The Project Manager’s abilities determine the outcome

Focusing on the right objective

Without a clear objective, there is a risk that people will do extra unnecessary work. A common mistake that many people make is to work faster as the stress builds up. But proper use of time does not mean working faster – it means working smarter. We all tend to spend time on things that are fun rather than those that are boring. We often prioritise the actions that other people impose on us ahead of what we ourselves believe should be done first. Project Managers need to learn to evaluate the actions that need to be done, and concentrate on what really matters for the project.

A Project Manager’s most important task is to deliver results. Success in this requires thorough preparation, and seeing that everyone in the project is working towards the same objective. The project results and the group are more important than allowing individuals to achieve 100% of their personal objectives.

Don’t do everything yourself

Delegating means that someone does part of someone else’s work. When a project manager delegates a task, the authority needed to carry out the task must also be provided. However, responsibility can never be delegated away. The project manager remains responsible for the project to the steering group and the client. Delegating should not be used as a punishment – rather it should be used to challenge and encourage. The delegation of a significant task gives prestige to the person to whom the task has been delegated. The point of delegation is not to give the group more work, but to give better work tasks. If the project group does a good job, that will mark out the project manager as a good manager.

Being noticed

Being noticed is a deep-seated human need. We are social animals, and want to be noticed for what we are and what we do. One of the quickest ways to discourage people is to ignore them. But the positive feelings from being noticed can easily be damaged. The effect on people who feel they are being controlled can be the opposite of the intended effect. It is important to choose words carefully and to be aware of the impact they can have.

Being controlled makes people feel they are not trusted. In contrast, words like progress reports and follow-ups are positive. If a person feels controlled, without progress reports or follow-ups, this will create absolutely no positive feelings.

Planning for risks

All projects are liable to change because of events in the outside world or within the project. For that reason, change management is something that the project manager must understand. It is his or her responsibility to ensure that the project is run with due regard to events. There must be no doubt about what authority the project manager has to make decisions about changes, and what must be decided by the client or the steering group. Not everything can be foreseen during the planning stage. Sometimes urgent action is needed to deal with emergencies.

Don’t work in the dark

Project reporting may seem easy, but is actually difficult. This is mainly because people working on the project, including the project manager, are very busy solving problems and sticking to schedules. Failing to communicate runs the risk that other people will get a mistaken view of the project. Silence may be interpreted as meaning that everything is OK, and that the project is on schedule – whereas in fact it may be behind schedule, with everyone working overtime to catch up. Sooner or later the truth will out. Reporting should be easy, so that it is not perceived as an administrative burden. Only the information really needed should be asked for.

In order to ensure that the project is on course, it is important to follow up outcomes, and if necessary to make changes. You need to look backwards and review what has already been done in order to assess what remains to be done. It is a question of having a good understanding of what has been achieved, what resources have been used, the time worked, and other costs. The outcome must be related to a result.

Use project tools

A project does not have to be that big, or been going for any length of time, before the information to be collated and processed is so extensive as to be unmanageable. Project work becomes easier if you use project tools. Being able to present complex information graphically makes life easier for those who need to understand the status of the project. The easier it is to take in information, the more usable it becomes. Project tools cover many areas, from project planning programs to project portals where people can collect and exchange documents, plans and reports for several projects.

But no tool is better than the quality of the information fed in, or the skill of the project manager in making use of it. Introducing project tools does not guarantee project success. To succeed, you need to know how to manage a project and how to use the tools. Most people would agree that you cannot become a good car driver just by reading the manual. The same applies to project managers. The ability to succeed in a project is developed by the tactical application of methods and tools in leading-edge projects out in the real world.