Savvy Tips for Becoming a Successful Project Manager

There are very few organisations today which don’t rely heavily on project managers to ensure that their projects are successfully implemented and the demand for project management talent is rising globally in all fields of industry. With that in mind, we can safely conclude that only those companies that hire people with the right skill sets will be able to thrive. But what does it take to be a successful project manager?

Job description

Let’s start by defining what is expected of a project manager. They are someone who is responsible for a project’s success, regardless of whether that is their official title. Basically, they are in charge of planning, monitoring, controlling and executing the completion of a project for an organization. It’s very important that these projects are completed on time and within the designated budget.

Make the most of your team

Probably the most important characteristic of a good project manager is the ability to utilize their team members in a way that brings out the best performance from all team members throughout a project’s life cycle. That means that a project manager needs to know each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, so that they know what can be expected from each and every member. Needless to say, team members need to trust their team leader and feel satisfied being included in a project.

Use project management tools

Luckily, technology has developed so much that you can now choose from a wide range of online project management tools to help you store all critical information, transform data into various graphs, charts and dashboards, as well as collaborate within a team. 

Keep on learning

As a project manager, you are a leader and leaders need to lead by example. So, if you want your team members to develop professionally in order to boost their performance, you have to show them that you too are eager to learn and grow as a project manager. That is why enrolling in one of the reputable courses offering project manager certification is always a good idea. The point is to encourage people working with you to follow in your footsteps and to learn new skills that will come in handy in your future work. 

Foster open communication

No project can be completed successfully without proper communication. It’s a project manager’s task to ensure that there are communication channels that can be used by the relevant stakeholders, clients and team members and that communication is conducted constantly. These channels should be open 24/7, so that any questions or doubts can be resolved quickly.

Set realistic and attainable goals

Regardless of whether we talk about the final outcome or deliverables, i.e. the metrics set to keep track of your progress, you have to make sure they are realistic and attainable both in terms of deadlines and quality. Otherwise, a lot of frustration will be imposed on everyone involved, which will lead to a dip in the quality of work and many missed deadlines.

Plan well

Nobody likes planning for failure, but a shrewd project manager should always anticipate in which area a failure is possible and plan accordingly. This is called thinking a few steps ahead. The more you get into details, the more realistic your plan will be. Naturally, you can’t possibly predict everything that can go wrong, but you most certainly need to allow some time to deal with problems that arise. 

Accept that you don’t know everything

Even if you have most of the skills required to be a successful project manager, you mustn’t come across or behave as if you know everything. You should realize that the answers to the questions can come from either team members or people outside the project and you need to be ready to accept this fact. People prefer working with those who are aware of their limitations than with those who have a know-it-all attitude. The fact that you listen to others’ ideas and are ready to accept them will only strengthen your position and those who work with you will only appreciate you more. 

These are just some of the most important general tips you should follow if you wish to be a successful project manager. The task is challenging, but far from impossible. Still, you need to have the right set of skills and experience working in teams. Finally, you should be ready to learn from the mistakes you and your team will be making. The learning curve may be steep sometimes, but if you use the opportunity to develop professionally, you’ll become an even better project manager.