8 Tips for New Project Managers from 7 of the World’s Leading PM Experts

Identify a mentor.  I think we under-value the role of a good mentor and I believe we can all benefit from having one.  You don’t need to have a formal mentor program at your company to find a good mentor relationship.  In fact, I believe the most successful mentors can be found outside of your organization.  Many times we are simply too reluctant to proactively reach out to others for guidance and support.  I strongly believe a mentor relationship is one of the best ways to grow and develop.

Lisa DiTullio
Principal
Your Project Office
http://www.yourprojectoffice.com

Get a mentor from out there in project management land who will be there to listen from time to time and gently point you in the right direction when you need help.

But also look outside your own organization and connect to some truly wonderful project managers and experts out there on the www. There is a huge amount of advice and guidance through local project management groups, through conferences and meetings, through the online discussions and blogs, and lots more.

Key is to build the best possible network for now, and the future, and to use it wisely.

Peter Taylor
Head of Global PMO Kronos Inc.
and The Lazy Project Manager
http://www.thelazyprojectmanager.com
or see iTunes for The Lazy Project Manager podcast

Find a really good project manager (someone you respect and admire) and ask them to Mentor you.  A good Mentor will open doors to new network contacts and to good learning opportunities for their protégé.  I would also suggest asking someone who has a bit more ‘grey’ in the hair (if they, in fact, still have hair) because they will have gone through some ‘hard knocks’ and can provide you with the information and guidance that will assist you in growing in your career.  Make this your relationship and pull them into the relationship.  Make it a lifelong relationship and the rewards will be immeasurable for you both.

Randy Black, P. Eng., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Stantec

To help speed up the process of real world experience in project management you should seek out an experienced project manager to help guide you. It could be a formal mentor relationship but it doesn’t need to be. It’s about being able to listen to your intuition and validate it with project managers who are more experienced than you – they’ve all been where you are now and it seems crazy that you wouldn’t tap into their experience and opinions. Learn the value of ‘internal networking’ at work and start forming relationships with people that you’ll be able to approach when you need that external validation.

Lindsay Scott
Director at Arras People
http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/camel-blog/

Engage yourself in volunteer work that stretches your understanding of project management and leadership.  Leading in a volunteer environment is very different than leading in a ‘command and control’ environment.  I have gained a lot from my 11+ years of volunteering with PMI.  Although I encourage volunteering with PMI because of my own positive experience, my advice is to volunteer and learn somewhere that appeals to your passion.  So, if you volunteer with your local Alumni Association (which I have done), your local children’s soccer association (which I have also done), with Habitat for Humanity, for the Cancer Society, the Red Cross or your local Parent Teacher Association, your skills as a project manager to conduct projects, events or charitable drives, will be invaluable and will grow your skills.

Randy Black, P. Eng., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Stantec

My advice is to see and be seen.  All jobs and contracts are given by people to those they know, like, and trust. To do well in our profession it is important to be known, be liked, and be trusted. A great place to start is your local PMI chapter: attend the meetings and volunteer.

Cesar Abeid, PMP
Project Management for the Masses
http://pmforthemasses.com/
http://projectmanagementforyou.com

Take some training in the fundamentals of project management from a referred and highly qualified Registered Education Provider (REP™).  I emphasize referred because I want the project management training experience to be a positive one.  I suggest REP because standards for content and adult learning are part and parcel of their content qualifying as good project management training.  Although Jim’s Tire, Hair Care and PM Training boutique might be inexpensive as a training source, you want to make sure you engage in a training from a qualified professional.

Randy Black, P. Eng., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Stantec

At work, communicate more than you think you have to. Talk the language of your customer and avoid jargon. Go and do the best job you can possibly do and own up when you make mistakes, because you most likely will.

Elizabeth Harrin
Director, The Otobos Group
http://www.GirlsGuideToPM.com

See as many environments as you can.  It is important to observe and amass information from seeing multiple ways to attack the same type of problem.  If you are wanting a long term career in project management, if possible, try to work for a consulting or services firm.  This will expose you to many companies, philosophies, and issues that will create the experience base necessary to grow.

Rick A. Morris
President
R2 Consulting, LLC
http://www.rsquaredconsulting.com
http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2515/the-worklife-balance

Find yourself a safe place to start

Projects are, by their very nature, tricky beasts and for a ‘newbie’ to learn the practical skills of project management we should ensure that they enter the PM world in a controlled way. Hopefully being handed a new project to lead and being told to ‘get on with it’ (as I was when I became a PM) is long gone. · You need somewhere to ask the questions (you will have plenty) and to see experienced project managers in action, there is a world of difference between theory and practice!

Another safe(r) environment might be internal projects – rather than external customer facing ones.

Key is to make the environment of learning a safe one.

Peter Taylor
Head of Global PMO Kronos Inc.
and The Lazy Project Manager
http://www.thelazyprojectmanager.com
or see iTunes for The Lazy Project Manager podcast

Be mindful that all the training and certifications that you have probably undertaken so far are there as guidance. It means that you shouldn’t shy away from combining this learning with your intuition. Project management has a lot of grey areas and the decisions you make over your career will be based on previous experience more than anything you’ve learnt on a course.

Lindsay Scott
Director at Arras People
http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/camel-blog/

Make continuous learning part of your life.  Wherever you are you will have a local PMI Chapter that can support you in your growth.  Attend their monthly breakfast, lunch or dinner meetings and learn about all aspects of good project management and leadership.  Not only will this help you with your networking (see the second point above), it will also provide you with different perspectives in the key issues of managing today’s projects.  I will also extend this to reading some great books that are out there.  Seek out the current authors… Malcolm Gladwell, Marcus Buckingham, David K. Foote, Erin Meyer, Michael Watkins to name a few I have recently read and look to some of the past business classics… Edward deBono, Stephen Covey, Michael Hammer, Tom Peters just to name a few of my favorites.  Everyone has their favorite list of authors and are happy to share those authors.  Educate yourself on leadership, communications and time management and a whole variety of topics and you will be surprised at how much your career grows.

Randy Black, P. Eng., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Stantec

Seek out the projects in your working life that you really want to do.  I am a Civil Engineer by education but have spent my life doing almost anything but for Civil projects.  I have worked in Telecommunications, Information Systems, Workflow Solutions, Process Re-engineering / Improvement, Software Development, Electrical Utilities, Group Life Insurance, Home Relocation and Oil and Gas AC Mitigation.  My passion is for the unusual and challenging.  My question to a new project manager is… what is your passion?  Find it and work will cease to really be work.

Randy Black, P. Eng., PMP
Senior Project Manager
Stantec