These are the top three challenges that project managers face throughout their careers.
Your manager expects you to be able manage projects from the beginning.
You have to manage people, but you don’t have any authority over them. What should you do?
Your team expects you to be a leader in every aspect. It is something that no one can teach.
Complex roles play a role in the life of a project manager. Problem is, you may not be aware until an unexpected problem occurs.
You might only have one or two. Let’s take a look at the results across the board.
(I would like to ask you to make a list of the most important ones for you right now.
Challenge #1:
Your PM mentor will teach you everything you need to know. Wrong! He won’t have time to spend with your family. You are all alone.
If you have a mentor, you are very fortunate. This is becoming less common.
It is common to believe that you can get the job as PM. You will manage it all. You’ll also meet other project managers who can help you.
This mentality can lead stress and long hours.
Why?
Great project managers always look ahead. Your primary responsibility should always be to prevent problems. It is important that you understand the importance and impact of PM activities on your work in the coming months.
A mentor may provide you some quick tips. He might not be able to give you all the details of project management. Keep in mind that he is responsible for his own projects.
Ask concrete questions about imminent problems. It helps you stay afloat, and not get into a crisis. It won’t help you grow professionally.
Solution: Talk to your mentor about the whole project life cycle. Ask about the overall picture of project management within this company, including integrations.
Challenge #2:
Everyone talks about being a leader, but no one can teach you how to be one.
The best way to get help is to read a book about leadership. There is a catch.
It is crucial to choose the right book.
It will take some time to read it.
Next, put it into action.
It is also important to measure whether it works.
Here’s the truth
Only 10% of the leadership tips I’ve ever read are applicable to project managers. The rest are for CEOs and Steve Jobs, as well as other executives.
Solution: Project managers may not be as efficient as they think. It is enough to either slog through it or find someone who can explain it in simple terms.
Challenge #3:
People who are working on difficult projects can’t be fired. To manage difficult people on a project, you need a different skill set.
This section of leadership cannot be found in the books.
Managers are often blamed for lacking the soft skills necessary to manage difficult people. Why?
People are the greatest asset of any company.
This becomes more difficult when you hire someone. This means you have failed twice.
It’s like your hands are tied, and you have to deal with them.
Solution: Develop a set of interview questions that will help you select the right people. These questions should be continually tested and improved.
Learn how to fire someone. You should have clear metrics to support your decision. Make sure you follow the guidelines exactly before you fire someone.
Challenge #4:
Stakeholder engagement is the cornerstone of project management. Your boss expects that you manage the engagement of stakeholders, and even help clients grow their businesses.
When I use the term “key stakeholders”, I often refer to people with greater authority than you. Include your key stakeholders
