5 Project Management Epiphanies
Something that I always try to do after a project is to reflect personally on what went well, and…not so well.
Right now I am wrapping up some projects for an office move. My company, Republic Financial Corporation, we didn't move far, but it was the first time we had moved in 18 years (I was six years old when they moved into the old office!). Although it wasn’t a large distance, there was a change of address and a shift in culture.
I was put in charge of new office signage, office labeling, collateral, and move notifications.
Here are a few of the things I have learned:
Give yourself more time than you actually think you will need. Life is a lot easier when you get a project done “early”.
Trust others who are specialists. They are for a reason. You are willing to pay someone else to do a job because you can’t do it yourself. So let them.
Sometimes you have to spend a little extra. I am a very frugal person and it kills me to spend money, but sometimes you have to. Understanding where and when to spend money is a skill that I believe can only be improved over time.
Get second and third opinions. Others have a different view, and even if you think you have everything nailed down, chances are…you don’t.
Wait. Sometimes you will freak out, want to make a change, think that a meeting time won’t work for everyone, or give someone an update. If you would wait the extra 15 minutes, many times you can group all of your changes and avoid canceling and sending out a new email/meeting request.
With a project like this, there are ebs and flows that you simply will not be able to anticipate. Being flexible and realistic will help to make sure you cruise over those small bumps.
What Project Management tips do you have?
