We’ve said goodbye to what was one of the strangest years ever and welcomed in 2021 with the hope that we will soon be seeing a new normal emerge. Making resolutions is easy, keeping them less so; here are some project management promises you should be making this year that don’t need to be difficult to keep.
Spend more time with your team
Unfortunately some project managers are guilty of not spending enough time with the project team. Whilst completing your project within timescale and reaching your milestones is important, you need to allow time for listening to your team and discussing any concerns that they might have. This will motivate your team to do even better.
Think about the important things
Make it part of this year’s resolution to spend less time on those tasks that only add a small percentage of value to your project. Concentrate instead on those aspects that will add the greater value. When it comes to those tasks that might be urgent, but are not important, delegate so that you can concentrate on those that are important.
Improve Communication
Communication is one of the most important project management skills that you can have, which is why which is why it is such an important part of all project management courses. So make sure that you brush up on your communication skills and communicate effectively with everyone from your most junior team member to your stakeholders and senior executives. Even if you think that you are a strong communicator there is always room for improvement.
Find the right leadership style for you
There are a wide range of leadership styles out there so if you haven’t already found the one that works well for you set aside some time this year to not only find your perfect leadership style but also to improve on your leadership skills.
Make sure your goals are realistic
Did you achieve all off the project goals you set for yourself last year? If the answer is no, then it may be that the goals you set for yourself were either not specific enough or were too unrealistic. Consider using the SMART method in order to formulate better objectives. Each Goal you set should be Smart, Measurable, Attractive, Realistic and Time-related.
Be more organised
When it comes to any project, documentation is very important. In fact it’s not just important, it is vital when it comes to avoiding confusion and misunderstanding. It is also an important tool that you have at your disposal for future projects as it gives you the chance to learn from any mistakes that you have made so that you can help prevent them occurring again in the future.
Don’t be afraid of failure
Sometimes a project just does not work, this is normal and certainly not a sign of failure. It is very important to remember this. Learn from any mistakes that you have made, avoid making them in the future and move on. That’s one of the best project management promises you could make to yourself this year.
