How to Be an Effective Project Manager

Описание: Learn the skills to become a super effective project manager. If you are wanting to head down the career path of a project manager, or are already are one, then this video is for you!

What can you expect as a project manager?
You’ll be responsible for delivering at least one project. Usually when you start off you’re given a relatively simple and small one, just to get you comfortable. Even if you’re given a huge complex beast as your first gig, just remember – the process doesn’t change – just the size of the work that needs to be done.
It’s your job to make sure that everything to do with the project happens when it’s supposed to. I think of the project manager as the conductor of the orchestra. It’s your job to bring all the specialists together, at the right time to make the project work. Just like it’s a conductor’s job to bring all the musicians together to produce a piece of music. It’s not your job to do the actual work, that’s the team’s job!

So how does a project manager spend their day?
There’s no such thing as a typical day when you’re a project manager. There’s always something unexpected coming out of the woodwork. On saying that, there are some tasks that are pretty much constant.

Emails
Most project managers will check their emails 1st thing in the morning. It’s a good way to make sure you stay on top of any crises that happen overnight. And let’s be honest here, there’s likely to be at least one fire that needs putting out 1st thing. I tend to go through my emails and prioritise what needs to be responded to and when. I try and work through them in quiet spots during the day. I also check the inbox just before I leave for anything urgent that might need attention.

Meetings
Project managers spend at least 40% of their time in meetings so it’s likely you’ll be in at least one meeting a day.

Chasing deliverables
Not only do you have to make sure you stick to your schedule, you also need to make sure your team stick to theirs! This isn’t always easy, especially if you’re not the line manager of the people working on the project.

Reporting
An inevitable part of any project manager’s job is reporting. This is where you and your coordinator will be working very closely together.
You’ll be expected to produce and discuss a number of different reports at varying times of the month. This could include:
• the overall progress of the project
• detailed risk and issues reports
• Financial reports
• Resource forecasts
• Deliverable reports
• Milestone reports

What do you need to do to be effective in the job?
Now that I’ve given you a brief summary of a day in the life of a project manager, let’s take a look at some skills you’ll need to do to be effective in the role.
The first and by far the most important thing is – treat your coordinator well! I can’t emphasise that enough. The relationship between the two of you is going to be one of the most important in your work life. If the two of you don’t get on it is going to make doing the job extremely difficult.
You’re going to need to be pretty unflappable. This isn’t a job for someone who gets frustrated easily or who can’t think on their feet. Life in a project is rarely stable and calm and if it is, it definitely doesn’t last long.
You need to be able to stand your ground but without being confrontational. As a project manager you’re going to have to negotiate for everything. Whether it’s getting something done in the agreed timeframe or asking for more money – it’s your job to get it!
You want to be an analytical thinker and good with numbers. I don’t mean accountant or PhD level but being able to grasp how budgets work and spot discrepancies quickly will be a distinct advantage.
Finally, you need to know how to switch off. Being a project manager is a really stressful job so being able to switch off and relax is vitally important. Make sure you take at least a small portion during the day away from the stresses of managing the project and once your work day is done, keep it done! That isn’t always easy or practical but if you make a habit of switching off at the end of the work day both your physical and mental health will be protected.

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