subject: How To Become A Project Management Professional [print this page] GOAL: Why The Buck Must Stop With Me GOAL: Why The Buck Must Stop With Me
Throw out the blame game. Thats what Ive learned from managing projects. As project manager, you shoulder the entire responsibility of getting the job doneand well.
President Harry Truman coined the phrase, The buck stops here. He bravely faced up to ownership, both good and bad. Ownership is the open secret that gets everyone over the fenceby being determined to face up to what needs fixing and the temerity to proceed, even when all heck breaks lose.
Here are my tips gleaned from first-hand experiences on what it takes to become a top-notch project management professional.
1) Anticipate Problems
After a few projects, the astute manager will have developed the ability to anticipate problems before they happen. It may not be easy in the beginning, but experience and tuning in to intuition will help to sniff out, and to be prepared for, snafus.
2) Never Lose Your Cool
What good would it do to blow up, especially when your project needs positive energy and efforts to get back on track?
3) Learn from Missteps
Never ever take making mistakes as the end of the world. With each calamity, tip it around by learning what to avoid in future, similar situations. Modify, adapt and innovate.
4) Recognize When You Need a Manager
It speaks volumes when the person in charge realizes they need someone else to manage a plans actual operations. Own up to your limitations, even if it means getting someone else to steer the project towards positive outcomes.
5) Self-examination
Never beat yourself up when things go awry. Instead, ask:
* What can I do to make the situation better?
* How can I learn from this situation?
* What could I have done to prevent it?
Bottom-line goal? Being honest with self and ones actions are vital to becoming a successful pro in any endeavor.
