Project Management Webinars
We Can All Be Project Managers
Sure, we’re not all project managers—but we should all keep the basic principles of project management in mind, especially when working as part of a team. The important thing to understand is that no single part of a project exists in a vacuum. Every step depends on and builds off of one another.
Let’s take a look at how general workplace competencies overlap with essential project management skills:
Communication Just as communication helps prevent conflict and sets clear expectations in general day-to-day work, it does the same when managing a project. When everybody involved has a clear sense of what’s expected, when, and how, they’re more likely to be productive and do their part. Encouraging communication every step of the way helps prevent confusion about deliverables and keeps everyone on track. From the outset, define a clear method of communicating as well as some communication ground rules.
Leadership In both work and project management, leadership means employees take personal responsibility for their own work and success. Every team member should be aware of their deadlines and work hard to deliver their portion of the project as though it is the final project. When team members take this level of leadership over each step of the project, it’s more likely to run smoothly.
Detail & Schedule Orientation Every task at work has a deadline, whether it’s sending notes from a meeting or launching a product. It’s also important for every person on the team to have a clear sense of accountability for their deadlines, while understanding how they affect other parts of the project. A good way to ensure deadline orientation is to lay out a clear timeline from the outset of the project and schedule regular progress check-ins to keep everything on task. Be sure to build in some extra flex days for any unforeseen complications, and keep communication open.
HRDQ-U offers free project management (PM) webinars that help improve project management skills for every employee – and deliver the latest tips and techniques on how to build productive, successful teams and exceed project goals.