Be a Good Project Manager
Being a project manager is a lot more that simply delegating and giving out orders. It takes a lot of different skills and patience that only certain people have. As a project manager, you will be the person that is in overall charge of the planning and execution of a particular project.If you’re looking to become a project manager, or if you’ve recently taken on a project, here are some hints and tips on how to succeed and impress!
Steps
- Always listen! If you are not listening, you are not learning. As a project manager, you need to learn all about your team’s strengths and weaknesses so that you can manage their work and time effectively. If you listen to them, know and understand your needs and take action more, people will want to help you from the beginning. The more you listen the more success you will have, so open your ears and you’ll be on the way for a promotion.
- Know your industry inside out. Understanding the industry is a huge bonus when managing a team. Your team needs to be knowledgeable about how the market works and what goals your company are aiming for. If you’re knowledgeable, you can share your knowledge with them. This is key to letting your team understand the main objectives of your project.
- Be part of the team – not the boss! When you’re managing a team, you will probably need to work on various different projects with them. If you become a team player, you will also be asking for help when you need it. For example, always let your team know when you find a fundamental problem, instead of waiting for the issue to grow. Learning from each other is key and if you work with your team, you will be able to achieve a lot more.
- Get certified! There are so many fantastic project management courses such as a PRINCE2® training course, that will help you in your project management quest. Many of these are recognised by companies worldwide, so will help you to enhance your career prospects and manage bigger teams. Taking any course, will give you the confidence to manage your team successfully. Continuing your professional development is a crucial component of modern business strategy.
- R.E.S.P.E.C.T!! Last but certainly not least, you need to make sure that you treat your team with respect, be nice to them and be honest with them. If you don’t respect them, they will not work for you. You are all working on the project together so you’ll also need to respect each other.