by Caryl Teh
How can you tell whether you’re managing a project well? Is it enough that everyone is delivering good quality work on time and no one is pulling each other’s hair out or having a yelling contest? That’s a good start, but good project management should aim to create more than just a tolerable work synergy. Let’s take a look at some of the indicators that you’re doing well as a project manager.
1. Your Team Understands the Big Picture Alignment
You know you’re doing a good job as project manager when everyone in the project team is clear from the start what the big picture end goal is. Meaning they understand not only what the objective of this specific project is, but also how the project supports broader business goals.
2. Everyone is Clear about the Whos and the Whats
If your team members don’t know who they’re supposed to work with for a given task, then you need to establish a detailed project plan. Good collaboration means contributing people know the project scope, each member’s roles, their own action items, and an overall project timeline. For a more detailed list of what you should include, check out our “3 Project Management Tips”.
3. Pitfall-Avoiding Strategies, Check
No project runs 100% problem-free. We’re talking about wrenches like difficulties in obtaining a resource or a delay in getting necessary approval. You won’t be able to anticipate EVERY problem, but you’re in a good place if you’ve at least tried to anticipate some of those roadblocks & armed yourselves with strategies to keep the project on track. Some examples include agreeing to sit down and talk if there’s a resource miscommunication, or giving a longer timeline earlier just in case approvals take longer than expected.
4. No One Feels Overwhelmed
Chances are, at any point in time your team members are handling more than just this one project. It’s good to be optimistic, but more important to be realistic about each person’s capacities. Make it a habit to ask each team member whether they feel their workload is reasonable. It might also help to ask who is open to lend a hand if an emergency crops up.
5. Regular Evaluations Help Your Team Adapt Quickly
Whether it’s meeting requirements, checking workload capability (see 4.), or sticking to the budget and timeline, having a rock-solid plan to monitor progress carefully gives the team more frequent opportunities to evaluate and course-correct when necessary. When you notice that something isn’t working as planned, you can make adjustments before investing even more time and energy into your existing trajectory.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go as smoothly as you hoped — remember that project management is a skill that takes time to develop. Use this as a checklist of things to establish or make clear before your whole team jumps into a project, and try to find a mentor at work who can give you advice or feedback along the way. Take things one step at a time, and soon, you just might surprise yourself at how your project management skills are growing.
Source:
Trello
