What do 590 Project Managers say?

Well begun is half complete

"It annoys me to read about the large overruns and delays of projects that take place again and again. In the vast majority of cases, they could have been avoided. Therefore, there is still a need to become better at analyzing the project's 'Scope', making appropriate plans and, not least, following up continuously, so that the necessary changes are managed correctly and in a timely manner," says Henrik Bjerregaard Nielsen, who has worked with project management for more than 30 years.

"It goes without saying that you cannot steer clear of problems that you either do not know about – know about too late or perhaps overlook the importance of. Therefore, there is a need for project managers to do even better preparatory work before projects are initiated – and that management supports this preparatory work. Because good preparatory work pays off big time both in the further course and final success of the project."

Unfortunately, projects with a large scope, many actors, frequent uncontrollable changes, and long duration often run into problems. Therefore, simplicity and speed are good virtues in projects. Nevertheless, we see a tendency for the complexity and scope of projects to increase, which makes them difficult to grasp.

Three tips to manage complex projects safely to the finish line:

• Accept the premise and incorporate it into your planning. In other words, set aside time for the unforeseeable. Stop, act, and adjust. Talk to the customer continuously and make a new plan in case of changes.
• Break the project up into smaller chunks, as it makes it possible to work more agile.
• Consult experienced people at the start of the project and use the tools that make sense, and then recognize that larger, complex projects are riskier to manage and manage

Clear communication increases project success rates

Communication is becoming an increasingly important part of the work as a project manager. Both external communication and internal communication should be given high priority, as the overall success of the project depends on it. This is because a project manager who masters communication often finds it easier to ensure progress, resources, management support and customer satisfaction.

Project managers must communicate progress, keep track of their reporting, inform the upper management layers, and motivate their project participants. It requires much more than just skills in Outlook. This requires project managers who update, engage, and clarify – not only frequently, but also in a timely manner and through the best usable channels.

How do you explain to the steering committee that the budget has been exceeded and the schedule is progressing – while maintaining faith in the project's justification in your project team?

According to Henrik, the answer is angle and focus on what the individual recipient can influence and needs to know. He explains:

"As a project manager, you should drop the broad lines and communication of the uncertainties, and instead focus on the specific messages to the individual recipient. This ensures that the recipient understands the message and can act on it."

This form of communication will also create an openness and transparency in and around the project, which will benefit the project manager. Conversely, closed behavior will give rise to concerns and myths that will be inhibiting the project

Three good reasons to strengthen the project manager's communication skills:

• Motivation and support from the team as well as understanding of goal setting and overall deliverables.
• Trust in the project manager as the captain, ensuring transparency in all phases of the project.
• Support from customers and stakeholders through razor-sharp, recipient-oriented communication.

Management must cooperate and not work against

Projects must be managed. No one can doubt that. Part of the management is carried out by the project manager himself, but there is also a great need for the project to be anchored in the organization – and therefore the overall management plays a central role both in terms of resources, coordination with other, ongoing projects and sometimes also the customer's top management.

Unfortunately, the senior management does not always understand what role they themselves play, and therefore almost takes the project manager 'to the exam' at the meetings. This is neither value-adding nor constructive. Instead, management should support the project and have an eye for which actions increase the likelihood that the project will succeed, and the customer will be happy and return.

"During my time as project manager, I have had steering committees that both worked really well and did not work at all. Here it is important to keep in mind that a steering committee must consist of relevant people for the project and that it must not be too large," says Henrik and elaborates:

"Once I had a steering committee of 15 people, where management took turns. It made absolutely no sense, and it was difficult to work under, to say the least."

Another very important part of the management and project management collaboration is that the project manager is perceived as a leader. And here many project managers have a need to develop. It often starts with learning more about yourself and your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. For example, project managers often need to show courage and be able to speak out against the opinion of others, they need to represent their team and be visionary. All this requires experience, training, and lots of feedback. Competencies that are not always present from the start, but fortunately can be trained and strengthened significantly.

Three tips to strengthen the collaboration with management and the project manager:

• The management must support the project and not 'examine' the project manager.
• The project manager must learn to think and speak like a leader – with a focus on being able to give short, clear, and forward-looking messages to the relevant recipients.

• The collaboration between management, the steering committee and the project manager must be given high priority – especially for complex and risky projects