In fact, managing and assuming responsibility for a project requires multiple skills. Each project manager has their own way of doing this. Nonetheless, the nature of the work in question will require the use of different strategies so that the project can be developed successfully and within the proposed deadline.
In order to hire the right project manager, how they perform during a preliminary interview and meeting stage should be carefully observed. Knowing what their plans and responsibilities will consist of, as well as the personalities and professional nature of the staff they will be responsible for, will help a great deal when deciding to opt for one management style or another.
Below you will find descriptions of the various project manager profiles and styles of most interest to the companies looking for them.
Proven: composure through experience
Proven project managers are those who, due to their expertise, have all the skills needed to manage the project and simply provide guidelines while delegating duties to their team. It could be said that their status as gurus leaves no room for retort or debate because they are the ones who best control the ins and outs of the project.
Democratic: team motivation
This project management style is mainly based on knowing the project team and identifying which task is best suited to each member. Such project managers actively listen to their team and implement the proposals they receive, depending on their degree of specialization. The great advantage of democratic project managers lies in that this method will produce a strongly motivated and highly valued team.
Authoritarian: for inexpert teams
At the other end of the spectrum, coercive project managers leave very little room for freedom within their team. This is a tough and demanding style that is applied to inexpert and disorientated project teams above all. The goal is to ensure that these teams question nothing until they acquire sufficient skill. The team must simply do what it is told.
Cooperative or interconnected: high dose of flexibility
They are the glue that bonds a highly professional project team and have efficiently demonstrated their skills. They need little supervision and, in fact, these managers often allow their team to work where each member prefers. They need not necessarily see each other in person every day. They can remain interconnected and in touch via the Internet. Flexibility is the main characteristic of this model, shown through the demonstration of trust from both sides (project manager and team).
Subject to a strict deadline
These project managers are referred to as pace-setters. They act as genuine chronometers when it comes to delegating duties. They ask for work to be done and delivered within a certain deadline and attribute great value to punctuality. When deadlines are so important, pace-setters usually allow quality of work to take on a background role. For them, the most important thing is to meet targets on time and will achieve this under strict supervision of their team. They will apply pressure to ensure strict compliance with the deadline set beforehand. This pressure is palpable and stress often becomes just another colleague in the workplace.
As you can see, there are various different project management styles and it cannot be said that one is any more suitable than another. The characteristics of the project, the professional or inexperienced nature of the team and the delivery deadlines will define the guidelines for deciding which style of project manager is better suited to achieve success. All that said, there is a famous quote by Socrates about team management skills: “kings or governors are not those who carry a scepter but rather those who know how to command”.
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In project management, the setsof tasks that are performed when finalizing activities are often misunderstood, or are simply not practiced correctly. Formally completing a project, or phase of a contractual obligation, should entail a number of essential tasks.
It should be noted that premature closures of projects can always occur, which can throw a spanner in the works. But for standard closures of projects, or phases of projects:
- Obtain permission from the customer/client/sponsor to formally close the project.
- Register the impacts of the adaptation process.
- Document notes or lessons learnt.
- Apply updates to the assets of the organization's processes.
- Archive all the relevant projectdocuments in the information system for project management or PMIs, to be used as historical data.
- Close all procurement activities and ensure the completion of all relevant agreements.
- Conduct assessments and release relevant resources.
The closure of projects is an important process and the significance of carrying out all of the steps above is great. Remember, with ITM Platform we can help you manage your project closures and all other aspects of your project management, for that matter, more easily, more efficiently and more effectively.
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Transparency. A question of experience, but also a problem of organization. A project often fails - completely or partially - because the PM (or a Team Leader) does not act in a transparent fashion; in other words, certain project limits, analysis limits or an execution-related mistake are not disclosed in the hope that these problems will fix themselves or be resolved by some form of divine intervention. I like to say that this is a problem of organization.
