Project Hero Blog - Weekly Best Practices and Tips

Last week we looked at 4 Steps to Diligently Delegate.  There are five very common barriers to enacting a successful delegation. Good project managers understand what these are and avoid the pitfalls.

1.  The project manager may have a personal interest in the task. While you may have a...

In addition to good planning up front, execution of any project can be effortless if you develop the critical soft skills needed to succeed.  Let's consider delegation.  Unfortunately, new project managers often lack confidence or fear loss of control, leading to lower levels of...

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

- Peter Drucker

Rather than wait for your project management future, if you are planning to pursue a career, get started now and create it.  Here are five tips you can use to predict the high quality of that future:

1. Have a clear vision for...

Whether you are a project manager or a scrum master, if you are leading an agile project, there are some critical things to keep in mind.  Some of these we have covered in past articles and some of them are new. Here are seven tips for agile project managers.  Repetition helps to build...

COVID-19 has brought about a lot of change; however, some things remain constant.  In a more competitive environment, with constant change and fewer available resources, the skill of project management is now as important as ever. Projects must be more successful and deliver on their...

Holding the project team and others accountable for completing their work is an important skill for a project manager.  It is especially important for agile and other less traditional project management methods where the team is largely self-organizing and self-managing.

To help the agile...

Conflict resolution is a skill that transcends roles. So regardless of the type of team I am managing, my response would be the same.

Tip #1: Set the rules and boundaries.  As a leader, you define the standards for conduct and enforce them. Part of your resource plan should also include time...

Stress, burnout, and physical exhaustion impact project managers at one time or another. You need to believe that you can get a handle on what stresses you, and diffuse this stress in ways that maintain your physical and emotional health.  Pressure may be a part of life, but it is essential...

Julia couldn't be more frustrated! There were less than three months to finish the project, and yet everything was going wrong. And to top it all, the budget to complete the work was nearly exhausted.

Julia's problem boils down to ineffective project management. She may have failed to complete...

Expectancy theory tells us that people are motivated to choose their actions by examining the result and expected outcomes of each behavior. In other words, people will gravitate toward the results they perceive as most desirable and use rational thinking in decision-making.  Use these tips...

Project managers need to be able to calmly and professionally deliver bad news, when it happens, ranging from missed budgets and deadlines to team layoffs. Here are five tips for improving the delivery of bad news.

1. Don't surprise, delay, or hide it. Deliver the news promptly. Make an appointment...

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...