How to Deal with a Difficult Sponsor
Project managers have to be well-versed in dealing with people. And, since we spend so much of our careers working with others, the odds practically dictate that we will have encountered a difficult stakeholder on one of our projects. But what happens if the stakeholder problem child is the one leading your project?
Product Review: Bridge24 for Trello
Trello is one of my favorite productivity tools—I use this free Kanban board application to track progress against my goals. So, when I came upon an application that advertises itself as an analytical extender for Trello, I had to test it out. Here is my review of Bridge24 for Trello.
Writing a Personal Mission Statement
I had always struggled to write a personal mission statement because I wasn’t clear how authoring such a statement would be useful in navigating my career path. I saw the urgency a few weeks ago while navigating a minor career “crisis” of my own. Below are some guidelines for writing a personal mission statement.
How to Manage a Proposal
In the project management world, there is nothing quite so rewarding—or quite so exhausting—as the opportunity to submit a bid as part of a competitive procurement. How do you apply project management principles to run a proposal well?
What to Do When You Get a New Project
When you inherit something midstream and need to get up to speed quickly, it can be challenging to ascertain what you need to do first. What’s worth learning (and doing) immediately? What can wait? Here are some things PMs should consider when taking the reins on a new project opportunity.
Basic Tips for Considering Accessibility on Your Projects
I’ve supported projects focused on promoting programmatic and physical accessibility and have learned a tremendous amount in a short time about the unique needs of this population. I need to get smarter on this topic, but here are a few tips I’ve picked up that I try to incorporate on the projects I manage.
Project Management Products Tell All
By popular request, this post describes some of the products that I use to manage my personal projects. I could happily exist on a desert island as long as I had Internet and the following apps.
They Can be Taught: How to Cultivate Confidence
One of the most frustrating things for a manager is working with employees who can’t quite seem to live up to their potential. When staff are not performing as you expect, it usually has to do with confidence. Here are some guidelines for how to get your staff to open up to you, themselves, and others.
How to be Productive without Meditation
You can’t go a week these days without finding an article extolling the benefits of meditation. You know it’s supposed to be good for you, but that 21-day meditation challenge appeared to leave zero impact on your daily mindfulness. What gives? Here are some other ways to unlock the benefits of meditation.
How to Onboard New Managers
At some point, you’ll be asked not only to manage your own staff—but also staff that will be managers themselves. How do you ensure that you set up new managers for success? Here are some things to consider when onboarding new project managers.
How to Delegate Effectively
Delegation is a critical skill to cultivate no matter where you are in your career. Once you start to delegate, how do you continue to delegate in a way that is effective? Here are five steps to take to delegate effectively.
Emotions and Project Management
While we know caring about our jobs is a positive sign, it can be hard to remember this in the moment when a teammate’s behavior makes us want to pull out our hair. Here are some strategies to help you manage your emotions as a project manager.