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Written by Dr. Andrew Makar
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As people watch the ball drop, sing the auld lang syne and toast to old times, thousands of New Year Resolutions will be made. As you promise to drop 20 pounds, exercise 3 days a week, and obtain a better work-life balance, don’t forget to add a few project management best practices to your resolutions. Below are just a few resolutions that we all know are good practices even though we might not entirely follow during project execution.
1. I will update my project schedule weekly and share the updated plan with the team
The project schedule is one key document that needs to be revisited every week as project teams report progress. Project schedules are not intended to be cast in stone but rather serve as a forecasting tool that can adjust and incorporate re-planning. Spend 30 minutes to an hour a week updating the project schedule, reviewing it and obtain input from the team on scheduling changes.
2. I will document meeting minutes and send them out by the end of the day
I know we all abhor meeting minutes and transcribing them from scribbled notes into a meaningful MS-Word format can be a challenge when the day is packed with meetings.
If you don’t get your notes and key action items out by the end of the day, they will likely fall behind and few people respond to late meeting minutes. That’s why I advise using a mind mapping tool to document your meeting minutes and send them out that day. Consider this article on how to incorporate just-in-time meeting minutes into your day - Mind Map Your Meetings http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/articles/235696.cfm
3. I will send out my meeting materials the day prior not 5 minutes before
I readily admit I am guilty of sending out key materials a few minutes before the meeting so everyone has the latest copy. The problem is some documents need to be reviewed or printed before discussing them in a meeting. I’ve been in a few meetings where executives chastised the project manager for not sending them out earlier so they could review the materials. To avoid this embarrassing situation, I realize sending out the materials the day before may be at 11:59 PM at night, but at least I’m avoiding the appearance of being unprepared as I implement just-in-time meeting materials.
4. I will ask the the PMO and the quality assurance auditor how to make their job easier.
In some organizations, PMO support and the QA functions are only welcome when administrative roadblocks needs to be removed or a bureaucratic process needs to be followed. Having worked in both roles, I recognize the importance of keeping the PMO informed on project progress and ask for help. PMOs have the luxury of seeing across a portfolio of projects and can often identify solutions for similar problems. Invite them to lunch and find out how the PMO and project managers can make the project organization a better place to work!
5. I will encourage my management to conduct “skip level” meetings with my team members
Successful project managers can’t deliver unless they are supported by a team. Project managers should recognize their team members and share the accolades within the management spotlight. One way to do this is encourage your manager to have skip level meetings with your project team members. It will give your team members some additional visibility to a manager or executive that may not know specifically how your team contributes to the organization. It also provides an opportunity for team members to provide unfiltered feedback and new ideas.
6. I’ll reward my team with a monthly team gathering
Projects are successfully due to the relationships formed across all project stakeholders. These stakeholders include your project team! Relationships need to be developed not only in the weekly status meeting, at an all employee meeting or in the halls. They need to be developed outside the cubicle. Managers may hold an annual holiday party as a thank you to the team for all their accomplishments. However, project managers should reward their teams more frequently and develop the informal relationships within their teams. I’ve found the more I invest in relationships with the team, the better I know my team members and a stronger bond of trust emerges. When a project starts to go bad, these relationships are instrumental in successfully turning the project around.
The project manager doesn’t always have to pick up the tab for the monthly gathering but the project manager can buy a first round of drinks or appetizers. You may find the team is the one buying you the congratulatory beer!
7. I’ll commit to attend at least one training event this year
Is there ever a good time for training? Nope. So you might as well as schedule it and take it when planned. As project managers and continual learners, we need to remember to invest in ourselves and not just our projects. Training doesn’t necessarily need to be a boondoggle at West Coast resort or a formal structured class. Read a blog article, attend a webinar or read a chapter from a thought provoking business book. Spending a least 1 hour a week on yourself to learn something new and improve your skills is a hint a colleague of mine provided several years ago. You give 40 plus hours at week and using 1 of those hours each week will benefit you and the organization.
I know resolutions are hard to keep. The same 15 pounds I swore off last year are still here despite the 2010 resolution. Print this article, post it on your office wall and review these resolutions periodically. You may give up on your gym membership after a few weeks, don’t give up on these!
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