow” project. So if you don’t start each new project thinking, “I can’t wait to get going on this project!” you are doing your project a disservice, and you probably need to recharge your batteries.…
Be an effective communication focal point. The project manager must allocate time in their schedule for both planned and unplanned communications. They need to have methods for proactively reaching out to stakeholders and team members (push) and also encouraging people to come to them as needed (pull). http://ow.ly/i/xIVCX
Is there confusion on your projects on who to go to with questions, requests and issue? It is important to establish who will be providing direction and information on your project rather than allowing for confusion regarding who to go to. During busy projects, conflicting information and confusion need to be avoided and one of…
At the beginning of your project, uncertainty is highest and overall project risk is actually the greatest. Typical risks often include unclear objectives and requirements, unavailable subject matter experts, and hasty planning. There are appropriate responses to these identifiable risks as well as ways for dealing with unidentified risks that could negatively impact your project’s…
Ask most people to describe meetings at work, and they will probably say “boring,” or “worthless.” But, holding a great meeting isn’t unattainable with these tips in mind. G – Goals for the meeting should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time Bound. SMART goals are very appropriate for meetings but often not the…
Building a better what? The WBS – work breakdown structure is an incredibly powerful tool in the Project Manager’s Toolkit. But, what the heck is it? In a nutshell, it is the foundation of the project plan. Creating a work breakdown structure (WBS) helps you consider both the details and the big picture when…
I must say, I overwhelmingly prefer the online environment to the physical classroom environment for project management learning. For many (especially those who are computer savvy, good readers, and self-motivated) it is a valuable learning method. Consider the benefits!
“Validate Critical Data”. I don’t remember what wise teacher I learned this from but it is one of those sayings that always goes through my head when I’m jumping into a new project. After many years it continues to be an important part of my project management success (when it is done right) and an unfortunate contributor to my project failures when it is neglected.
