Many people find themselves thrust into a project management role with no formal training or experience. When this occurs, it is important to be prepared to deal with the significant changes in your role. Your responsibilities broaden from managing yourself to managing others, from short-term to long-term goals, and from tangible to intangible issues. Time and experience will develop and refine your project management skills, but additional training will prime you for the process of transitioning into a project management role. In the online course Transitioning into a Project Management Role, you will find an overview of the changes a new project manager may face, including the development of a successful project team.
This course is targeted toward a diverse range of managers and staff members who wish to acquire the necessary skills to successfully manage small to medium sized projects.
There are no prerequisites for this online course, however students should have a good understanding of the experience gained from working in an organization.
Below is an example SkillBrief* from Transitioning into a Project Management Role.
The Transition to Project Management
One of the most difficult aspects of becoming a project manager is changing the essence of how you work. As you move into a leadership role, it is important to let go of old ways of relating to your work and to your colleagues.
As a new project manager, you must transform the way you perceive your responsibilities, your focus, and your ability to work with and influence others.
- "attention to things" transforms to "attention to people"
- "concern for yourself" transforms to "concern for others"
- "short-term focus" transforms to "long-term focus"
- "solving problems" transforms to "managing problems"
Attention to people
A new project manager has to transition from hands-on work to delegating work to team members. A good project manager knows when to let go of duties and acknowledge that it is not the technique, but the results that matter.
Concern for others
As a project manager, you must learn to put what is best for the team ahead of what is best for yourself. A team flourishes in an environment where each member's contribution is recognized and valued.
Long-term focus
In project management, time is a valuable asset that must be planned and spent just as carefully as a budget. Good project managers plan priorities and deadlines, so they are always aware of which areas need the most immediate attention. With good time management practices, you will become more conscious of the choices you make and more aware of habits that interfere with efficiency.
Managing problems
A project manager is in the position of managing complex and interwoven problems, rather than solving them. Project managers guide their teams to identify the problems, while the team members identify and implement the actual solutions.
Management style
In project management, it is important to consider how you will manage your project – your personal management approach. The ability to get a job done is based on personality, experience, and attitude. Your application of those traits in the workplace is known as your management style.
There are three basic styles of management:
reactive – A project manager with a reactive leadership style accommodates the immediate needs of the team without adapting to current changes and trends.
inactive – A project manager with an inactive leadership style uses short-term planning and copes with problems only as they arise.
proactive – A project manager with a proactive leadership style initiates action and is flexible with control over the project. Team members are encouraged to take ownership in the project.
The only effective approach to project management is proactive. Teams that are proactively organized and led show greater cohesion, productivity, innovation, and performance. Reactive managers are always playing "catch-up" with their plans. Inactive managers just let their projects stagnate.
Basic principles
Projects differ in scope and complexity, but there are basic principles to which every project manager should adhere.
Continuous improvement
- meet project requirements – The most basic responsibility of a project manager is to deliver the project on time, on budget, and within scope.
- make timely decisions –Team members depend on the decisions of the project manager to complete their own work.
- set goals and make a plan – A plan is a measurement tool that allows you to assess how successfully you are achieving your goals.
Creativity
- propose change – A proactive manager is not afraid of changing and adapting to new influences and situations.
- encourage high standards – Set the example for your team.
- foster innovation – A facilitative and enabling approach creates a balance between innovation and expectation.
Discipline and detail orientation
- taking calculated risks – A good project manager is aware of risk but is not inhibited by the fear of failure.
- creating dissonance – Encouraging your team to express divergent opinions and ideas can lead to expansion and innovation.
- developing mental discipline – A proactive manager focuses attention on the needs of the team and the objectives of the project.
Remember that without a good project manager, even a well-conceived project can devolve into chaos. All it takes is the right preparation and mind-set, and the willingness to transform.
Course: Transitioning into a Project Management Role
Topic: Transitioning to Project Manager
Would you like to learn more ways to improve your Project Management skills? Check out the online course Transitioning into a Project Management Role found in the MyPath Knowledge CenterMyPath Knowledge Centerlibrary. This library of self-paced, online courses is available to all MyPath members for 30 days- with no additional commitment.
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* SkillBriefs are single-page, condensed summaries of the instructional content of a course topic. Use SkillBriefs as an instant reference after you have completed a course