Top Tips All New Project Managers Need To Know

Top Tips All New Project Managers Need To Know

Many bright, young PMs with their great qualifications venture out into the working world, but very quickly realize that there’s still so much to learn! So what should a new project manager do and learn to become truly successful? Let’s dive in!

Tips for successful project management

Want to be the best project manager you can be and outgun the competition? Here are some project management tips to take into consideration.

Be a good listener

Listen and learn! Now that’s advice anyone in any area of life can take, because assuming that we know everything often leads to disaster at some point. Not all suggestions and ideas that you’ll gather will be ideal, but you can use the most valuable information to effectively reach goals, the more input you receive, the better.

Respect the opinions of others as if they were your own, even if you never plan to implement them. The more people you really actively listen to, the more people you can get on your side, and this can positively influence your success.

Become a troubleshooter

Project managers, regardless of experience level, run into issues sometimes. This is because all possible factors and risks weren’t taken into account. No matter how much you try to avoid issues like this arising, someday it’s bound to happen, so becoming an expert problem solver is also part of the job. You’ll need to figure out what exactly went wrong, how it went wrong, and all the contributing factors. Be willing to learn from your mistakes, and they’ll happen less often in the future.

Support the team

Being a team player is paramount to your success as a PM, find out what your team members’ greatest strengths are and capitalize on them for the benefit of everyone. Remember to ask for help when you need it, don’t be afraid of exposing your own mistakes, if there’s a problem, it’s best to address it before it spirals out of control. This is also an important component of being a proactive part of the team.

Get tool savvy

Know your project management tools like the back of your hand, they’re always being updated, so it’s a good thing to stay on top of it. Make the most of the platform, and ensure that the team knows how to use the tools correctly if needed. Remember, you don’t have to settle for a tool that doesn’t work for your team, there are so many project management tools out there, one’s bound to meet your needs, and help your processes flow even better.

Understand the customer

Study your customer, know who they are on an individual level, their goals, and what they’re about. Take note of how they prefer to communicate and adapt your communication so that you’re engaging them in a way that they’re most comfortable with. This one little tip may just help you bag that promotion!

Start ‘reading’ people

Learning to read people goes hand in hand with communicating appropriately, when you can read people effectively, you’ll be able to gauge when the right time to mention something is, or when to fall back and stay quiet. If you strengthen your people skills, you can master this, and it can really give you a boost in your career.

Get a mentor

Having someone who can mentor you can fast-track your career at lightning speeds as you’ll be able to learn a lot faster from someone who has been through it all. This may be a former employer, a co-worker, or even a family member, or a friend.

Take a project management short course

You’ve probably already completed your studies and that’s great, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re done learning. Taking a project management short course online is an easy and effective way to brush up on an area where you’re perhaps not as confident as you should be. Confidence comes with knowledge and experience so learn all you can and put that knowledge to good use (it’s only good if you use it!).

Be willing to adapt

Adaptability is a skill that can and should be learned because change is inevitable, so learning to roll with the punches can really help you out when you find yourself in a tight spot. Being flexible and being able to come up with alternative solutions can often make the difference between success and failure.

Takeaway

There you have it, our top tips for successful project management that’ll take your project management game to the next level. Don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s nothing left to learn, keep expanding your knowledge, get to know your tools, take a project management short course, get a mentor, whatever it takes to ensure you never stop growing!