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“Being an effective project manager today means finding solutions to complete complex, multifunctional tasks on time and within budget,” said Edward T. Reilly, President and CEO of American Management Association. “You can’t do it alone. Having the ability to plan, coordinate and deliver these projects means utilizing the necessary leadership skills to influence others to get the job done,” Reilly said. He offers the follow advice:
Clearly define the scope of the project upfront. Take the “wants” and “needs” of the project initiator and turn them into concrete objectives and parameters. That’s the best way to avoid “scope creep” and having the project grow out of control.
Set realistic schedules that keep you on target. Develop these in collaboration with your team members and those for whom the project is being done. “Realistic” is the key word, since you won’t get team buy-in unless your members believe that they can deliver on time.
Break down a project into smaller, manageable tasks. This makes the work less intimidating to team members and allows you to complete one group of tasks at a time.
Delegate based on member strengths. Know the strengths that members bring to the project and assign tasks based on individual capability. Monitor work to ensure that tasks are done as anticipated.
Estimate cost impact associated with the project. The project manager needs to estimate all costs up front in order to begin assessing the required resources.
Be enthusiastic about the project. A leader’s enthusiasm inspires others, making it easier to keep the team motivated and involved. Remain optimistic. Don’t drag down team morale if the team effort stumbles. Help the group overcome emotional downs by being upbeat yourself.
Instill a team spirit. Members of your team should be proud to be a part of your group. When they aren’t enthusiastic about past accomplishments and new goals, they aren’t likely to pull together. This will create problems for you and make it more difficult to complete the team’s objective.
Anticipate obstacles. All projects encounter problems. Develop and prioritize contingency plans up front and know what the “trigger points” are to implement them. This will reduce the need “to put out fires” and ensure successful completion of the project.
Plan for changes. Throughout the span of a project, changes will be necessary. An effective project manager will have a formal change management process in place to help adapt quickly.
Keep the big picture insight. Instead of focusing on the myriad of tasks that must be done, focus on the end goal. That way, you are less likely to stall midstream when a disappointment occurs. Keep a clear vision and steer the project through difficult times.
Keep your finger on the pulse. As a leader you have an obligation to monitor the team’s progress in terms of tasks accomplished and resources used. Don’t micromanage. Your continuing involvement will help keep things on track.
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