As a project manager, you prioritize building and strengthening stakeholder relationships for good reason. Every supplier, investor, employee, and project sponsor involved shares a vested interest in the success of the project and, on a larger scale, the entire company. Author Simon Simek notes in his book that a business’s success is measured by longevity […]
Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” Ambrose Bierce You just gave one of your most eloquent speeches. You were inspired, you were passionate, you were a bit witty, and you had the attention of everyone around you. Your words evoked strong emotion in others. Unfortunately, […]
By Luke Smith Is there an aspect of work that COVID-19 has not changed? For project managers, likely not. New processes for remote work, changes in company structure and composition, and trends in management strategies overall will define the modern workplace. But project managers can successfully navigate these shifts. With the tools and strategies available […]
Why was Joe putting so much effort into the decision-making process and the outcome of that process? He had a high-performing team. This was a team that worked well together and met challenging goals. A team who could argue and then break into laughter. This time the team felt a bit more passionate about the issue at hand. The divide seemed a bit deeper than during any of their previous disagreements
No matter how experienced you are. No matter how many projects you have managed or teams that you have led, you can always brush up on your leadership skills. While it continues to be important for you to model responsible behavior to your teams, other ways to lead may vary in their necessity. For example, in 2020 the need to lead virtual teams, and inspire work from home employees has moved to the top of desirable skills. The good news is that you can always learn and change and grow.
As the pandemic has created a “new normal,” employees around the world are grappling with change. Either they must continue working from home indefinitely or they’re facing largely reconfigured and discombobulated physical offices that have been rejiggered to follow new COVID-19 protocols. They are looking to YOU to lead them through the pandemic and beyond.
Being a project manager is about leading teams through change. Today, the change is wrapped in a crisis. The pandemic has compelled project teams to embrace digital transformation. More than anything, your organization needs adept and effective leadership. Leaders need to guide teams masterfully and reach goals successfully, even as uncertainty looms.
In this endeavor, keep in mind C-H-A-N-G-E. Be an expert in adapting to and thriving in change by embracing some specific characteristics.
Writing is a powerful tool. It can help you get to know yourself, improve your organizational skills, and enhance your communication skills. Take the time to learn how to leverage this tool. It will help you become an even stronger and sought-after leader.
One of the most efficient ways to fix any problem you have with your colleagues is doing it head-on. If you have an issue – talk it out.
Best case scenario – you are going to come to an understanding, and things will improve. Worst case – you move to other options now knowing that the person can’t be reasoned with.
Yet, before going off yelling at someone, make sure you follow some basic rules.
Employee monitoring software, especially the ones with time tracking functionalities, gives you plenty of data and insights into who does what, how long each project takes to be completed, which tools are used, and much more. This will make it easier to assign tasks, organize projects, set realistic deadlines, etc. But you must proceed with caution, you do not want to antagonize your team members.
Don't keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. It takes practice to capture lessons learned and to make use of those lessons as we move forward. What could you do better?