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Accidental Project Manager
It’s July and I am back!
Yesterday one of my friends came over to talk about project management. He has been working as a developer for a while now and suddenly is the project manager overlooking a co located team of 36.
Obviously, he is nervous. Doesn't know where to begin. And wants to know what project management is and if he can actually pull off being one.
So, here are 5 tips for you if you are in similar situation like him.
To know more about project management read my book Stepping into Project Management (Welcome to the #PMOT World). To connect with experienced Project Manager's from all over the world, get mentored or shadow for a day see the SIPM Community.
Yesterday one of my friends came over to talk about project management. He has been working as a developer for a while now and suddenly is the project manager overlooking a co located team of 36.
Obviously, he is nervous. Doesn't know where to begin. And wants to know what project management is and if he can actually pull off being one.
So, here are 5 tips for you if you are in similar situation like him.
- Analyse the situation- If you have been pushed to the role and you are not ready for it, give it a try. There’s no harm in trying it out. If you are very confident, that is isn’t the career path you want to take- be clear about it. Like my friend wants to be an architect, but is ok to give this opportunity a try. To look for inspiration hear what other project managers are saying.
- Prepare- The sudden push can get you into a panic attack, however, getting in touch with someone who has been doing this for a while is the best solution you can have. Plus have a mentor to guide you through the process.
- Read up- Certifications might be important if your organization wants you to have one, however before you even go into it, research the what’s available in the market and the finalize it. Don’t rush into certifications. Instead look into blogs and websites which provide you with a plethora of options to learn up easily from.
- Learn about expectations- Find out why you have been chosen to take up the role, find what your team expects from you along with the primary stakeholders. Your knowledge of the expectations and role might give you a clue to better direction.
- Take a risk- Don’t be afraid to give it a shot. Turns out, it will also make you happier
To know more about project management read my book Stepping into Project Management (Welcome to the #PMOT World). To connect with experienced Project Manager's from all over the world, get mentored or shadow for a day see the SIPM Community.
Summer Break
The last few months have been busy- with a new job, new
responsibility and lots of planning and hours involved.
In the end it has been very fulfilling, fun and peppered
with challenges. So, when my friend commented that I have become more like a
robot working insane hours, I did take offense to it.
Sometimes in the process of trying to be what you want to be
and the work in your hand, we probably over work and forget the bigger picture.
Has this been our story too? How do you handle the work
pressure? I think this is one topic that barely gets covered- the reality of it
all.
So, in trying to get in touch with my human side again, I am
taking the next 15 days off and will be back in July.
Till then enjoy your work and life!
5 steps to be amazing at your job
Some people just are better than others and you know it!
Here are 5 ways to be amazing at whatever you do and show it too:Try to be content- Your first job might be to pay the bills, down the line find ways to look into what really makes you happy at work.
- Try to be content- Your first job might be to pay the bills, down the line find ways to look into what really makes you happy at work. Move into domains that you think are a better fit and then work on it. Content will come from your happiness at work . Turns out 41% of people think “the people” are most important factor as part of their happiness in job.
- Take genuine interest- You empower yourself by taking genuine interest in your work. Don’t restrict yourself only to your current role; look around how you can help the team, organization and take up the initiative. In the process you will learn, start thinking out of the box and be recognized for your interest. And the morning routine sometimes helps too.
- Be good at what you do- To feel amazing, take the right steps when coming to work everyday. Come prepared, do your homework, get the facts right and be unbiased. Try out some of these productivity secrets.
- Be social- Keeping your head down and getting the work done isn't always wise. By being social and building a good rapport with your team members and stakeholders, you make yourself visible and easy to work with. Here are 10 tips to be happy at work.
- Good communication- being clear about communicating the right things at the right time helps. A good communicator isn't just about being vocal, it is also abut developing your communication skills to the extent that you can customize it for different individuals. Every person has their preferred mode of communication and what convinces them (some stakeholders like data, some prefer bringing up similar case studies, some like formal presentations and report), use your knowledge about a person to customize it for your communication plan.
Be inspired everyday and be happy. A happy project manager, makes a happy team!
(Pic courtesy: Google images)
To learn about project management read my book Stepping into Project Management (Welcome to the #PMOT World). To connect with experienced Project Manager's from all over the world, get mentored or shadow for a day see the SIPM Community.
