Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to be a Project Management lead for large healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions as well as a new healthcare product launch. This experience has not only been a learning experience for myself but also for the teams I was a part of and also lead. Leadership is an attribute that many have said comes naturally to me and I believe this success is predicated on several key fundamental attributes:
1. Accountability
2. Integrity
3. Empowerment
Before I dive into each one of these topics let me give some further background on myself. I grew up near a small town in southern Minnesota and had the support and mentorship of my amazing parents. I believe the grounds for these beliefs all started there as my mom was a true role model for me, blazing trails in a field where few women worked let alone had great success. To my dad, I attribute my strong work ethic and my never-give-up mentality, as he not only ran a farm but also managed his own trucking business. Both of my parents set the groundwork for the woman I have become today.
Now with all this in mind let’s get back to the purpose of this article which is to make sure that you don’t make key mistakes that I have both made and seen others all too often stumble through. Too often Project Managers become note-takers, status reporters, and become the small person in the room as they let managers, staff, and senior leadership dictate the room/project rather than the actual goal of the project.
If you find yourself reading this and saying this is exactly how my project is going right now then STOP!!!!
Project Managers who excel, gain respect, and own the room all have the previous key attributes and it’s never too late to regain control of your project.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Let us start with Accountability, as this should be the first thing taught to anyone getting started in the Project Management space. How can you run a project if you aren’t first holding yourself accountable for the delivery of the outcome, don’t make excuses and blame the team members! It’s your job to bring the team together, drive towards the outcome and then ultimately also hold them accountable for their deliverables. It will make your job 1000 times harder if you are not first setting the tone and example for the team upfront. Let them know you have their backs but also that you have high expectations for everyone.
INTEGRITY
Next, we need to then address Integrity. If you don’t carry yourself with integrity first, then how do you expect your team to be honest with you. Integrity is about more than just honestly though, it also encompasses holding yourself, your team, and your leadership to the highest of standards. This includes realistic timelines, budgets, and timely decisions. Nothing will railroad a project faster than mismanaged budgets, timelines that are not achievable, and leadership that takes days, weeks, or months to make key decisions. Integrity is the responsibility of all team members and once again starts with the example you set as a respected Project Manager.
EMPOWERMENT
Last but possibly one of the most important things you can do is to make sure that you Empower all your team members. If the entire team knows what they are driving towards, have a clear plan on how to get there, and fully understand their roles then there is no excuse not to Empower them to get their job done. If you want to watch your project become an instant train wreck and make zero progress go ahead and become a micromanager and make your team check-in with you before they can even go to the bathroom. If you want your team to respect you, keep your project moving forward, and have constant outcomes then embrace Empowerment.
