A Project Manager is the head of a project and is responsible for managing and handling every aspect of the project. One needs to be an allrounder to become a successful project manager. A project manager has to face new challenges daily and come up with a solution to every challenge to facilitate the smooth functioning of a project.
The Project Manager is responsible right from the planning of a project to the execution stage until the last day of the project. There is no single mantra for a project manager because each project has its uniqueness and the challenges that come with it are also unique. Therefore, one can only learn with experience.
A Fresh Project Manager might not be familiar with all the obstacles he might have to face but one can focus on areas that can help them grow as a successful project manager.
Here in this blog, we have come up with 10 important tips for a fresh project manager to help him out for this new role.
Stakeholder Management for a Fresh Project Manager
For a Fresh Project Manager, one of the challenges that one faces is identifying and engaging the stakeholders of the project. A project generally has a lot of stakeholders involved and one has to understand the interests of all of them and engage them. There is a proper procedure for managing the stakeholders as per PMBOK. A project manager needs to have qualities like convincing people, negation, etc. If the stakeholders are not managed properly, it can directly hamper the health of a project resulting in consequences that might be difficult to handle. Therefore, as a Fresh Project Manager, one must learn the efficient management of stakeholders.
Knowledge of Project Management Tools
Projects are complex and involve a lot of data. Therefore, a project manager needs to be proficient in Project Management tools. It has become practically impossible to manage all the data right from scheduling, resource allocation, etc. manually. As a project manager, it is in your control to choose the right tool for your project. You are the one to decide which tools gives the best possible results for your project. You need to know the tool inside out then only you will be able to motivate your team members to make optimum use of that tool. Therefore, as a Fresh Project Manager learn the essential tools and keep yourself updated with the latest tools & technology in the industry.
Team Player
A Project Manager is expected to be a good team player as one has to handle and work along with different teams. One must understand the team dynamics i.e. how a team works and what are the challenges when working in a team environment. A good team player is the one who understands its teammates and their behavior. They know how to extract the best out of each other. Working in a team is not the easiest task as it involves a different kind of personalities. A team player doesn’t only mean that you always have to be the problem solver, you must know how to take help from your team members without affecting the project health.
Adaptability for a Fresh Project Manager
One must be adaptable to changes as a project manager because every day there is advancement in technology and due to this a there can be changes in the work process which one must not be resistant too. One has to be adaptable to new technology, tools, etc. Adaptability is not only for tools and technologies, a project manager must be adaptable to new work cultures, environment, team, etc. It depends on the nature of the industry how quickly there is a change in the project dynamics. Therefore, a Fresh Project Manager should be adaptable to all kinds of possible changes that one has to go through.
Find a Mentor
As a Fresh Project Manager, you will need guidance and advice from time to time. Your mentor can be anyone from your teachers, ex-boss, manager, etc. Mentors will help you go through your tough times and provide you valuable advice. This is very valuable for your career growth. Everyone needs a mentor In their life to get answers to some of your questions. If not a mentor, you can have some idol like whom you wanna become. It can be your co-worker or your parents or anyone else. So, if you are a Fresh Project Manager do find an idol or a mentor to fall back to whenever you need them.
Risk Management
Risk Identification and management is an essential part of project management. A project manager must identify risks in the planning phase itself and have a plan to manage those risks. Risk management itself is a course that deals with various kinds of risks a project might possess and the techniques to manage them. Risk management solely depends on the project, if it is a large project the risk management process could be detailed with detailed planning and its management process and for a small project it could not be such a big part of a project. Risks can affect the health of your project in various ways causing a delay, cost overruns, etc. Therefore, it is important for a Fresh Project Manager that he has a good understanding of risk management.
Rewarding Your Team
As a Fresh Project Manager, you must understand the need of keeping the team members motivated. To get the optimum performance from your teammates, it is your to keep their colleagues in a happy space. Therefore, you must reward the team members whenever they make an extra effort for the betterment of the project. This increases the loyalty of an employee towards the project and organization.
Emotional Intelligence for a Fresh Project Manager
Emotional Intelligence is one of the important skills to have for a project manager because he has the responsibility of all the team members. You need to keep everyone happy and motivated as a project manager. A high emotional intelligence quotient is when you demonstrate empathy, decision making using multi-level awareness. You can measure emotional intelligence in 5 categories – social skills, self-regulation, self-awareness, empathy, and motivation. It has been seen that people with high emotional intelligence tend to perform much better than others. Your communication, behavior all are dependent on the five categories which ultimately affects the performance of your team.
Stress Management
The position of a Project Manager comes with a lot of responsibility and with responsibility comes stress and pressure. As a fresh project manager, you have to be ready to deal with all kinds of stress a project presents you with. Stress can take a toll on your health and personal life too. You must know how to manage the stress and pressure of your professional life. A project manager must know when to switch on and when to switch off from the work mode. There are several techniques of stress management like exercising, yoga, meditation, etc. It can be tough for someone new to this management role. Therefore, stress management skills are a must for a Fresh Project Manager.
Importance of Monitoring for a Fresh Project Manager
Proper monitoring of every task will help you be in control of the things on your project. Monitoring is one of the main responsibilities of a project manager. It helps one to keep everything in check. Also, it helps to identify anything that is going off track and quickly act on it. It is a very important day to day activity of a project manager. Some important metrics require regular monitoring like cost, schedule, resources, etc. These metrics directly affect the health of your project hence, it needs continuous monitoring. This can be done by making use of tools available in the industry to make your work less complex and time taking. Therefore, as a Fresh Project Manager, you need to monitor to keep track of all the important project related things.
Project Management is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you have been given this responsibility, try to enjoy and gain experience. It can turn around your career. Just follow the tips and you will be fine with most of the challenges you face. We hope these tips help you to be a successful project manager. Don’t forget to comment on any tips and ideas you have for a Fresh Project Manager.
