Sometimes interruptions happen that disrupt the normal project flow. PMs can predict many of these situations and develop contingency plans for them, such as seasonal weather impacts and labor shortages during peak times. However, you may encounter interruptions that are created by your own company—a reorganization that puts a temporary halt on a project, for…
Delegation
Do This Before Your Next Strategic Project
July 31, 2019 by
A strategic project can carry significant risks as well as high expectations. They’re often executed as a series, with several linked initiatives driving the company toward better efficiency, an improved financial status, or a more competitive market position. Strategic projects are high-profile, high-impact, can’t-fail efforts, and your team needs to get them right the first…
Use Your Project Portfolio to Improve Your Workforce
October 25, 2018 by
Managing your organization’s human capital assets is an ongoing task. Most businesses see their needs change over time, from increasing the size of the workforce to tapping new types of talent. For PMs, keeping the internal skills in tune with the company’s needs can be a challenge, but it contributes greatly to your project portfolio…
When Every Project is a Priority
September 6, 2018 by
As an organization matures and its project portfolio expands, PMs may discover they’re increasingly faced with the need to prioritize the various initiatives that are vying for attention and other resources. It’s a natural progression but project teams often encounter some surprising hurdles as they work to tackle and streamline the process of prioritization. For…
Defining Your To-Don’t Project List
June 5, 2018 by
Creating a project list for what your team is not going to work on can sometimes be more challenging than determining which projects they will tackle. Few organizations have enough resources to do everything in their project portfolio all at once, meaning PMs must evaluate what should be done now and what will need to…
Dealing with a Mid-Project Reorganization
May 24, 2018 by
When a company undergoes a restructuring, there’s the potential that projects—those that are active as well as any still working their way through the pipeline—could experience some upheaval. People might be reassigned or let go, budgets may be reallocated, operational workflows are sometimes revised, and the company’s strategic mission is occasionally restated. Maintaining forward momentum…
Break Down Your Project Silos
April 17, 2018 by
The silo mentality can be a serious threat to a project. It closes team members off from each other and stifles the flow of information. The ability to make good business decisions, develop resolutions to problems, and even properly identify issues are all diminished if cooperation among cross-functional groups is hampered by organizational project silos….
4 Reasons Your Project Team Needs to Be Engaged
April 11, 2018 by
When it comes to developing a thorough and workable project plan, team participation sounds like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, PMs sometimes forego involving the wider team in these crucial early project planning efforts. The reasons for their decision vary, but two of the most common explanations are also the simplest: The time and effort required. Executives…
Ask Better Questions To Boost Vendor Value
February 10, 2016 by
Vendors bring a lot to the table when it comes to planning and executing projects. But savvy PMP®s have learned that a vendor’s value often extends far beyond carrying out the core duties the Project Team hired them to do. There may be expertise and resources lurking under the surface that project teams overlook. If…
Overcoming Common Project Leadership Challenges
September 30, 2014 by
Project management leaders have a lot on their plates, and are faced with specific leadership challenges. They’re charged with executing projects successfully while also overseeing budgets, soliciting stakeholder support, negotiating contracts and vendor agreements, supporting strategic initiatives, and developing their employees’ skills and expertise. With everything going on in the typical Project Team, leadership challenges are…
