The best project managers are stewards of the businesses they support. Part of caring stewardship is appropriately applying the project management authority conveyed by the project charter. Here are tips for ensuring you properly exercise your project management authority. Use positive influence. Exercising authority can take many forms: forming partnerships or collaborating to accomplish tasks, […]
Research for the update to my course on choosing the right project management tool was enlightening: it offers an interesting perspective on what’s happening in project management today. Collaboration and communication are the focus. Today’s automated tools place significant emphasis on communication and team synergy. Tools can tag team members, integrate with email systems to […]
Success managing projects relies on accurate and timely information, which is needed by both the project manager and the sponsor. Project managers bring unique perspectives that sponsors and other senior stakeholders often lack. Be sure to share these perspectives with the management team, underscoring their role in the project’s success. How workload volume affects operational […]
Timely decision-making is a valuable skill for project managers. There are times when deferring a decision is the best way to respond to project situations. Here are some situations when delaying a decision make sense. Your vendor has product upgrade plans. What if the release date for an updated product isn’t finalized yet? Rather than […]
Making sure business requirements are suitable is a valuable practice. Using SMART requirements (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) is a great start, but it isn’t always enough. Here are other requirement characteristics that help keep projects out of trouble. Will the requirement cause conflict? Requirements can benefit one part of the business and cause […]
Project setbacks are inevitable. The savvy project manager turns these challenges into learning opportunities. It takes finesse to add value in these situations, so here are approaches to turn setbacks into constructive learning moments. Focus on psychological safety. The phrase “focus on the problem, not the person” is only the beginning. To create constructive learning […]
Stakeholders who fear bad project outcomes are tough to manage. It’s important to address these fears. Left unmanaged, your project could be delayed or even cancelled. Here are a few approaches to manage project fears. Listen to fearful stakeholders. Their past experiences may have tainted their perceptions. You need to understand their concerns. Actively listen […]
Project ideas are what support careers in project management — and present possibilities for moving your organization forward. Sometimes, project ideas need more work before they should or would be accepted. Here are indicators that a project idea isn’t ready and how to improve it: The sponsorship prospects aren’t clear. A great question about a […]
Validating the assumptions included in the project justification is key to minimizing project risk. Sometimes, straightforward research is enough. For assumptions that aren’t easily validated, here are other approaches to validate or, at least, reduce the probability of an assumption being wrong. Consult experts. Reach outside your organization. Seek the opinions of LinkedIn contacts, […]
Contract management makes sure that you and your project vendors agree on costs, terms, deliverables, and conditions. Dig a little deeper, and contract management can help your projects in other ways: Enhanced vendor relationships. Time spent negotiating vendor contracts helps vendors understand project goals and your organization’s culture. This effort also helps set expectations that […]
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