Rules successful project managers stick to

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 Zubair Rashid

A project manager who is successful is one who has the vision to see a complete project through from start to finish. They can keep pace with any changes that come up along the way, deal with scope creep and have the flexibility to change their management practices along the way.

Here, we ask Parallel Project Training what some of the rules they believe a successful project manager should stick to are.

Be Agile

At a time when more traditional methodologies for project management are seen as being too rigid and time-consuming, it is necessary to be more agile in the face of rising changes and issues.

Don’t micromanage

A great project manager is a leader, not someone who feels the need to be in control all of the time. Being over-analytical and spending too much time perfecting the little details can mean neglecting the important milestones of a project. Being flexible in project management means balancing the necessary hard and soft skills and the right and left sides of the brain.

Continually improve your project management skills

Continuous professional development (CPD) is essential as a project manager, whether you keep abreast of the latest industry methodologies or attend training courses for PMs that will allow you to update your skills, there is always room for improvement.

Planning

The most important activity that any project manager will undertake is planning. This is something that should always be organised and detailed and, in most cases, needs the participation of the project team. It is also important to remember that plans may need to change and adapt, and workloads need to be reprioritised to adapt to situations. A successful project manager will understand they need to plan, re-plan and plan again.

Have a sense of urgency

Time, money, and resources are not unlimited in any project; if only they were! Within these constraints, a project manager news to ensure that they are continually driving their project towards the set deadline, adapting for things along the way that may hamper this.

Communicate all deliverables for the project

The project manager and project team must be able to create an image of the project deliverable in the minds of those involved to ensure everyone is working in the same direction. Vague descriptions should be avoided at every cost. Draw diagrams, be specific and ensure everyone agrees.

Achieve deliverables step-by-step

Think of your project as a mountain, the concept of doing everything in one go is impossible. When you break it down into smaller chunks of work, and deliverables, and work on them one at a time, it becomes much simpler and achievable.

Open communication

The single most important skill in project management is communication. Ensure that you have a policy for open communication in place and encourage team members to voice their opinions and concerns. This is a great way to ensure that there are fewer mistakes along the way and will hopefully save you both time and money.