Take Your Project Management to the Next Level in 2023

In 2023, you can best improve your project management and take it to the next level by building a positive workplace culture, being more inclusive, using the best tools for the job, and leveraging technology to your advantage. Some technologies to consider include the cloud and on-demand training applications. Let’s take a deeper dive into these ideas.

Build a positive workplace culture

The most positive workplace cultures are based on trust. Make sure your team members feel like they can be authentic, honest, and transparent with each other. You will also need to encourage open communication with all levels of the organization.

To get started, demonstrate that you value your team by giving them meaningful opportunities to contribute to their day-to-day responsibilities, the future direction of the project, and the organization as a whole. You will also need to remember to give trust to get trust. Rather than assume the worst of everyone, set clear expectations and demonstrate your trust that they will be met.

Are you starting with a situation where trust has already been broken? It can be, but it will take hard work. Check out our previous article, Can Broken Trust be Repaired,? for tips on where to start.

Be more inclusive

Inclusion is vital to employee engagement and is also the right thing to do. It would be best if you worked to ensure everyone has a voice on your project, no matter their role or position. To get started, schedule one-on-one meetings with every team member to get to know them better and discover their preferences and goals.  Then, have a team meeting to discuss team goals.

Now that you know everyone better, if anyone is silent in the future, you may have some ideas about inviting their input. In addition, these ideas will help you increase inclusion and make your company a better place for everyone:

• Add a mentorship program that connects new team members with team veterans.
• Encourage team members to speak up about cultural issues, even if they aren't directly related to their job responsibilities.
• Make time for all-hands meetings or weekly stand-ups where anyone can discuss any topic relevant to the business, even if it doesn't seem like an urgent problem at first glance!

Use the best tools for the job

Use the right tools for the job. As a project manager, you're probably used to working with multiple applications simultaneously. This can be a great way to manage all aspects of your projects, but it can also be overwhelming if you must be more careful about managing the data. Therefore, it’s essential to choose the right tool for each task and understand its limitations to work efficiently and effectively in different environments.

For example, if you need to collaborate with stakeholders on an app or website design before development begins, choose an online collaboration tool rather than using Word documents or email attachments—these can make collaboration difficult due to formatting issues (for example, if someone sends back a Word document full of comments).

Leverage the cloud

Cloud computing is an emerging technology that can help your organization—and project management. As a project manager, you may wonder what cloud computing is and how it can benefit your organization. The cloud is a server network that stores data, software, and other resources for users to access over the Internet rather than on their computers or server. The benefits of using cloud services include the following:

• Accessibility: Cloud storage allows users to access data from anywhere at any time without worrying about maintaining hardware or software on-site. This means you don't need expensive equipment or complex installation processes for people across different locations to work together seamlessly on projects!
• Security: Your data is secure because everything happens through an Internet connection (which can be protected by a VPN) instead of locally installed programs and hardware like desktops or laptops with hard drives.  Desktops and laptops can be dropped and are susceptible to damage. The cloud service will also provide backup services, which may be missing from your computer security routine.

On-demand training

Training should be on demand, available 24/7, and easy to access and understand. You should be able to get the training when you need it without having to wait for another class or seminar. The training should also be easy-to-apply and transferable across industries, so it's helpful in one industry and applicable in other industries. Plan out your training to continue building your skills and value to your organization.

Not sure where you need training?  Consider 3 Vital Project Manager Skills and How to Hone Them by Kata Török-Pál as a starting point.  These soft skills are essential in 2023.

If you want to take your project management to the next level, you must ensure that your team is ready for it. A positive workplace culture can go a long way toward making an organization successful. So start by building a positive workplace culture to improve your project management. You can do this by focusing on inclusiveness and using technology to empower everyone on your team to do their best work without worrying about what other people think about them or how they feel each day.