CATEGORY | Project Management Techniques

Writing Skills For Project Managers - These 6 Are Essential For Success
Project Management

Writing Skills For Project Managers: These 6 Are Essential For Success

When one imagines a Project Manager, they may picture a person meeting with team mates, reviewing reports or giving presentations. While Project Managers do all of these things, there’s one task that nearly every P.M. spends quite a bit of time on, especially these days: writing. Whether it be writing letters or responding to endless emails, a significant portion of a Project Managers’ performance is underpinned by their ability to write. For many Project Managers (myself included), it takes years of time and experience to finely hone their writing skills. While the best way to get better at writing is to simply spend time doing it, there are many easy ways to improve writing abilities too; many of them are more about what not to do than anything else! Let’s talk about 6 essential writing skills for Project Managers that I’ve picked up over the years. Note that some of these tips aren’t necessarily about writing per se, but rather the intent and strategy behind why you should sometimes write a certain way. Let’s go!

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How Project Managers Waste Their Time - Avoid Doing These 13 Things
Project Management

How Project Managers Waste Their Time: Avoid Doing These 13 Things!

Time is money, they say, but it’s not entirely true. While I understand the intent behind this expression, there is a gaping hole in the theory. Time is worth MUCH more than money for the majority of us. Time is the only resource we can’t buy any more of. We all get the same amount of hours in each day, but none of us can ever get time back. The positive response to all of this? Make the best use of your time as you possibly can! This goes for work and personal life alike. As far as work is concerned, let’s talk about how Project Managers waste their time. If you’re looking to make the most of your time at work, avoid doing these 13 things!

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7 Simple, Effective Ways To Get Ahead As A Project Manager
Project Management

7 Simple, Effective Ways To Get Ahead As A Project Manager

We talk a lot on this website about whether Project Managers are born or made, and we always arrive at the same answer – there’s elements of both in the best P.Ms out there. That being said, the most polar opposites of ‘born’ Project Managers out there can still boost their skill levels tremendously through learning and experiences. Said another way – there’s a strong possibility of success for even the most unnatural P.Ms. In this article, we’ll be exploring 7 simple, effective ways to get ahead as a Project Manager! Let’s dive in.

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Project Management Examples For Kids - 8 Lessons We Learn In School
Project Management

Project Management Examples For Kids: 8 Lessons We Learn In School

Project management is a complex task. Managing projects effectively requires education and training, but it also requires experience and a proper mindset. While some of this information can only be learned while working in the industry, many project management principles are based in lessons we learn as kids. In this article, we’re exploring some project management examples for kids via the lessons we learn in school. Let’s get started!

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How To Manage Vendors Effectively As A Project Manager - 10 Crucial Tips
Construction Management

How To Manage Vendors Effectively As A Project Manager: 10 Crucial Tips

Vendors serve as the backbone of many projects. As a matter of fact, vendors play a critical role for any type of business. Vendors provide businesses with supplies, technology, equipment, services and about a million other things. Without these vendors, most businesses could not survive. The same can be said for projects – a bad vendor can make or break a project under the right circumstances. Project Managers must learn to manage vendors effectively from day one to maximize their relationship, while protecting the project from possible downsides. In this article, we’re exploring how to manage vendors effectively as a Project Manager, along with 10 crucial tips for success!

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Project Management Metaphors For A Quick & Easy Visualization
Project Management

Project Management Metaphors: 6 Quick & Easy Visualizations

As you may or may not know, there are three established types of learning styles out there – auditory, kinesthetic and visual. Visual learners comprehend the most amount of information when they’re shown something to look at. Explain how an engine works verbally and a visual learner will comprehend very little. Show that same person a video of an engine working, though, and they’re likely to understand a lot more about it. While metaphors are often visual in nature, learners of all types see metaphors as easy, simple ways to understand a topic. In this article, we’re talking about 10 project management metaphors for quick and easy visualizations!

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Putting A Project On Hold - When Project Managers Should Hit Pause
Construction Management

Putting A Project On Hold: When Project Managers Should Hit Pause

In the field of project management, we rarely hear of the words ‘slowing down’. In fact, those words often echo in infamy. Clients want their project completed as quickly as it can be. They’re more likely to request additional resources, more hours and accelerated timelines – slowing down or stopping isn’t something clients want to hear. Unfortunately, slowing down or hitting pause is the right thing to do for the Project Manager, despite what the client and even our own management may say. In this article, we’re discussing putting a project on hold and when P.M.s should hit that pause button!

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Inexperienced Project Manager? The Do's & Don'ts For Young P.M.s
Project Management

Inexperienced Project Manager? The Do’s & Don’ts For Young P.M.s

Ah, the early stages of a Project Manager’s career – everything’s so new and the possibilities are endless. Cherish these stages, because soon you’ll be an experienced, jaded Project Manager with a steel gaze! Half kidding. When a P.M. gets assigned their first project, they’ll likely feel many emotions at once – excitement, nerves, pride, anxiety, intimidation, disorientation and more. Like most promotions, becoming a Project Manager is a big deal, which requires a boost in performance and responsibilities. Is an inexperienced Project Manager truly ready? By following the list below, young Project Managers can maximize their experience on their new project while protecting themselves from the downsides! Let’s jump in.

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Project Management Efficiency Tricks & Hacks: 10 Go-To Techniques
Project Management

Project Management Efficiency Tricks & Hacks: 10 Go-To Techniques

Project management largely revolves around problem-solving, strategy and conscientiousness, but let’s get real – we also want to have a life. We desire positive outcomes and success for our projects, but we also want to leave at a reasonable hour, too. When it comes to efficient project management, ‘work smarter, not harder’ is the name of the game. We must put in enough effort to get the job done right, but we also need to monitor the time and energy it’s taking to get there. Today, we’re talking about 10 must-know project management efficiency tricks and hacks!

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Project Management Note Taking Tips: Double The Value (With Examples)
Project Management

Project Management Note Taking Tips: Double The Value (With Examples)

Project Managers around the world live and die by their notes. To do lists, logs and journals all serve the purpose of recording the most important parts of our project – in turn, PMs are constantly scribbling down notes, information and reminders throughout the day. Project Managers strategize, make decisions and take actions based on the information they have. It comes as no surprise that having sound note-taking skills can greatly boost a PM’s performance. When it comes to taking notes, there are some crucial methods to follow for best results. When notes are recorded in a certain fashion, they’ll pay you back in dividends over the course of a project. In this article, we’ll explore some project management note taking tips you can start using right now!

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About This Topic

Project Management is both an art and a science, blending the arenas of creativity, discipline, efficiency and skills. That’s why we have an entire portion of our blog dedicated specifically to project management techniques! Check out these articles on project management efficiency, decision-making, project management metaphors, approaching problems, handing issues, organization, managing vendors and subcontractors and generally getting things done.