The Project Manager truly is one of the main factors responsible for the success of a project, but not the only one. A Project Manager cannot magically transform incomplete analyses by specialists into valid and exhaustive reports, neither is a Project Manager capable of verifying every technical product at every stage of the project. The fact is that the PM is usually the architect of the project, is emotionally involved and considers the project as something of their own creation.
The PM is often an employee of the company that launched the project, whose opportunity is inversely proportional to the project cost. Or they believe that a good PM should be able to make something that does not work, work. For one or more of these reasons, the PM starts to instinctively adopt what can be somewhat dangerous attitudes during the analysis stage, tending to maximize the pros and minimize the cons in each case. The Project Manager should act transparently for the organization with an interest in the project and especially with the sponsor, all the more so if the latter is known for being a “killer”. The PM should immediately report any significant problems, each flaw, even if they are directly responsible - obviously without becoming overly anxious - and share any relevant question or unforeseen eventuality with the stakeholders; not doing so could lead to very serious, possibly irreparable, consequences. Hence, generally-speaking, the sponsor should choose a PM who is not emotionally involved in the project. A Project Manager who always acts honestly and entirely transparently has great potential to be highly appreciated, even when a project fails.
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If you want to achieve success in your project as a project leader, you should be aware that you will need more skills than technical knowledge alone. Your ability to build interpersonal relationships with team members is decisive in obtaining good end results.
Interpersonal skills play a fundamental role in the work of a leader whenever the work needs to move beyond the scope initially planned. As leader, you cannot forget that you work with a large number of people at all levels of a project, both from within the company and from external sources. Many of them you will not see face-to-face but nonetheless, you will need to establish relationships with them in order to improve the chances of success for the end result. Hence, one of the priorities for a project leader should be to build a fast and lasting relationship with all those involved in the project, always basing each relationship on discretion and diplomacy. Similarly, there is a need to maintain good relations with sponsors so that they help you ensure work can be carried out under the best possible conditions.
How to maintain these good relations with all those involved in the work process?
Maintaining a positive attitude is always essential.
You should know how to accept the points of view expressed by others and steer them towards adaptation to your own demands. Furthermore, you should learn to speak more clearly and concisely so that all those involved in a project can understand you easily and without misunderstandings. Maintaining fluid and ongoing communication regarding the strategic objectives to be achieved and the final mission for the program is also another basic step for building a good network of interpersonal relationships between a leader and the rest of the project team. Active listening and providing up-to-date information on each step of the process being undertaken will help you ensure that the interaction between all those involved in the project substantially improves.
Of course, you always need to demonstrate genuine interest in the issues being analyzed and try to raise awareness on the need to be empathetic with all team members.
At any event, when thinking about putting all this advice into practice, it is important to bear in mind that a solid interpersonal relationship cannot be built overnight. A good leader will take the time needed to work on their inter-relationships with each of the stakeholders involved in their project, even helping them to see the most problematic aspects of the work in a positive light. The life cycles of a project are usually sequential in nature and can be divided into whether they seek functional or partial objectives, intermediary results or deliverables, specific milestones or according to financial availability.
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Implementing agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban or any of their variations) is a challenge faced by all kinds of organizations, project offices and managers. The advantages to be gained from this type of method for a great number of projects are clear, but actually implementing them is no simple task. At many organizations their implementation is often met with fear, rejection and obstacles. Here are a few keys to successfully implementing a agile methodology.
1. Start with the Right Project
It is actually possible to apply the agile methodologies to almost any type of project but the successful implementation of these methods does indeed require selecting the right projects to begin with, so as to achieve the maximum benefit in the shortest time. Trying to apply agile methodologies to clearly predictive or classic projects does not usually lead to good results, as there is a considerable sense of losing control, with teams (and management) tending to revert to methods they already know. In contrast, experimental projects: presenting a lesser defined or highly changeable scope with multidisciplinary teams and needing swift results: provide an excellent opportunity for applying agile methodologies.
