Even the most skilled project managers can make mistakes throughout their careers. Even if they are not well analysed, mistakes can be valuable lessons that can help you become a better project manager.
However, project managers who are savvy know that they can learn from others’ mistakes. It’s learning from others. These are common mistakes made by project managers, and how to avoid them.
The wrong people are being assigned to the tasks
Everyone involved in project management, from the formulation of its goals through to the implementation and evaluations of the activities, requires people to do it. This holds true even if there are advanced technologies and tools being used on the project. Only people have the knowledge and skills necessary to use them.
The most common mistake in project leadership is to assign the wrong people for the right tasks. This person could be wrong on many levels. He may not have the right knowledge or skills to do the job. He may not be able to work well in a team or he may not be willing to think outside the box.
Solution: Assess each member of the team’s knowledge and skills in relation to the tasks and activities. Based on your assessment, assign the right people to the job. This will ensure that their skills match the requirements.
Failing to get the support of the team members and the external people
To be efficient and effective in achieving its goal, a team must have 100% support from its members. Everyone will work towards it. This applies to people outside the project management team, such departments and their employees who have an impact on the team’s deliverables.
If even one person in the team is not cooperative, the schedule can be thrown off track, the goal can be disregarded, and the entire project may be terminated. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including the failure to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each member of the team, the personal payoffs, or to create a sense urgency for the project.
Solution: Effective communication is key to educating team members about their roles and responsibilities, as well as encouraging them to work together towards a common goal. These matters can be presented to encourage team members and other people to support the project.
Remember that “external persons” also refers to the project’s executives. Executives must feel that they have control over the project from beginning to end and that they are personally involved in its success. The greater the chance of success, the more executives will support it.
Too Many Productions at Once
Although project managers are able to manage multiple projects, it is counterproductive to have too many projects. You can’t be a superman who can plan, execute and evaluate multiple projects simultaneously without expecting something to fall through the cracks of burnout.
Multitasking is a desirable trait for project managers, but it comes with its risks. Multitasking can slow down people, affect the quality of their work, cause delays, and ultimately, trickle down to the organization until other employees are negatively affected.
Solution: Reduce the work in progress load up to 25%. This will allow you to concentrate on the most important or urgent project and not split your time between several projects. Many of these can wait. Project Management Software allows you to prioritize tasks. These tools will increase productivity and allow you to take on other projects.