Dear project manager, you’re not managing a project — you’re managing people

Every issue is an interpersonal issue and it’s your job to fix it

Image created with Midjourney AI

I’ve managed dozens of different projects in my time. There are certain things that always seem to be present. In the majority of cases, the issue is about communication.

Whether it’s something being late, an unhappy client, or overworked staff, a miscommunication or misunderstanding led to this situation somewhere along the way.

Listen

I’ve argued about this many times, but I wholeheartedly believe this is the most important skill a project manager has. Moving around Jira tickets is something anyone can do, but being able to discover issues that may not be so apparent is what differentiates a mediocre manager from a good one.

There are vast amounts of understanding and knowledge within the team that is developing a project. You just need to learn to tap into all that valuable information.

Image created with Midjourney AI

Ask a lot of questions