Is Your Boss Trustworthy?
This may seem like a simple question, but the answer is bigger than we think it is. We’ve all grown somewhat immune to the mocking of those in charge – you see the President of the United States and other…
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Do you know what the REAL project is?
Sometimes what you’re really trying to solve is a bit hidden. The customer may not see it and you might not at first glance either. But it is your responsibility to make sure you always go that extra mile to…
Is the Project Worth Saving? (Part 2 of 2)
In Part 1 of this two-part series on figuring out whether or not what we have viable project … we looked at what brings us to the go / no-go decision point and how we review a project from both…
Is the Project Worth Saving? (Part 1 of 2)
In one of my past lives in corporate America, I worked at a very large, Fortune 500 engineering and aviation firm that featured a central Project Management Office (PMO). There existed a requirement for all project managers to go through…
Creating Recurring Tasks within a Project
Schedules are living documents, so oftentimes we need to review them regularly to look at what has been done so far and make changes to what still needs to happen. One of the easiest ways to do this is to…
Handling the Blame Game
A reader of one of my articles recently commented about people blaming others for failures on projects and workplace tasks. We all know he’s right … some of us may have been guilty of it ourselves once or twice ……
PM Oversight of the Project Delivery Team
One key aspect of the responsibilities of the Project Manager (PM), of course, is his or her management of the project delivery team. This is where the real work happens, where the rubber meets the road and how the project…
The Need to Negotiate with the Project Client (Part 2 of 2)
Are you a skilled negotiator? Does negotiating make your hair stand up on end or does it drive something in you? In Part 1 of this series, I discussed negotiations for Budget and Timeline impacts on your project. I identified…
The Need to Negotiate with the Project Client (Part 1 of 2)
Negotiation is a four letter word to some people, and a passionate love for others. Is negotiation part of the Project Manager’s role? It certainly is. In fact, without realizing it, the act of negotiating things on a project probably…
How Important is a Project Communication Plan?
How important is communication to project success? In my opinion – it may be #1 on the list and it is certainly a major responsibility of every project manager who has ever led a project. Whether or not your project…
Project Warning Signs – They are Real
If you get sick … where do you go? The doctor, right? I realize some people are afraid of doctors and avoid them at all costs … but the answer is you go to the doctor. And whether you go…
When Funding the Project Becomes an Issue
Ideally your project moves out of Sales and into the actual engagement stage with expectations properly set and a solid timeline and budget in place. Ideally… But we all know that there can be bumps in the road and incorrectly…