Managing a successful project means doing a whole lot more than coming up with a good plan and making sure the work gets done on time. Instead, if you really want to be a successful project manager, you’ve got to avoid these 3 pitfalls at all costs…
Just because you’re in charge doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from other people’s point of view. In fact, the best brainstorming sessions come from a variety of sources! That’s because your employees can help you think of different things (or even just different angles) that you never would have been able to think of all by yourself.
As an added benefit, getting everyone else’s input boosts morale and productivity. It means people feel like they’re part of a team, instead of just cogs in the machine. In the end, your employees will probably do a much better job if they know that you value their opinions and take their ideas seriously.
The communication can’t end when your planning does, though. Good project managers will take feedback during the project just as seriously as they do before the project starts. That way, if any issues pop up along the way, you can do whatever it takes to correct them.
Just remember that not all communication is created equally. Dysfunctional communication processes – such as adding extra meetings or sending tons of emails are not going to add anything good to your project team’s outcome. Quite the opposite. Instead, look for ways to streamline communication while also being actively engaged. Try:
As a project manager, it can be tempting to want to do everything yourself or, at least, personally oversee everything – especially if your head is the one on the chopping block is something goes wrong!
However, failing to delegate is another big morale-killer. It makes people think that you don’t trust them or that you think they’re not capable.
Plus, failing to delegate can slow down the entire project. After all, you’re being paid to manage the project – not do the whole thing. If you could do it all by yourself, you wouldn’t need employees in the first place! The last thing you need is to become a bottleneck in your own project.
Projects fail for a variety of reasons. But a poor division of labor is at the top of the list. Deciding on your team’s roles and responsibilities should come at the very beginning of the project scheduling stage. And be monitored or even reevaluated throughout. Remember to:
There is a huge difference between being the boss and being a leader. If you want to be a good project manager, you need to strive to be a leader.
What exactly does that mean?
Leaders don’t just hand out instructions. They also inspire their employees and keep their passion going even when things get rough. Real leaders create an atmosphere where people want to move forward and be successful – not just treat their work like any ol’ project.
In the end, leaders generate much better results, and they have much happier employees, who finish projects on time and are eager to start on the next one.
Good leaders are not always born. And even those who are can stand to brush up on their skills every now and then. Avoid succumbing to a major pitfall when managing your next project by:
To most project managers, none of this should be new information. Perhaps you’re trying to implement these better work processes now, but you just don’t have the right tool to do so. Ganttic is high-level project management software.
Not only will you have a clear visual overview of your projects and tasks, but can assign your resources and team to specific work. That way you’ll have a clear timeline of the project schedule and a clear breakdown of people’s roles along the way. Either way, you’ll have the tool in hand to avoid those common pitfalls in project management.
Learn more about Ganttic by signing up for a free demo. Or try it yourself free for 14 days.
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Take Ganttic’s leadership quiz and find out if you were born to be an authentic leader or whether it’s merely something you have adapted to.
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