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5 Project Management Skills to Boost Your Career

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Managing business projects is a skill that spans a number of career paths and demands a wide range of talents and aptitudes, underpinned by experience and wisdom. To complete projects to a good standard, within budget, and to schedule, you require expertise across an array of areas, such as budget and time management, customer relations, prioritization, and team leadership — to name but a few. However, by taking note of a few sensible tips, the results seen from your project management efforts can be significantly bettered and your business and career will be greatly improved. These are the recommended 5 points to consider:

Ensure That You Fully Comprehend the Task

This might seem like stating the obvious, however many people plunge headfirst into projects without spending the time to comprehend the project brief properly. Make room in your schedule to look through the information provided by your sales team. Note down any queries you have as you read. If you are not sure about any areas or have any specific worries, be sure to express these early on, to prevent later confusion. Only once you have fully examined the brief, should you pass the details of it onto your team in a concise and clear manner.

Managing business projects is a skill that spans a number of career paths and demands a wide range of talents and aptitudes, underpinned by experience and wisdomClick To Tweet

Tackle Each Project in an Original way

Although you might have to work within a particular framework for a project, you should not forget that each project has its’ own characteristics. Team members, budget considerations, and time constraints alter should be considered and you need to adjust your modus operandi appropriately. You might have to change your style of leadership to make sure you meet tough deadlines or alter your method of communicating to suit the different people in your team. Whatever changes you enact, try to retain a flexible approach.

Test and Tweak

Should your project start off in an encouraging manner, do not automatically think that it will carry on like this. Always monitor the status of your project, to ensure that you are providing what was initially requested in the customer brief. A few styles of project management, like Agile, have scope for customer engagement, usefully checking that their wishes are being fulfilled as you progress. This can save you money and time, by circumventing the requirement for major adjustments, in the event that one crucial missed step is revealed at the project’s completion.

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Express Your Worries

Although you are the manager of the project, your role does not extend to conflict resolution. Should one of the members of your team develop a negative attitude and fail to deliver work to a satisfactory level, it might be best to ask his or her supervisor to tackle this, rather than wading in yourself. Disciplinary procedures do not fall within your jurisdiction. Similarly, if you are encountering a high-level issue, you should convey this to your supervisor. The more communicative you are, and the more skillfully you raise legitimate issues, the simpler you will find it to address problems as they appear.

right experience

There’s no Substitute for Experience

Irrespective of the amount of time you have worked as a project manager, you can always learn more. Each project you complete will teach you something new, so make the effort to improve. Whether it is feedback for management, opportunities for training, or fresh communication methodologies, spend some time reflecting in a positive manner and create your own personal development action plan. By taking these 5 points into consideration, you should find that the educational process is quicker and that you progress further as a professional project manager (while delivering great projects at the same time). Wisdom, experience, and qualifications are important, however, these 5 easy tips will allow you to witness improvements straightaway.

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