Almost every person working in business at junior level is just waiting for their time to show their superior they’re more capable than the rest of the team. It’s only natural as internal competition among employees complements competition between businesses. It’s what drives us to strive for a better tomorrow and to improve the way we do business. Wanting to be better than everyone else is something that bosses love in their employees. Self-improvement is a daily and relentless struggle that requires you to be mindful of everything you’re doing. Don’t just act out on impulse, really question why and how you’re doing something in order to sift out your own shortfalls. When you’re finally given a chance to shine and be a project manager, one may confuse nervousness with doubt. It’s actually a good thing that you have butterflies in your stomach because you know through that indication that you have passion for what you’re doing. But passion cannot be the only substance that you take with you into the driving seat. So what else do you need to be more than just another mediocre project lead?
Taking time to formulate a plan
You’re given the brief, the presentation along with the personal aims your team is tasked with at the start of every project. Once you get the word that you’re the leader for this one, channel your excitement, and they want to impress by taking your time. Take the time to formulate a plan with the rest of your team, even before you’ve chosen what roles who are going to be bestowed upon whom. Consider as a group what the overarching goal is about the project itself. Don’t be afraid to think broadly and allow your members to speak openly and honestly, without any restrictions or orderly process. Present to them an open floor, where they can speak their mind and think out loud. Once you have a few poignant philosophies for why your task consisting of a particular product or service matters, you’re on your way to narrowing it down. It’s wise to formulate sentences that encompass the message you’re going to try and get across to your customers. These sentences will be the ethos of what your team will champion for however long the task is set.
Choosing team roles and positions
Choosing who will go where and do what is something you should take into deep consideration. You might be short for time and have to think on your feet, but if you can take this burden home with you and mull it over. Avoid at all costs putting emotion into the cauldron of decision-making for your may brew up a waiting storm. Don’t take friendships and relatable aspects of a person into consideration. Only pick the best person for the job. Look at their history and their work patterns to see who has proven themselves before to be useful in a particular role. However, that was the past, and they may have improved or worsened recently. Performing at a high level takes consistency and absolute, unshakable drive toward success. Therefore to narrow down the criteria of qualification, balance their previous and recent performances along with their temperament and ability to adapt to ongoing situations. Some people might be great at what they do, but when they veer outside of their lane they may crumble and bring the project down. The more you think about it, choosing the right person for the right role is one of the most thought-provoking procedures any project manager will go through.
Moving as one
Where the ship can crash, burn and sink is when your team begins to fracture without probable cause. Even if there aren’t any fights and rows going on and no internal rivalries or jealousy, an almost eerie and mysterious mist can slowly engulf the team. This mist comes in the form of a lack of communication. You shouldn’t accept even one member of the team not being up to date with the latest updates and relevant information to your project. Modern technology comes to your aid in the form of workflow integration which permits all members to collaborate over content of various kinds. Update each other with relevant news articles that relate to your task, write comments for each other to read and respond to in real-time and deliver orders out to the group. All in one place and easily accessible online, not one member of the team should be allowed to fall behind. Moving as one is immeasurably paramount for all departments and or specialities to magnetise their work. Collating together minds, ideas, the work you do as well as general information curates a team that isn’t fragmented.
Listen to concerns
The superior who are locked in their own world of leading and barking out orders will end up being resented by the team they are in charge of. Put yourself in the shoes of your team and try to emulate their thought processes to understand their positions. We’re all human at the end of the day and listening to a member’s concerns is as important as them listening to yours. In fact, you should take pride in the matter of hearing their problems both at work and in their personal lives. There may be strifes within their immediate team or something wider that crosses lines of expertise. If an individual working underneath you can’t bring you their genuine concerns that may be prohibiting their ability to work at full pelt, then who can they turn to? Being their as somewhat of a mentor as well as motivator can cure issues that would otherwise transpire into something large if left alone.
Being the project manager has its perks as well as it’s serious overtone of managing all aspects of a team. You’re in charge of the train, and it’s your responsibility to make sure it doesn’t go off the rails. And the scary thing is that it can, and any level and at any time. This is why a work integration software that allows your team to share ideas on the go and at the office is crucial to smooth transitions from one stage to the next. Picking the best person for the job must take place after you and your team have sat down to properly formulate your plan.
