If you want to make it as a successful project manager, there is a lot to learn and a lot to take into account. This is a career that is ever changing. You are going to be dealing with different types of people all of the time, and you need to know how to communicate with each one effectively. With that in mind, read on to discover some of the things you need to avoid if you want to become a successful project manager.
Don’t shy away from feedback
A lot of new project managers shy away from feedback because they are worried that they will hear negative comments about their work. However, feedback can help you to move forward. With every project, you need to look for ways you can improve going forward.
Do not micromanage
This is something that a lot of project managers are guilty of doing. Nevertheless, your team members have been chosen for a reason: they are good at what they do. Let them get on with it rather than trying to micromanage.
Never stop learning
One of the biggest mistakes that project managers make is assuming that their education is finished once they have bagged a job as a project manager. However, the best project managers never stop learning. They regularly take project management courses so that they can advance their skill set and learn more.
Do not be overly optimistic
Even if everything is going smoothly, you need to give you and your team a little bit of leeway because things can easily change within a blink of an eye. If you set your team targets that are overly optimistic, you could simply be setting yourself up for failure.
Never assume
You should never make decisions based on assumptions. They need to be based on hard facts. Every decision should be backed up with valid reasoning. If needed, go through the facts with another set of eyes to double check you have everything correct.
Don’t play the blame game
If something goes wrong, one of the worst things you can do is play the blame game, either blaming other people or project management software. Instead of worrying about what has happened, focus on what you can do to put the situation right. Focussing on improving the situation is productive, while discussing over and over again why it went wrong can waste valuable time.
Don’t have meetings just for the sake of it
So much time is wasted on meetings that are not even necessary. Whenever you have a meeting, make sure there is a clear purpose and only invite those who are going to be impacted by what is discussed. Set a dedicated amount of time for the meeting, and don’t go over it. Make sure you only discuss what you have scheduled the meeting to be about. It’s easy to go off track and simply waste time.
As you can see, there is a lot that needs to be taken into account when it comes to project management. If you can avoid the points mentioned in this post, and always look for further project management training opportunities you can give yourself a great chance of becoming a successful project manager. Good luck!
