What Are Your Project Management Resolutions?

New year, new you – isn’t that the how the saying goes?  No matter how you feel about making resolutions, the new year does always bring with it the season of change. People make resolutions for their health, wealth, and the years ahead. You may have some personal resolutions, but what about your project management resolutions? Do you have some new or updated goals for 2020? We have some suggestions on things for you to focus on as a project manager in the new year.

Delegate more tasks to your team

You may be one of the best project managers around, but when it comes to making your build a success, you don’t need to be a one-man-band. Instead of taking on every task yourself, give more responsibilities to your team members. There is no use in having a team if you are not going to rely on their skills and abilities.

Before you can delegate, you need to be sure of two things: First, you need to choose a team you can trust and who you know will get the job done. The second thing for you to do is to get to know your team members! Find out more than just their most recent experiences – what special skills do they have? Where do they see themselves thriving in this industry? Knowing this information will not only help you delegate the right task to the right people, but also allow you to aid your team members in accomplishing their professional goals.

Learn something new

No matter how many years you’ve been doing this job, there is always something new to learn. The project management industry is changing fast in this digital age, and there is no shortage of new technology and resources for you to learn about. Find a book, join an online community, or schedule regular visits with colleagues to keep yourself up to date and ahead of the curve.

You can even incorporate this into your team’s tasks – ask everyone to read a book or an article and be prepared to discuss it by a certain date. Or you can set up a question and answer time where different members of your team have the chance to ask questions, both of you and their fellow team members, about current project management trends and industry changes. If your team is spread across different time zones, you can set up a group chat to have these discussions instead of having them in person. Get creative and find ways to encourage your team to learn something new.

Change up your methods

If you have found a routine that is successful for your builds, you have probably stuck with it for a while. There is definitely no harm in using what works best for you, but you can also take some time this year to try a new method and see what you think of it. For instance, if you are a staunch believer of the traditional project method, try using the agile method for a project to learn how the process works.

This is also an opportunity to reflect on your management style – are you satisfied with how you are leading your team? If you are, great! You still may want to experiment with some different leadership methods to see if another one is an even better fit. If you think your leadership can use some improvement, there’s no time like the present to research different leadership styles and try something new.

How will your projects be different in 2020? Make a resolution to find a way to improve at least one aspect of your projects this year. You may even find that you enjoy it so much, you look for a second area of improvement, and then a third. Whatever your goals are, commit to being an excellent project manager for this year.

About Impact Construction Management

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Impact Construction Management is a full-service construction management firm. Founded by Louis Buonaiuto and Richard Bowlin, Impact Construction Management has been managing construction projects for clients throughout the Midwest and South for over 10 years. From our very first project to today, our focus has been on delivering the results our clients want by providing responsive service, up-front pricing and the highest-quality workmanship.