We’ve already covered 4 common mistakes project teams make when it comes to project management training. But here are 4 more mistakes that could undermine the benefits of your ongoing education efforts.
1. Limiting Training to Only Project Management Topics
It’s a mistake to assume that team members only need education related to project management. To build well-rounded employees, consider adding courses outside the core project management curriculum. For example, new managers might benefit from supervisory training, while anyone managing project budgets should explore budget management courses. Business writing seminars can help improve client-facing documents, and regulatory compliance training may be essential for certain industries.
Encouraging broader learning opportunities can significantly enhance the overall skill set of your project team.
2. Expecting Trainees to Be Available During Training
We’ve all been there—sitting in a seminar when suddenly the phone rings, and you’re pulled back into the workday. This common mistake essentially nullifies the purpose of training. When employees are expected to remain available during training sessions, they are distracted and don’t fully absorb the new skills being taught. This leads to wasted training dollars and a missed opportunity for professional growth.
To maximize the benefits, delegate daily tasks, and ensure coworkers know that the trainee is officially unavailable until they return to the office.
3. Scheduling Training During Stressful Project Periods
It’s tempting to squeeze in training wherever it fits, but scheduling sessions during particularly stressful periods—like the final week of a multi-year project—can cause more harm than good. Employees will be distracted by urgent project needs, making it difficult to focus on learning. Additionally, the team may be relying heavily on the trainee during this time.
For better results, schedule training during less intense periods, and account for travel time, which also impacts a team member’s availability.
4. Sending Everyone to Training at Once
Having your entire project team attend the same training session at once may seem efficient, but it can leave your daily operations vulnerable. Someone needs to be available to manage day-to-day project tasks and respond to stakeholder or user inquiries. Whenever possible, break the group into smaller training sessions to maintain project continuity.
Unless the training is mandatory for everyone at the same time, staggering attendance will help keep your team on track while still enhancing their skills.
PMAlliance uses a team of highly experienced and certified professionals to provide project management consulting, project management training and project office development services.