Easy To Avoid Project Management Mistakes

Being a good project manager is not a simple task, you have to ensure that your team is with you every step of the way. Planning and communication are critical to a successful project, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. This article takes a look at some common project management mistakes and the best way to avoid them.

Are You the Best One For The Project?

To ensure that the project is completed in the best possible way, the manager needs to be the right fit. On many occasions, the project manager is elected to take control of the project simply because he is available. More attention tends to be focussed on the correct team and resources, this is a big mistake. Unless the project manager has the exact credential for the project, there is a high possibility that it will fail. You should ensure that the extra effort is spent on locating the perfect person for the job, it will be time well spent.

The Team Does Not Support The Project

A key attribute for a successful project manager to possess is the ability to ensure that the entire team supports the project. Failure to achieve this will spell certain doom for the entire project. As the project manager you must be absolutely clear with the intentions of the project and ask for total commitment from everybody involved. Explain the rewards of the successful project but also let them know that some hard work is required for each step of the way. Constant communication is the only way to allow the whole team to appreciate the work that is being carried out.

Bad Communication

Any project manager worth their salt will have the word ‘communication’ ingrained to their very core. The project will not go far if there are not sufficient progress meetings. People will become demotivated if they do not feel like a part of the loop. Set up at least five meetings in advance and ensure that everybody can attend, use telepresence or conference calls if need be, but do not omit anybody from these updates.

The Project Has Unrealistic Timelines

It may be a way to impress the stakeholders or the main client, but by offering unrealistic timelines, you are making a rod for your own back. Be totally clear when deciding on a deadline, and do not hope against all hopes that all of the testing or development may finish ahead of schedule, it rarely does. Once the first and second timelines are breached, you will have lost the confidence of the client and stakeholders. Using some decent project management software should allow you to come up with a plan you can stick to, but you should also add a little to allow for unexpected issues.

You Must Be Flexible

Your project management plan may be watertight, but at some point you may have to shift the goalposts to keep the project sweet. If you are offered some advice that doesn’t adhere to your own plan, have a listen and do not dismiss anything out of hand. A fresh approach can sometimes bring something important to the table.

Attached Images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

This post is authored by Patricia Green. Crime fighter by night, she masquerades during the day as a project trainer at Scope Training, a company that specializes in project training and assessment. In her spare time, she likes to write about business skills.

Filed in: Guest Articles • Home Page
Tagged with: project management mistakes