Project Hero Blog

5 Tips for Leaders to Motivate their Teams

As a leader, you will need to manage by influence and motivate the team without full authority. Here are five tips to effectively motivate your teams:

1. Be a good role model. Set the example you want the team to follow.
2. Set smaller, shorter period goals. While having bigger goals is good, to drive day-to-day performance, set smaller, easier to reach goals over short periods such as days, weeks, or a month.
3. Acknowledgment. Ranging from a "thank you" to a team outing to a quarterly performance award, acknowledge the achieved goals.
4. Share power. Let team members lead various tasks and goals. It will let them know they are valued and prepare them for future
   leadership roles.
5. Get to know each member better. Develop relationships which will help later when it comes time to determine task assignments and rewards. It will also help each team member feel more valued.

How do you motivate your teams? Share a tip!

5-Step Roadmap to the PMP® for Highly Experienced PMs

You have accrued far more than the required three years of experience, have taken some classes in project management, and just learned about the PMP® certification. This is the same roadmap I followed in 2001 and passed on the first attempt. It's inexpensive and you can "opt out" at any step to pursue more learning if necessary, before investing too much time.

1. Check eligibility. Download the Certification Handbook from PMI.org and check all requirements. If you meet them, apply for the exam and "start the clock".
2. Get access to a prep book with practice questions per chapter. Go through the book, answer the questions, and compute the percent score.
3. Study chapters with scores below 75-80%. Study and retake the practice questions until you score in 75-80% range. Brush up on test taking skills.
4. Skim the PMBOK® Guide. Know the processes and how they fit the knowledge areas and process groups. Learn as many inputs and...

5-Step Roadmap to a Career as a Leader

Seeking a leadership career? Embarking on a career in Project Management and earning a PMP® is a good path PMs typically earn more than "experts" and PMPs typically earn more than non-PMPs. The skills you learn will benefit any future management positions. You can wait to become an "accidental" PM or be proactive and follow this high-level roadmap:

1. Gain minimal knowledge. Learn the vocabulary and basics of PM. Take a basic training course, such as https://accidentalpm.online/accidentalpm to see if this is a career for you.
2. Discuss with your manager. You will need their support in getting the opportunity for the experience you will need to be eligible for the PMP, and finding the right training for continuous learning. You may start as assistant PM, project coordinator/administrator, or similar entry role.
3. With experience, consider taking the CAPM® certification exam. It will demonstrate your ongoing commitment to learning about the...