
Being a project manager is not a walk in the park. Whether you’re just beginning your career in project management or have years of experience, you will probably agree that working as a project manager is complex. To succeed in this field, you must constantly stay on your feet by learning the ins and outs of project management and ensuring that every project you handle remains within agreed-upon project limitations, such as project scope, time, and budget.
As a project manager, you must wear various hats, transitioning seamlessly from a problem-solver and facilitator to a leader who translates corporate needs into actionable plans. This multifaceted role exposes your weaknesses on multiple fronts. In our digitally advanced era, it is crucial to recognise and address your weaknesses while identifying your strengths. Project management training can be a valuable tool to help you achieve this balance.
Below, we will discuss some of the most common project management flaws that may hinder your success as a project manager.
1. Lack of consistent communication
Consistent communication is a vital component of project management success. That said, many project managers often forget to meet with their teams and give updates to key stakeholders once the projects are underway. It is essential to lay down the groundwork for day-to-day meetings, including who needs to join them, to ensure things are on track.
As a project manager, you must concentrate on having the right number of people involved and communicate constantly with them to receive regular updates and overcome any complications.
2. Preferring quick delivery over quality
More often than not, project managers focus so much on finishing the project on time and within the budget that they easily overlook quality. One after another, they highlight the deliverables necessary to fulfil project phases immediately and move on to the next stage in the project plan.
However, team members are often more focused on providing a quality project while still recognising deadlines. In this case, the project managers must take notes from their teams and focus on effective processes. This will enable your team to deliver a high-quality project and identify several ways to complete it efficiently within the given timeframe.
3. Mishandling skill sets of team members
Effective project managers know exactly how to achieve excellent outcomes from the individuals who work for them – by matching their team members’ skills and competencies with project tasks. However, sometimes, project managers make the mistake of not optimising the abilities of their team members. As a consequence, they allocate unfitting tasks, which eventually impact the whole flow of the project.
You can avoid this mistake by having a clear understanding of what your team members can do and provide at their full potential. Establish periodic goals and demanding plans, as they are effective ways to get to know your team and the strengths of each member. You may also opt for an outing with your team members or carry out other fun but helpful team-building activities.
4. Permitting scope creep
Scope creep is a common and inevitable occurrence in any project. Project scopes are not always firmly established and may require compromise. This issue often arises when clients have unclear requirements or are uncertain about their needs. If left unaddressed, scope creep can potentially lead to project failure.
When modifications or changes to the project scope arise, there is always a process in place to handle them. It is crucial to grasp how these requests impact the financial plan, schedule, milestones, and final deadlines. Unfortunately, many project managers tend to allocate insufficient time to understand the project scope. This lack of understanding can result in setting unrealistic deadlines and, ultimately, project challenges.
5. Resisting change
As a project manager, you will surely come across numerous challenges, such as last-minute task additions, unforeseen project changes, and missed meetings or deadlines. Good project managers have enough dedication and competence to adapt to these changes and maintain the smooth flow of the project. Oftentimes, this means that you need to be willing to add new resources to the project, change your approach, and start over.
However, some project managers are stubborn and refuse to communicate with their team members to determine all the possible solutions to the project’s problems. Refusing to involve the team, being inflexible to different processes, and not facilitating adequate communication will all impact overall project development and result in project failure.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that project management is a complex and challenging job that requires plenty of skills and good character. On top of possessing certain leadership qualities as a project manager, you should also be able to recognise the weaknesses and flaws in your projects and be willing to work on them. Acknowledging and resolving project management mistakes can help you avoid a project disaster.
To overcome your weaknesses and become a better project manager, it is highly recommended that you undergo further training from a reputable provider like BridgingMinds. As a leading provider of professional training with a reputation for excellence, BridgingMinds offers various premium programmes designed to improve your professional knowledge and skills, such as project management training, DevOps courses, and CEH courses in Singapore. Feel free to contact us anytime for more information.