Though he works primarily as a civil and structural engineer in
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Pankaj Saharia is often called upon to manage
large projects, particularly in bridge design, which is his specialty.
This offers a range of challenges that can lead to new project managers
tripping up, which affects their projects and relationships with their
co-workers. The following are all mistakes you should aim to avoid as a
project manager.
Not Communicating
Your
goal as a project manager is to keep your team focused and ensure that
everybody knows what they should be doing in order to make the project a
success. You need to communicate well and often to do this. Be concise
with your instructions, listen to your team members and make it a point
to arrange time to discuss the project and any issues it may have each
week.
Not Learning
Those in management
roles need to take learning extremely seriously if they are to maintain
the respect that they need to lead their teams. Everything you
experience as a project manager should be considered a learning
experience, plus you need to do everything you can to keep your
knowledge up-to-date. Those who don’t tend to fall behind, which
negatively affects their teams.
Poor Hiring
As
a project manager you will likely be involved in the hiring process for
your team. It is crucial that you understand what you need and how to
find those qualities in candidates. Those who don’t consider everything
in the hiring process may end up bringing people in who disrupt
projects.
Pankaj Saharia Shrewsbury is an experienced structural engineer in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
