Project Management Goals for 2006

Setting Personal Goals for 2006

Since the new year has begun, it is time to look at my goals from last year and make some changes. Last year's goals (listed in previous posting) have for the most part been carried over into this year, with some revisions. While goal setting is important, measuring progress towards achieving the goals is imperative. Some measures can only be gathered by asking others for feedback. I vow to solicit feedback from my peers and incorporate their comments into my behavior.

Be an effective listener

Plan each project with the end (deliverables) in mind

Conduct more face-to-face conversations

Lead by example

Evaluate criticism from others and use it to be a better project manager

Know that failures will occur and plan (or replan) accordingly

Be positive, enthusiastic, and supportive of others

Project Management Strategies

We all need a strategy to succeed in life. In the project management world there are many different opinions regarding how to successfully manage a project. One of the most important things we need to do in project management is manage the expectations and relationships with our stakeholders. Some things to keep in mind to help us manage our stakeholders are:

Assess the culture (Is it supportive, what is the balance of power, what are the stakeholder attitudes)

Identify the goals of the stakeholders and sponsor (Are the goals realistic, attainable, communicated)

Assess our own capabilities and limitations (Are you politically savvy, respected, a good negotiator)

Define the problem (Define goals, risks, relationships)

Develop solutions (Create action plan, determine the right solution for the right time)

Test and refine the solutions (New learnings must be incorporated, replan, retool, rethink)

Final thoughts for 2005

As the year comes to a close, I thought it would be a good time to review my professinal goals for 2005, which I posted here at the beginning of the year. They were:

1. Be a better listener
2. Apply the principles of Earned Value to more of my projects
3. Begin each project with the end (deliverables) in mind
4. Rely less on e-mail and more on face-to-face conversations
5. Be a better Project Leader
6. Accept the fact that criticism from others is part of the project life cycle
7. Be willing to accept failures and use them as learning experiences
8. Believe that most people on your project team are doing the best they can do
9. Be positive, enthusiastic, and supportive of others

I made good progress towards achieving some of the goals, but I need to work harder on some of the others. The only true measurement of my performance comes from my peers, management, and project stakeholders.

Looking back over 2005 I would sum up the year by saying it was at times frustrating, rewarding, confusing, challenging, but overall worth the time and effort. We probably all can agree that being a good project manager is difficult, however good is not enough. We must be great project managers is we are to be successful. The culture we work in will greatly impact just how good or great we will be, however we are ultimately the ones that determine our own success.

Have a Merry Christmas.