Top 10 Secrets from Successful Project Managers

Project management is one of the most coveted dream job department in a business organization, and a project manager is one of the targeted positions in the ever growing industry. The competition is growing and it’s getting fiercer, what with every business endeavor considered a project nowadays.

 

 

Project management has become more flexible, extending their scope to different fields like technical and sales as well as new methods such as Agile, project management training, and project management office. More project managers want to grow in their career and resorting to various certifications to boost their expertise up.

 

The growing industry also calls for project managers to find new ways to improve themselves. Successful project managers have one thing in common: they never stop learning and it’s their constant battle to achieve their desired results. But what makes someone a successful project manager? Here are some secrets successful project managers share to each other to become more effective and more relevant to their trade. Heed these tips and see yourself rubbing shoulders with the bigwigs.

 

Top 10 Secrets from Successful Project Managers

1. Jot Down the Smallest Of Details

Details that may seem mundane to others are important snippets of details for successful project managers. Never underestimate the bits and pieces of information you receive on a daily basis: putting that onto paper will help you understand the scope of the project or what causes a certain resource to run out immediately. Extend this habit during meetings, stakeholder engagement, and a one on one session with one of your team members.

 

2. Create Self-Assurance to Your Team

Successful project managers are always ready to lend an ear to their team members. Whether it’s a personal issue or something that bothers them at work, assure to your members that you are someone that they can turn to, even technically you are their boss. Let them build assurance on themselves when it comes to their skills and capabilities. To make that possible, help them on the way; look for ways to boost their skills by giving them a task that is parallel to what they are capable of. If you fail to gain self-assurance from them, chances are they ‘d rather stay out of your way and be content not build trust with you.

 

3. Communicate More

Every article on the web about project management will always emphasize the power of effective communication. Neglecting communication means you are neglecting everything altogether. Successful project managers make it a habit to ensure that the communication between their team members is solid and maintained. Don’t stop communicating, especially there are issues that need to be resolved as soon as possible.

 

4. Use The Right Tools

The first step to utilizing a certain project management tool is to determine if it’s effective on the project you are currently working on. Successful project managers don’t waste their precious time trying and using tools that do not benefit the project process and success. This also applies to the tools you use with your team members in terms of task distribution and schedules. Use a tool that is user-friendly and not a complicated application that will take ages to master.

 

5. Keyboard Shortcuts Are Your Savior

No, we’re not messing with you. Mastering keyboard shortcuts are one of the secrets successful project managers do to conserve their time. They do it in every online task—emails, common tools, and programs.

 

6. Proper Task Distribution

Ensure that you are familiar with your team member’s skills and give them tasks that they can do, not because they’re the only ones available. Refrain from that mindset—it’s not going to make your project finish faster. You are actually slowing down the task if you give it to a wrong person.

 

7. Use a Strong CRM Network

Customer relationship management (CRM) is very important when it comes to stakeholder engagement. An effective CRM secures the deliverables, as well as deadlines and task priorities. Having CRM present will help you organize everything and it will save you from pulling your hair out.

 

8. Prepare for Technical Issues

Most projects these days rely on technical tools to keep it running. So when a server crash down or your CPU decides to call it a day, this will disrupt your workflow. Preparing a contingency plan such as a backup system to keep the task at bay and will help you not lose important data.

 

9. Make a Timeline That Everyone Can Understand

Timelines are crucial in every project and any successful project manager knows that. Make it simple to follow and don’t overwhelm it with too many details. Opt for Gantt Charts—it’s one of the most common and simple tools that showcases different project milestones. Plus, it’s easy to read too.

 

10. Establishing a Project Overview

Successful project managers don’t just drop everything once the project is complete. They summarize the tasks their team did, the problems they resolved, and meetings they facilitated.

 

And the most important thing that successful project managers always do; continually learning and growing. They always believe that the road to learning doesn’t stop and every success is a beginning of new challenges.