Hello again, it’s Wednesday, and my interview for a freelance job was just postponed, so I thought I should write again as a celebration, considering I have completed quite a number of my Master’s work this week. Yay Me!
This is another topic that is very dear to me: “Project Management!” Before we begin, I would like to bring your attention to the definition of project management itself, in case you don’t already know what it means. Project management is basically the application of processes, skills, knowledge, and experience to achieve the desired goals of a project within a set timeframe. I have unknowingly had a knack for project management since school. How do I know this? I tend to be the one leading a team (most of the time, lol), a project, or a competition, and I happen to do it quite well. The proof is, of course, the medals won. Not to sound boastful, but we only knew about what we are good at when we got older as we reflect more.
So, if you have children who are inclined towards leadership or taking on a project, perhaps a project manager role would suit them. Over time, I have improved quite a fair bit. Thanks to the experiences, knowledge, and added skills I’ve gained that made me more matured in project management. Going back to the point of this post, I am here to share how I have succeeded in almost all of my project management roles and will also share what the 5% entails for not excelling in a project. I will present them in a list to make it easier for you to read.
1. Get Organized
Have you ever been in a meeting where the person leading it jumped straight into assigning tasks as quickly as possible, moving from one topic to another, and then hurriedly ended the meeting, leaving everyone confused and unsure of what just happened? (Well, I have been in one, and it made me not want to attend the next meeting). Just imagine if we conduct ourselves in such a way, what would our team be thinking? What would their energy be like for the next meeting? Would they be excited, or would they just sigh at the thought of another chaotic meeting? Personally, I love to be organized and ensure that everyone is on the same page. This is what I will do instead.
Before the meeting,
I send a calendar invite along with the agenda in the email or chat group, and I remind them again the day before and 30 minutes before about the time of the meeting. This way, not only do they know what to expect from the meeting, but they are also constantly reminded of the schedule. I will also prepare all the necessary documents to be presented on the day of the meeting, including the agenda, the folder, and the work tracking sheet, so that everyone is aware that there is a main folder they can refer to.
During the meeting,
If there aren’t too many people on the team, I would go around the circle checking in with them, asking, “How are you today?” “What’s been happening in your life?” and lastly, “What are your expectations for the meeting?” This will help ground them and prepare them to be mindfully ready for the session. Then I will proceed with the agenda of the meeting and let them know how long the meeting will take, giving assurance that it will not go beyond the expected time. I will clearly explain the objective of the project, the why and how behind it, and also any sensitive subjects we need to take note of, especially if there are external parties involved. I will detail all the deliverables required with their respective deadlines. Then I will go around the circle to get a volunteer for each role, but this is only done if the roles are not pre-designated. For me, giving structured planning can seriously help my team be on the same page, and so far it has worked really well.
2 – Be open to suggestion
Once I have laid out all the important points, I will then open the floor for any suggestions and questions that need addressing. This will encourage collaborative effort from all team members and truly hear out what our team has to say about the plan and if they have additional ideas they want to add to make the project even better. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one,” well, in this case, “more heads are better than one,” I’d say.
3 – Check for clarity & understanding
After the open session for ideas and suggestions, and once we have agreed upon the plan that we would like to execute, I will always go around the room and ask if they understand what the plan is all about. It’s important that they are clear so that at any time people ask them about the project, they will know exactly what to say. I usually do this by getting them to repeat what it is that they need to do and their own timeline for their respective tasks.
4 – Ensuring them that they are not alone
Running a project can be daunting, especially when you already have your own work to complete on a daily basis. Therefore, to me, it is really important for my team to know that they are not in it alone. Anytime they need support or are overwhelmed with tasks at hand, they can always ask for support from the team.
5 – Stick to the plan (but be flexible to changes)
“Consistency Breeds Success” and this is true for anything we do in life. This applies to project management as well. Sticking to the plan will leave no room for uncertainties and cause unnecessary anxiety among team members. Besides, who even loves to be in a team that keeps changing its direction? Well, not me. However, even though sticking to the plan is amazing, I’ve learned that we need to be flexible when unexpected things happen as we execute our plan. For example, if the schedule says we will have a tea break at 10:00 a.m., but because the participants got a little too excited during the program that will require them more time to complete an activity, it has to be delayed to 10:30 a.m. instead. Or, if a speaker was supposed to be here at 8:30 a.m. to start the session at 9:00 a.m., but he was called for an emergency and can only send in a representative who is equally good to stand in for him. It’s huge, but tolerable, and you’ve got to adapt to the situation.
6 – Have a mid-point check
Having a mid-point check is very crucial to ensure that things are running according to plan and to address any concerns that arise during the project execution. That way, we can find an alternative solution to the problem but still get the job done.
Last but not least, celebrate small wins
I know project management can sometimes be considered very serious stuff for serious people. But I believe that when we enjoy what we do, we perform better. Therefore, I feel there is a need to celebrate all wins achieved by any of the team members. It doesn’t have to be a tea party every single time. Sometimes, a simple “Hey man, great job in pulling this off, you’re amazing” will mean the world to the person who receives the acknowledgment. And that, my friend, is how I tackled project management every time I was given the task to perform one. Until next time, I wish you a well-spent week ahead!
Just kidding, I still haven’t shared what that 5% unsuccessful rate was for. Well, it has to do with sales and marketing projects. Not to say I have never excelled in any; I did manage to close over 200k in public sales in 30 days, but with quite a push from my superior, which I don’t necessarily appreciate. (Good learning experience though, but not something I enjoy doing). Other than that, if any project comes my way, I will always do my level best within my means.
Okay now, bye for real!”