Getting Your Team to Work Smarter, Not Harder

Your clients expect transparency on their projects, and while they don’t want to know every step you take, they do like knowing how the project’s moving along.

Your clients want assurances your team will meet deadlines and aren’t skipping over any critical steps along the way. This can place a lot of pressure on project managers and their teams, but there are ways they can be both efficient and effective. 

So, how can you boost project management effectiveness and efficiency? Here are a few tips to help your team work smarter without having to put in a lot of unnecessary effort.

Communication is Key

Without effective communication, your project is probably going to run into trouble, which means project managers need to do more than outline the project with their team. 

Project managers need to ensure every team member knows precisely what is expected of them through every stage of the project. Team members also need to have a clear understanding of what the project entails. In other words, you can’t just hand out the project guidelines and hope everyone knows what to do.

Communication between team members is also crucial since they’re collaborating on the project and need to keep each other up to speed on their progress. This way, if a team member runs into a problem, others can jump in to help resolve the issue. The project keeps moving along efficiently and on time to meet any deadlines.

Set Goals and Milestones

Regardless of the project size, project managers need to set goals and milestones, and this goes beyond the project’s due date. Setting goals and milestones will help break the project down into more manageable sections. Sometimes, a large project can seem overwhelming until it’s broken down. Into segments.

However, don’t be inflexible with your team’s goals and milestones. Issues will probably come up at some point. While you want to stress the importance of meeting these milestones, you also want to give your team some breathing room to address any surprises.

Another benefit of setting milestones is for the client. When you can provide a finished milestone, the client is more likely to be satisfied their project is moving smoothly along. Your team will also appreciate knowing exactly what is expected of them and when.

Have the Right Team Members

Even large corporations have a limited number of experts, which means you’re going to need to take time when selecting who’s working on the project. Some projects are simple and you don’t need to yank out everyone’s qualifications. Other projects are more complex and may mean you need team members with specific skill sets.

Having the right people on your project team will make a difference when it comes to efficiency and effectiveness. For example, if your project calls for engineering expertise and you hand it off to designers, there are probably going to be plenty of issues coming up—not to mention the stress your team will face as they struggle to meet goals and milestones.

Sometimes, you may need to outsource certain aspects of a project, and this is okay. Let your team know you’re bringing in outside assistance. Chances are, they’ll appreciate the extra help. Your client will also be assured you’re capable of delivering a project that meets their precise specifications.

Be a Team Player

As a project manager, you’re pretty much the one in charge. You're who your team goes to when there’s an issue or they have a question. Be available and responsive when your team needs you. Don’t be afraid to jump in and help whenever necessary.

Being a team player also means encouraging everyone to do their best, since you want to create a collaborative culture that’s inclusive of everyone. Check-in daily with team members, even if it’s just to say good morning. 

Also, make sure to congratulate your team when they reach a milestone. If you need to offer negative feedback, do so in private. Remember, you want to keep team morale up and not bring it down by criticizing members.

Use a Good Project Team Management Tool

Even the best team manager needs a little help—after all, a lot is going on and you don’t want to let anything slip through the cracks. The best way to do this is by taking advantage of a project team management tool to help.

Before you download a project management tool, ask yourself a couple of questions. Does the tool work with other organizational software? Do the features meet your project team’s needs? You also want to ensure the application works with your approach to team management.

By combining communication, setting milestones, having the right people, and using a management tool, you can boost your team’s effectiveness and efficiency without making them work harder.