For those just starting out in project management, understanding the most common mistakes and how to avoid them means that you can focus more on the task at hand and your project is more likely to succeed. Here are some of the most common mistakes that are made in project management.
Delegating Wrongly
Not understanding each member’s unique skill set may mean that you delegate wrongly. You may also set the wrong person to manage the project. If you don’t have a project manager within your team, it may be worth hiring a contract project manager to reduce the risk of errors. Always hire the most qualified person for the role of project manager if you choose to employ from within your current team. If you are new to the team, speak to each member about what they do within their role and what they think their own strengths and weaknesses are.
No Clear Objectives
Every project needs a set of goals to be followed. These should be set from the beginning, before the delegation of tasks and before the start of the project. Compose a project plan that entails deadlines and clear objectives that can be followed by each team member.
Lack of Tools
The right tools for any job can be a huge help and this is no different when it comes to project management. There is plenty of fantastic project management software for all your business needs and budget. Choosing the best project management tools allows each member to work to the best of their abilities, stay up-to-date in real-time and access information no matter their location.
Taking on Too Much
Project managers looking to impress may take on more than they can handle. A good manager understands the need to delegate and should never try to do everything themselves. Ignoring your team or not actively encouraging them to share ideas and assist with tasks makes for a bad team dynamic and ultimately will lead to the failure of a task. This project is not solely about you, it’s about reaching a common goal within business, so share the work appropriately and admit when you have too much to do.
Miscommunication
Good communication is needed throughout a project so each member of the team fully understands their role and knows what they must do to complete tasks on time. Project management tools can again help with this, as they allow tasks to be delegated to individuals through the software. Project team meetings should be held to follow-up on progress and ensure total transparency throughout the project. These meetings should be informative and quick; people will lose morale and interest if meetings are constant and unorganized.
Managing any project opens a whole world of potential mistakes that can be made. The more experience and knowledge you have, the less likely this is to occur. The above are some of the most common mistakes that can be made, so ensure that you work to avoid these.