The Unofficial Smartsheet Guide to Being a Project Manager | An infographic by the team at Smartsheet
The Unofficial Smartsheet Guide to Being a Project Manager
- Read widely, especially about human psychology.
- Become an early adopter of new technology. This will not only make you more efficient, it will make you an important resource within your organization.
- Use Linked In as a news source. It’s become an absolutely marvelous discovery engine for anything related to work.
- Learn how to play poker. The ability to manage risk and place smart bets is a critical career skill.
- Be proactive. The ability to see one step ahead determines whether you manage the project or the project manages you.
- Go mobile. Buy a tablet and install your productivity apps on it.
- Make a point of being prepared for anything.
- Never check your cell phone in the middle of a meeting. Ever.
- Cultivate relationships before you need them.
- Be curious about everything. You can build genuine connection with anyone on your team based on a mutual interest.
- Hold yourself accountable.
- Take your personal grooming up a notch. Never underestimate the subtle power of looking sharp.
- Be an optimist. No one was ever inspired to meet a difficult project challenge by a negative outlook.
- Keep a bowl of candy and pack of gum on your desk. It gives people a reason to stop by.
- Be punctual, not punctilious.
- Go out for drinks with the most difficult stakeholder you work with. You may be surprised.
- Remember, lists are essential to managing a plan, but it’s people who bring the plan to life.