Project Hero Blog - Weekly Best Practices and Tips

The best project managers learn to say “no” without actually using the word “no.”  “No” has an air of finality and dis-empowers the team.  It is also a good idea to avoid phrases like “Yes, but …”  There are some better ways to express negativity.

Try some of these alternative phrases instead:

• Yes, and in exchange, I will need “x.” Will that work? (say yes and get something in return)
• I’m wor
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As a project manager, you need to manage your team by influence and motivate them to complete the project.  How can you do this?  First and foremost, get to know your team very well. Find out more about their interests and aspirations and use this information to make better assignments and seek rewards or promotional opportunities for those that exceed performance expectations.

In addition to tea...

Predictability helps organizations more effectively and efficiently manage people, cash, and other resources.  And predictable projects usually finish sooner than others as well.

I often hear talk about how unpredictable projects are because <insert any excuse here>. By following some good and best practices and continuously improving, you will find that over time, your projects become more predi...

A natural outcome of project management is increased team creativity and innovation. But some projects will need more than others.  For example, if you are a creative marketing team or have complex problems to solve as part of the project. 

Want your project teams to be more creative and innovative? You can take the next step by GRADually changing your organization's culture to enable and support...

Studies have shown that roughly 56% of projects failing projects have poor communications as a factor. Whether you are presenting or just having a meeting, having strong communication skills is critical for project managers. Here are 5 essential practices to work on:

1. Develop and rehearse an elevator pitch. Be able to provide a quick 30-second message about the primary goals and benefits of your
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"How can I become a project manager in 2021?" is a question I frequently hear.  Being a project manager is still (and will always be) a rewarding career opportunity, even in post-pandemic life.  And while the events of the last two years may have shifted some of the demand, project managers and project management skills are still in high demand. 

The Project Management Institute estimates that em...

Good leadership does not come from a single skill, but rather a collection of skills such as team building, influence, patience,  empathy, and creativity. This article examines 5 leadership skills essential for risk and crisis management. 

Risk management and crisis management are closely related.  Good risk management may reduce or minimize crises, but it is inevitable that at some point in your...

Management skills are usually grouped into several categories, including interpersonal, technical, and conceptual. But time management skills go beyond attributes that simply make you an effective leader. Knowing how to manage your minutes is crucial to the success of your business and your personal life. Here are a few examples of skills to refine that will have a positive impact on your time man...

Last week we looked at 4 Steps to Diligently Delegate.  There are five very common barriers to enacting a successful delegation. Good project managers understand what these are and avoid the pitfalls.

1.  The project manager may have a personal interest in the task. While you may have a personal interest, your job now is to manage and grow the team. Don't let your personal interests get in the wa...

In addition to good planning up front, execution of any project can be effortless if you develop the critical soft skills needed to succeed.  Let's consider delegation.  Unfortunately, new project managers often lack confidence or fear loss of control, leading to lower levels of delegation. Even more unfortunately, loss of control is what normally happens when project managers fail to delegate and...