Project management has become a vague term. Ambiguous, convoluted, confusing. Finding a true definition can be hard, so we don’t blame you for being confused about what it really is! At the end of the day though, it remains one of the best business tools you can use. So, understanding the key role it plays in your business is important. Read below to learn three key aspects of project management, so you can understand how to utilize it:
Project Success
We can all agree we want every project to be successful. We want to meet every business goal we set and those set for us. Project management is your ticket to making this happen. As Brian McHale says “The ultimate goal of project management and planning is efficiency. You want to do as much as possible in as little time as possible. Project management helps you create an optimized methodology.” This optimized methodology creates an efficient structure that you can individually build on for each project. For instance, if you create a roadmap with templates and a rough schedule it can be revamped to be used on different projects down the line. If part of the methodology wasn’t successful for one project, having an organized method of tracking performance in your projects will allow you to make the necessary changes. Using professional project management will set your company up for success and build confidence within your employees. Do not limit success to one project, use project management to see success on every project.
Business Longevity
Business sustainability and longevity are our real goals. None of us want solely to experience short-term success. No, we want the long-term success. To know that our businesses will be around, that we will be leaders, for a long time. This is again where professional project management plays a key role. From focusing on key skill transfer, to solving a business problem holistically, project management builds a sustainable environment for you. It ensures you know how to tackle future problems, how to break down silos, and how to advance your organization. It is a necessary part of all your business activities if you truly want longevity.
Accountability
Accountability is huge in our business world – and sadly often lacking. Project management helps here because it builds a culture of accountability, from leadership, to employees, and stakeholders. A project manager holds everyone involved in a project accountable and illustrates how progress can be achieved effectively without micromanaging. This is important because it allows the source of any issue to be quickly identified. For instance, if a project is suddenly derailed, you would be able to pinpoint exactly who was involved and where and why it occurred. Knowing this allows you to quickly fix the issue and get back on track for success.
While you might not find an exact definition of project management online, you will find many examples of the impact it has on businesses. As the three key points above show, it is critical to the overall success and longevity of your business. It truly helps in all areas from retention to revenue to accountability to data performance. We know it can be easy to dismiss project management, but if you want to be successful while navigating uncertainty, don’t fall victim to this. Instead, look at all that you can gain from working with a good project manager. If you do, you will likely have your best results yet.