Today, we work in a world that is highly dependent on
transparency and shared responsibility. These days, project management is as
necessary a skill for virtually anyone in agile business. But, according
to Bussiness2community.com, there are six common project
management mistakes that you should keep from getting in the way of your
project success.
1. Too many projects
It may be tempting to create a great team, build a schedule
and push project after project through a smooth assembly line-type process. But
juggling so many projects at once puts quality at risk. According to Forbes, “Our brains just aren’t equipped for
multitasking tasks that require brainpower. Our short-term memories can only
store between five and nine things at once.”
2. Lack of clarity
One of the biggest culprits is one of the easiest things to
avoid: ambiguity. Lack of clarity leads to miscommunication, misdirection,
repetition, missed deadlines, and eventually failure. If you’re creating the
outline, be clear in your directives. If you’re handling just one piece of the
puzzle, ask questions and be clear about priorities.
3. No credit
When someone works hard on a project, exceeds every
expectation, drives a project forward, comes up with great ideas and beats deadlines,
they appreciate being acknowledged. Since we’re all acting as PMs, it might not
be clear who’s responsible for doling out props, but we all are. If someone
helps you get the job done, letting them know you appreciate will retain their
support.
4. Wrong focus
We know times are tough, but times are always tough. There
is never extra budget, there’s not more time and everyone is too busy. But
every ideal circumstance in the world won’t save a project if the wrong person
is managing it.
5. Workflow
inconsistency
Different departments approach projects from different perspectives.
The tools necessary to completing projects can change frequently and quickly.
If teams aren’t kept up to date with different approaches and changes aren’t
communicated to key players, structures dissolve, time is wasted and
frustrations explode.
6. Too late for risk
management
Starting projects is all about setting goals and planning the
steps to achieve them. Gathering resources, mapping out assignments, and
analyzing budgets are all priorities on the to-do list. While there’s some
discussion of roadblocks, they’re not always assessed. Before a project ends up
in crisis, consider who has a stake in decisions and who has the final say
over changes. It is key to develop contingency plans, and cushion resources to
lessen the impact of any potential mishaps.
Want to learn more about project management? Project World & World Congress for Business
Analysts (PW&WCBA) blends practical learning, skill building, big
picture thinking and leadership training for a holistic approach to developing
managers into leaders without the commercialism that you experience at other
events. Whether you are looking to sharpen your toolkit, grow as a leader or
benchmark against peers by swapping stories of success and failure, PW&WCBA
is comprehensive enough to deliver it all.
Click here to register
today!
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