Project Manager Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb

Adriana Girdler

You don’t want to be caught messing up like this! Being a project manager is no easy feat – there’s a lot you need to …

You don’t want to be caught messing up like this!

Being a project manager is no easy feat – there’s a lot you need to juggle!

There are some basic mistakes that project managers make that run the risk of derailing your project and making you look silly as a project manager.

If you’ve made these mistakes or are currently making these mistakes, don’t sweat it. The purpose of outlining them here is not to make you feel bad, but to steer you on the right path as a PM!

Silly mistake #1: Not planning the project properly

It is so critical to plan projects effectively because planning sets you up for success.

Planning is not a five-minute activity – it takes time and effort to plan. This is likely the reason that so many project managers overlook the importance of proper planning.

When I start projects, it often takes a whole month to plan the project before I even have the kick-off meeting.

You need to have the baseline items down so that when the project goes into execution mode, everything is laid out clearly.

Silly mistake #2: Micromanaging

Being a project manager doesn’t mean you have to control and micromanage every little thing.

You need to learn how to let go and trust your team as a project manager.

Micromanaging builds distrust. If people feel like they’re doing everything asked of them, but you still are trying to control the way they’re doing everything, you need to give them some room to breathe.

Most of the time, it doesn’t really matter HOW your team members are executing their tasks, as long as they are collaborating effectively and completing their tasks to get that deliverable.

4 more project management mistakes you don’t want to make

There are a few more project management mistakes that will make you look silly if you do them. Let’s continue this conversation over on my YouTube channel where I just uploaded a video that outlines just that!

Plus, if you want even more project manager tips on every aspect of managing a successful project, make sure you check out my SLAY Project Management course where I give you all the templates, tips, and techniques to implement if you want all your future projects to be productive and successful.

Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management

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Adriana Girdler is a project manager, productivity specialist, entrepreneur, professional speaker, facilitator, visioning wizard, and author. As President of CornerStone Dynamics, Adriana is one of Canada’s prominent business productivity and project management specialists—helping both individuals and businesses do what they do, only better. She is a certified master black belt lean six sigma with over 20 years’ experience improving how companies work.

She also holds both PMP (project management professional) and CET (certified engineering technologist) designations. She’s a Tedx speaker, as well as a HuffPost and Thrive Global contributor. She has been interviewed on Global, CBC, CTV, CHCH, 680News Radio, Newstalk 1010, Sirius XM and published in the Globe and Mail and numerous industry magazines. WANT ADRIANA'S FREE ONLINE TRAINING? In 45 min, learn Adriana's 5 project management secrets she use on EVERY project. Sign up for the Free Webinar here: THE FAB FIVE FUNDAMENTALS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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