Project management is an essential part of any organization. Failure to do it right can be costly in so many ways. At best, the project will suffer some minor delays and at worst, the project can fail entirely. This is why project managers need to make sure they bring their A-game to each and every project by avoiding these seven mistakes at all costs:

1. Lack of direction

When a project has no clear objectives, it can be hard to come up with critical performance measures for success. With nothing to tell if the project is going the right way, failure is likely. It is up to project managers to come up with clear objectives and communicate them to the team so everyone knows what they need to do to move the project forward.

2. Not taking the initiation phase seriously

Before a project begins, everyone needs to know what their roles and responsibilities are. Skipping the project kick-off meeting to orient everyone can be disastrous in the long run. However, many project managers skip this crucial step, especially when they are under pressure to deliver results quickly.

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3. Poor communication

Under-communication is one of the biggest project killers – it is always better to over-communicate than under-communicate. So communicate effectively to ensure that everyone is in the loop. That way, should things go wrong, no one is caught off-guard and no one points fingers.

4. Micromanaging team members

When you micromanage team members, you can kill their motivation and even incite rebellious behavior. People don’t like working under a microscope. As a project manager, you need to trust your employees to do the work – let them make decisions and own up to them.

5. Not doing a risk analysis

Some project managers skip risk analysis, thinking everything will go off without a hitch. However, it is unrealistic to think that a project will not run into some hiccups somewhere during its lifespan. By doing a risk analysis of things that can go wrong, project managers can get ahead of unexpected changes instead of panicking that things aren’t going according to plan.

6. Not listening to team members

Project management is a team effort, even though the project manager is the leader. Project managers should open the floor to team member suggestions that could help the project run smoothly. A project manager who shoots down all suggestions from team members will establish authority but communicate distrust in the abilities of their team members.

7. Inaccurate time and budget estimations

Time and money are the biggest resources that are subject to incorrect estimations. Project managers need to use a bottom-up approach when estimating time and budget in order to not miss the mark. And if the project manager is doing that kind of project for the first time, they should consult others that have successfully delivered in the past.

Conclusion

Project management is the difference between a successful project and a failed one. When mistakes are made, the project can be negatively impacted in a major way. If you are a project manager, be on the lookout for the above-mentioned mistakes – be sure to avoid them at all costs.

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Consequences of Bad Project Management

• Further failure down the line. After a while, previous failures can continue to stick in your team members’ minds. If your project manager has departed, or you don’t provide adequate coaching, then your team will start to become discouraged. Project failure can be difficult to deal with in the first instance, but it can also prevent your team from building on prior successes.
• Morale starts to deteriorate. Once morale starts to break down, it’s difficult to restore it to what it was. Poor project management can be just as bad as having no project leader at all. When your team loses interest, they start to overlook opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, the bare minimum becomes acceptable, and your project only manages to coast by. This can lead to failures not just in basic Six Sigma principles but also in health and safety. As morale and motivation enter decline, so do your chances of success.
• Implementation becomes unstable. Bad project management affects the entire project, not just your team members. Teamwork is imperative in Six Sigma. Everything is connected. As such, restoring deployment once deformed can be a difficult task. Getting the project back on the right track is even trickier once you’ve been knocked off it.

Mistakes to Avoid

Project managers rely on critical skills to drive Six Sigma projects forward. But, even the smallest slip-up or shortcoming can have repercussions down the line. Below is a list of amateur mistakes to avoid when it comes to project management, all of which come with their own consequences.

• Inability to clearly state the problem. Project managers who are unable to recognize and accurately state problems are often unable to cope with the pressures of Six Sigma project work. Strong analytical skills are critical skills for project leaders, but without the ability to recognize problems, your project is liable to stall.
• Unable to discern adequate data. Valid data is essential to Six Sigma work as it informs effective decision-making. Gleaning accurate data allows you to evaluate your process performance and customer satisfaction.  Your project will be paralyzed without means to acquire adequate data. You have no information on which to act.
• Hesitant leadership. Strong leadership is a foundational principle of successful Six Sigma. Bad leadership prevents decisions from getting made, which causes processes to stagnate. If your project leader isn’t up to scratch, you’re going to fail.
• Project unaligned with critical-few business goals. Six Sigma’s aim is to drive improvements in accordance with project and company goals. If your efforts aren’t aligned properly, you’re going to find yourself without direction.
• In a state of flux. Companies undergoing drastic changes while trying to deploy Six Sigma are likely to be left disappointed. Being in a state of flux is not conducive to good Six Sigma, and this instability will render DMAIC projects useless.

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