2. Clearly define the Team's Role
The role played by a team in classic or predictive projects is significantly different to their role in agile projects. The Project Manager plays a leading role in the former, with control over all aspects of the project, whereas the team has a much more relevant role in the latter and the Project Manager becomes a facilitator of the methodology. It is important to clearly define the team’s role in order to implement the method correctly. An agile project requires a multidisciplinary, self-organized and self-managed team, which is a confidence challenge for many organizations that tend to apply managed and controlled methods. Understanding and building this type of team is very important. If you can build a team that consists of relationships between equals and a shared goal, a large portion of your future success will be guaranteed.
3. Estimation of Effort is still Key
One of the most common problems when implementing agile methodologies is believing that estimates no longer need to be made. Even though it is no longer necessary to make an estimate of the whole project and we can focus on the tasks for the next sprint or those with a higher priority in the product backlog, it is important to realistically estimate the efforts required for the tasks and ensure they are reasonably equal or that the size difference between them is clear. If a task has not been completed at the end of a sprint or a task is constantly shown as “ongoing” in a Kanban project, it is very likely that we have made a mistake in our estimation that should be corrected, the task should be broken down into more manageable parts and our commitments should often be revised. Flexible management will ensure that the estimate focuses on the tasks providing the highest value or that we need to tackle most quickly. However, the estimation itself is still important.
4. Know and control Limitations
Agile methodologies have limitations and they must be taken into consideration. There are scope, deadline, cost and quality factors that need to be met. It is true that priorities might be inverted or the scope might be more negotiable, but the limitations on deadline, cost and quality remain and must be managed. These methods state that tasks should not exceed a certain effort, define a maximum Work in Progress (WIP) we can manage or establish a time-box by using sprints. Limitations must be strictly maintained and not changed lightly, as they are a very important part of their model. If we make changes or adjustments and accept all types of changes, we are losing control.
5. Manage tension
Although it might seem contradictory, agile methodologies are more like a long-distance race than a sprint. Some organizations approach these methods as a way of moving more quickly - getting more done in less time – taking advantage of the fact that teams are more deeply involved. This is true, but if we want the implementation of these methods to last, we must manage team tension. Having a motivated, results-focused, self-managed and efficient team is possible with agile methodology. In order for these characteristics to last over time, we need to ensure that the team also perceives an improvement to productivity and not only a constant increase in effort and workload.
6. Metrics: “power without control is useless”
These methods are extremely powerful. They are capable of producing motivated teams that obtain impressive results in genuinely short spaces of time. Nonetheless, all this power does not come at odds with control. Agile methodologies encourage us to measure, analyze and constantly improve.
Metrics are the way to explicit project management based on real data rather than intuition, opinions or occasional emergencies. Speed, flow and commitment compliance are all key metrics that we should gather and analyze in order to streamline our processes and improve our teams.
7. Quality, Quality and… Quality
Quality means repeat business. Increasing delivery speeds, managing estimates incrementally or having a self-managed team do not mean setting quality aside. It is very important to deliver products quickly in agile methodologies but those products should also work; they need to do what is required of them efficiently.
That is why it’s important not to leave quality until the end and incorporate aspects of quality validation, revision and measurement of all the items, deliverables and products we generate during the project from the outset.
8. Remain to the methodology rigorously
Agile methodologies have few rules, standards or products. It is important to follow the method precisely, especially at the start. It is better to change nothing (or almost nothing) before gaining experience. If something seems strange, have a little patience and give it a chance. Scrum methods establish a series of roles, meetings and stages that should be preserved, experienced and maintained in order for these methods to truly work as we expect. It is possible to go from less to more in these methods, but follow their instructions precisely until you are comfortable with their use.
9. Revise and adjust the method
As soon as we have advanced significantly in the use of agile methodologies, we can consider making adjustments to them. It is important to conduct reviews or retrospective exercises that allow you to see what does and doesn’t work within your organization and make the necessary changes to adapt the method to your culture, style and requirements. However, this should always be done after having tried the standard models.
