Project management is one of the most important skills you can learn in today’s world. Why? Because 99.99% of the work we do revolves around projects.
So, whether you’re a business owner, an employee, a freelancer, a manager, a CEO, managing projects is essential to your success.
You cannot be called a professional if you cannot manage projects effectively.
What Exactly Are Projects
Projects are outcomes that require two or more actions/steps to complete. Submitting a report to your boss, installing a ceiling fan, or planning your vacation trip for the holidays are all projects. You have a desired outcome but would need to complete several tasks to do so.
This definition of a project came from David Allen, author of Getting Things Done. If you are serious about your career and want to succeed, this is one of the books you need to read and re-read at least once every year.
But I’m Not a Project Manager
Yes, you are right.
But here’s another way to look at projects.
As an employee, one of the ways you will be evaluated is via performance reviews. Your boss gives you targets that need to be achieved throughout the year. These are outcomes or end results that require actions and multiple steps to complete.
As a business owner, you need to reach certain objectives like increasing your sales by 20% or generating more leads, and converting them into paying customers. Again, these are outcomes or end results that require actions and multiple steps to complete.
All these are projects.
That’s why it’s essential that every professional learn how to manage projects effectively. Learn the fundamentals of project management here.
Don’t Expect Other People to Manage Your Own Work
Imagine yourself a manager of three people.
Would you let them decide what they do, work on, and deadlines 100% of the time?
Most probably not.
Even Google’s known for only allowing 20% of their employee’s time to let them work on their own projects.
Now, look at it from another perspective.
Would you let them dictate what you work on?
Would you let your team manage what you do, how you do it, set deadlines and priorities for you—their manager?
Switch that relationship with your colleagues now. When your boss assigns you several tasks due in the next few days, do you expect your colleagues to remind you each what to work on each day and tell you what you should prioritize?
Obviously, the answer is no.
You are expected to manage your own work.
You are expected to learn how to prioritize which tasks or projects to do first.
You Cant Survive in the Modern Workplace if You Can’t Manage Projects
In short, managing projects is essential to your success in any field.
Learning how to manage projects effectively should be one of your top priorities. You can’t survive in today’s fast-paced business environment if you cannot do that.
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