Modern Project Management – Three Ways To Adapt

Have you noticed a shift in how projects are managed? I remember a time when the project manager was the director of scope, schedule, budget, and personnel on the project. The PM was the commander and chief for all things related to the project. Now, self-managed teams are the new normal. These teams comprise individuals from multiple departments working toward a common goal. How does a traditional project manager adapt to this way of getting the work done?

Here are three ways to leverage traditional project management skills:

Learn the methodology

Companies are using Agile, Scrum, Kanban or their own hybrid approach. Knowing the methodology fundamentals will help you to get teams unstuck. The value of the methodology is that it is a guidebook to how to complete the work. Be flexible in applying it. The objectives are to complete the project and to support the team. Use your knowledge to coach the team so that they can continue to move forward.

Look for leaders and followers on the team

Those roles can change as the project moves through its phases.   The team without leaders will flounder. Likewise, a team with too many leaders will have conflicts. The best situation are those individuals who can lead and follow. Communication and collaboration are must haves in the modern project. Be ready to make adjustments to the team if you notice that you don’t have a good team balance.

Focus on forward momentum

You have a guidebook, and you have a team. Now, the process and people are working together to achieve the goal. At some point, you will hit a snag – confusion, conflict, or a crisis. Take a moment to re-group and press on. A risk is that the team will become de-railed. Your job is to get them back on track and help them overcome the setback.

Your people, communication, and leadership skills are the corner stones of your success as a project manager. Modern project management requires that you shift your approach.   If you would like to learn more, review the comparisons of the traditional and modern Project Management 2.0.  Identify the areas where you can leverage your current skills into new skills to be more successful on your projects.