Agile methodologies are indeed flexible, very flexible, and that is why they can be adapted to almost any type of project, organization or team. With a little experience, possible imbalances can be identified and changes, adaptations or additions can be made to these methods so as to ensure they perfectly suit our needs and circumstances.
10. Maximize visibility
One of the most important keys to the success of agile methodologies is visibility. Implementing these methods is done “behind the scenes” at some organizations, almost invisibly or as if applying this type of tool were embarrassing in some way. It is important for this type of implementation to be made visible, open and public so that the entire organization can see what is being done, how it is being done and what has been achieved by doing it. Avoid using private "Kanban" methods or hiding them when the project client or sponsor appears. Be brave and show, explain and harness the most visible advantages. There is no better ally than a project client or sponsor that is involved in management, added to which agile methodologies enable maximum visibility and maximum participation from all stakeholders. An agile methodology is not an exception or an extravagance from an isolated team but something that can be applied throughout the organization.
11. Manage expectations
Many teams and organizations that embark down this path believe that all their problems will be solved as if by magic; that the client will never change their mind, that products will no longer have defects or that nothing “unpleasant” will ever happen during the project again. Agile methodologies adapt very well to changing and stressful environments but they are not the solution to every problem. Managing expectations from teams, clients and management is important to successful implementation.
The method may well not be perfect the first time around, that teams will feel uncomfortable with certain aspects of the method or that the project will encounter certain problems. This is completely normal. You will quickly see that progress is being achieved, that progress is significant and that the results are very positive.
12. Select the right tools
Using a support tool when applying agile methodologies facilitates their implementation at organizations. Having centralized support for sharing information, measuring progress and maintaining project control is highly important. With the right tool, teams will be able to work independently while the organization can maintain control over project progress, costs and revenue, efforts, etc.
Do not be fooled by tools that are free but completely disconnected from the rest of your organization. Agile methodologies are not an anecdotal or exceptional process implemented by teams with highly unprofessional tools; it is an important decision by the organization to adapt and improve. We are facing a project management revolution that is allowing us - with the right tools - to improve our performance, deliver high-value products very quickly and achieve great success.
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When a new project arrives, it can sometimes seem impossible because of time-related issues. This is usually an excuse that can be overcome easily through proper organization because this allows work to be done at the same time on various projects without adversely affecting your personal life.
Definition of objectives: Starting a job without setting goals can enormously complicate your ability to focus on it and lead to needless procrastination. Setting a deadline (even though the client has not specified one) is a good way to start scheduling a project.
Planning: Once a goal has been set, you need to plan the work required to reach that goal on time. A realistic approach is recommended in this regard, properly measuring the time to be allocated to this new work. When facing long-term projects, it is a good idea to define milestones with specific dates. This can lead to the perception that you have been rather precipitous in setting that date, which sometimes allows for a slight recycling of the project, perhaps simplifying certain parts of it.
Find time: Many people who claim not to have enough time might possibly lack effective time management skills. When facing a truly ambitious project, instinct finds man hours that had previously gone unnoticed. This is the case when taking advantageof downtime, such as when traveling on public transport (which can be used to answer emails or read over work completed beforehand).
Accept support from family and friends: Your personal life may indeed suffer while you are working on a certain project. You should explain to the important people in your life why you are going to spend so much time on this project, doing so in such a way as to ensure they understand you.
Schedule a specific time of every week for the project:
When working freelance, with various clients or beginning a new project while still doing your regular job, you should set a schedule for the new project. This will mean it gets the same priority as anything else, avoiding the risk of postponing it.
Outsourcing:
If certain parts of the project can be subcontracted, this idea should not be rejected out of hand; even when talking about things not related to the daily routine of the people in question, which could potentially reduce the time spent on what is actually a priority issue. These are several keys to good project organization. Others worth mentioning are: a suitable workspace; knowing when to reject anything in time that diverts attention from the goal; and getting ahead on work that could potentially be postponed until after finalizing the project, such as a marketing or distribution plan.
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