10 Sure Fire Ways to Improve Your Project Management Skills

Posted on: May 16, 2022

Introduction

We should always strive to become better versions of ourselves. This is just a fact. We have to strive to be lifelong learners and expand our craft.

The world changes daily, our technologies are developing at an exponential rate, and it is our job to keep up to date with them.

This can be tough, especially with everyday life demanding so much from us.

For the past 2 years, going on 3, we have had to deal with great deals of uncertainty and change. We saw the total collapse of industries. We saw many small businesses shut their doors, for good.

We have been affected by Covid in one way or another and we are ready to move, to go back to normal, and start focusing on the future.

Any strategy that refers to the future needs to consider continuous learning and development, it is the only way you will win in business and in life.

We have put together 10 ways to improve your project management skills to arm you for the future.

Flexibility

Be flexible and transparent when it comes to planning a project, things can and will change quickly, it doesn’t always go as planned, make sure you are agile to move with the changes.

Being adaptable is a gamechanger and can save your clients lots of money and you a lot of time, not being stuck in a decision or a plan, but being able to pivot as and when needed has proven a very successful strategy when it comes to doing business in 2022.

EQ

Sharpen your Emotional Intelligence, at the heart of the business, is people, refining your EQ will make you more successful in communicating with teams on-site and getting them on your side.

You will get more from people if they like you. This is a fact. The more you consider the person you are dealing with, the better you will get to know them and be better able to manage them effectively.

EQ comprises of these 5 different aspects:

Self-awareness.
Self-regulation.
Motivation.
Empathy.
Social skills.

Make sure to have a deeper understanding of all those aspects and practice them regularly.

Plan

Plan ahead, and have a risk management plan in place, a great project manager has the gift of foresight, make sure you have considered everything and have a contingency in place.

“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” — Benjamin Franklin

Having a plan, and not having to think daily about what comes next will enable the whole team to be on the same page and be able to navigate what’s necessary.

In case of an emergency, all avenues may be considered, and the most informed decision making.

Autonomy

Say goodbye to micromanagement, it’s just not possible. Construction has many moving parts, it is impossible to best serve your clients when you are busy making sure everyone else is watched with an eagle eye, rather set realistic deadlines, and demand milestone feedback.

Everything in life has both upsides and downsides, but when the downsides far outweigh the upsides, it’s time to reconsider.

Well, micromanagement is no different.

Downsides:

This can lead to burnout of both the manager and the worker.
Makes it difficult for the PM to keep the focus on the big picture.
Highlights the lack of trust.
Not scalable.
Creates a co-dependent relationship.
Employee turnover increases.

Upsides:

Might feel like support.
Sense of safety and security.

Inspire

Create a spark. Being an enthusiastic PM is key to running a successful project. Get your people amped, build them up, and always look on the bright side of things. Focus on solutions, not problems.

“It always seems impossible until it is done” ~ Nelson Mandela

High energy yields high results, but being an inspirational and inspiring manager is not just something you become (if you aren’t a natural).

It takes practice, effort, and more practice. Knowing what your team needs and when to give them that extra boost to get them through that final stage is so pivotal to the morale of all team members.

As a PM, it is your responsibility to be their light and always spark joy.

Communication

Communicate like a boss! Communication is key to running and completing an effective construction project. The better the communication the better the outcome for all parties involved.

The basis of any great relationship is communication.

Being a great communicator will open more doors for you than most other things in life.

Ensuring that all team members continuously communicate with each other in a meaningful way can make all the difference in delivering exceptional services to a client.

No

Learn to say NO! Too often there are changes to the scope then there should be, this pushes back deadlines, and creates extra stress, and work for the construction site, most times without being consulted. Sticking to the plan is sometimes necessary to deliver an exceptional project on time.

Setting boundaries in life is hard, setting boundaries with a client is even harder, thoughts like “But what if I lose the client?” or “What if they get someone else to do the job?”.

These are all valid thoughts and concerns, just stay true to yourself, trust your own gut instinct and your abilities, and you will know what to do when the time comes.

Completion

Finish what you started. Don’t keep postponing some deadlines, do what is needed to finish and sign off on all of your projects. Close the door, and move on. Unfinished projects will steal more of your time than anything else ever will.

Keeping something open-ended, unfinished, and a door open is career suicide.

It will always have you looking backward instead of forwards, to the future, to see what other possibilities there are, no you will always be looking back to see what you should still fix, and this will keep you stuck in one place.

Eyes on the prize, the future in this case.

Learn

Keep on expanding your knowledge. This is not only true for PMs but for all professions. The industry changes constantly, and new inventions, or better ways of doing things, are always emerging, make sure you stay on top of these things and commit to becoming a lifelong learner.

“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Always remember that.

Strive to always be a person that learns and grows, both in life and in business.

Build trust

Trust is everything. Earn the trust of your team. Your team will work better, and more efficiently when there is trust between teammates. Ensure that you are doing everything possible to cultivate that trust.

Another basis of all relationships is trust, without trust, there can be no relationship.

Make sure you build trust with your team.

The most effective way of doing this is by showing vulnerabilities and leaning into them.

The next time you have something on the heart, don’t shy away from it, share it with your team and see how they respond in turn.

Conclusion

Managing a team is hard, managing a team in construction, of a project is even harder. The variabilities, the changes, the ups, and the downs can be challenging at the best of times, always make sure that you are prepared for whatever is thrown your way.

Reach out to friends and family if you need extra support, or join a PM group of peers and see how you can all support each other to become better.

The job is as rewarding as it is hard, seeing the whole team and the project come together, in the end, to deliver an exceptional service to a client makes it all worth it in the end.