Communication Skills in Project Management

Written by | Published August 10, 2012

Communication Skills in Project ManagementTraining in project management techniques such as PRINCE2 will give you the theory of how to structure and run a project. We’ll also give you case studies and real-world applications of the knowledge to make it easier to start managing projects when you return to work. Understanding the importance of  other skills such as communication is also critical to project success.

Within any project management framework, there are important documents to be drawn up, referred to and maintained. This requires excellent written communication skills as well as knowledge of the paperwork required. Verbal communication skills are necessary in order to keep your team updated and motivated, to explain the project to stakeholders, and to provide the Project Board with progress reports.

With that in mind, here are our top tips for communication in project management.

Listen

When most people think of effective communication, they think of how they deliver information to others. This is far from accurate – communication is a two-way street and improving your skills must begin with making an effort to truly listen and understand. Read the rest of “Communication Skills in Project Management”

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Top Tips For Managing A Project Team

Written by | Published April 3, 2012

When managing a project, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details of the task in hand and to forget about the team working for you. Being task-oriented at the expense of the people will lead to inefficient use of time and resources – and will be a serious risk to the success of your project.

Learning project management standards such as PRINCE2 will teach you how to balance your priorities and ensure success. We provide PRINCE2 Foundation Training and PRINCE2 Practitioner Training courses at our central Brighton training centre.

Here are our 7 top tips on how to work with your team to ensure project success.

square-peg-round-hole

Don’t put a square peg in a round hole!

Match the staff to the project

Make sure the people you have for your project are the most suitable for the job. It’s a simple tip but surprisingly often overlooked. Your most hard-working member of staff may always seem like the right person but no amount of hard work can make someone creative if the task demands it. Balancing expertise, talent and personality is
tough – but essential.

If you need to give any training, do this before you start or include it as part of your project plan.

Give them background…and a vision

By explaining the background to the project – past successes and even failures – you will be laying the groundwork for ensuring their faith in the project. You need their buy-in for the project to succeed, so make sure they are confident that it’s a valid objective based on what’s gone before.

Simply giving your team the background behind a project doesn’t automatically lead to understanding of the outcomes and benefits. As well as, of course, outlining what specific objectives you need to achieve, let them know the long-term benefits to the organisation – and to them. Be as specific as you can about how their hard work will pay off. Read the rest of “Top Tips For Managing A Project Team”

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Getting the Most from Managing Your Team

Written by | Published November 29, 2011

One of the most important aspects of being a project manager is to effectively manage your project team. Without your direction their responsibilities and goals will not be clear and could lead to an unsuccessful project. While following a project management standard such as PRINCE2 is critical for the smooth running of a project, the ability to work with your team should also be considered.

Working with your team

When it comes to working with your team, one of the most important things is to ensure that the people on the team feel that their participation is valued and worthwhile. To do this, it is vital that you talk to your team about any issues which are faced by your department.

Project Management Team Management

Asking their opinion on issues which affect the whole team will give them confidence, both in their importance to the team and in their importance to you. Their solutions will also offer up innovations for the running of the department. Remember – it is not your job as manager to come up with all the ideas. Rather, it is up to you to use the ideas which others give, making sure there are enough of them to keep everything running.

Involving individuals on the team by asking their opinion is also an excellent method of team motivation. If the team sees their contributions being acted upon during a project, they will be a great deal more interested in the project’s successful completion.

Engaging your team’s creativity will help you create better bonds with your team members as well as giving them better job satisfaction and the desire to put more energy and even more creativity into projects.

Your team’s development

You are responsible for the development of every member of your team. One of the main things you can give your team members is education in the fields that they need to develop. Read the rest of “Getting the Most from Managing Your Team”

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