The Seven Project Management priorities for 2019

Anyone who tells you, with complete certainty, what 2019 will provide at the commencement of the year is only speculating. The best anyone can do is to understand that the process to working out what is going to happen in the New Year only commenced from the lessons learnt in the previous year.

To fully understand your priorities for 2019, examine the way your world was at the end of the previous year and how it has commenced this year. The one trend that seems to be completely reliable coming into the New Year is disruption. The world has seen some challenges for the last couple of years and looks certain to remain through 2019.

There seems to be less outright conflict, however there are still internal stresses and strains within countries and regions, and add to those geopolitical threats. These then translate into the everyday concerns of our employers, clients and sponsoring organizations. So, we must be mindful of them, as we establish our seven priorities for project managers in 2019.

There seems to be less outright conflict, however there are still internal stresses and strains within countries and regions, and add to those geopolitical threats. These then translate into the everyday concerns of our employers, clients and sponsoring organizations. So, we must be mindful of them, as we establish our seven priorities for project managers in 2019.

1. Courageous Leadership

When disruption is normal, then the first priority should always be exemplary leadership. There aren’t likely to be many countries today where there is a consensus that national leadership fits this description. There would also be challenges in believing that leaders are prioritising the needs of stakeholders when managing projects, nor are the required hard decisions being made.

As project managers, we must stand out by building the future for our sponsors. To get it right, we must put ourselves on the front line and act with absolute integrity. We can do nothing else if we don’t get this step correct, for what is to follow will simply not work.

2. Personal Resilience

Remember to always look after yourself, for if you are unable to function and provide accurate direction in a complex and demanding environment, coupled with a determination to do what is right, despite the cost, will make for high levels of stress.

The following four items should be a priority in your life, having a robust physical, mental and emotional aspect will assist in looking after your team and stakeholders.

1. Fuel: What you put into your body makes a huge difference to your well-being. Be sure to take a lunch break each day.
2. Rest: Nobody can perform well when they are tired. A couple of poor nights’ sleep in a row can damage your judgement and emotional stability just as much as an excess of alcohol. Fix your sleep schedule to improve your productivity.
3. Energy: Regular exercise does not just build up your physical stamina, but affords an opportunity to shift mental gears and detach from the stressful concerns of your workplace.
4. Relationships: These indicate both our mental health and the source of protection for it. Invest time and effort in maintaining the relationships that matter to you. A work-life balance is essential in today’s digital social culture.

3. Make Time for Yourself

The need to carve out time just for yourself, remember to have some “Me” time whether that is through a hobby or a “passion project” will assist in re-energising your focus. Do what it takes to create balance in your life.

4. Exceptional Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement does not change from year to year; it should be a priority in 2020—and also in 2121. As a project manager, make sure you are serving your client, your sponsor and your organization, but the people who will truly judge your work are your stakeholders.

Exceptional stakeholder engagement is the one lever to successful project management that will always dominate the others. If you place your stakeholders at the heart of every scrap of planning and delivery, you will be most likely to get things right. Make the commitment to engage them actively. Ask questions, listen, respect their views and open a dialogue. Keep your stakeholders fully informed, and work hard to balance the needs of each against those of the others.

5. Agility and Certainty

There are plenty of project management commentators to remind you of the rise of agile. And certainly, if you are not aware of its strengths, shortcomings and methodologies, you’ll need to make learning about it a priority for 2019. Use traditional project management methodologies as the foundation to any project, there are centuries of completed projects to suggest success in the foundations.

The real priority here is to recognize that you always have three principle options when determining your broad approach to a project:

1. A largely planned, predictive approach that borrows shamelessly from the agile toolset, when you need to
2. A fundamentally agile approach that selects a suitable methodology, but also incorporates useful elements from traditional project management
3. A truly blended approach that draws generously from the full breadth of traditional and agile thinking

6. Learn to Work Virtually

The rise of small, compact, agile teams, who use scrum or scrum-like methodologies, has its place in modern project management. This is the rise of large, global teams who rarely or never meet in the real world. Large organizations have always had to organize globally. But more of us are working with virtual teams, in different offices, in different organizations, and in no office at all, but a converted bedroom in a private home.

These are virtual teams, made of people who work together, but may never meet. Project Management software tools oil the bearings of virtual collaboration. But, regardless of location, the values that drive good teamwork doesn’t change. And, as a project manager, you need to understand them and put them into practice.

7. Keep Learning

This last priority is also an evergreen priority, like priority 4. It’s built into most professional qualifications. As a professional, your skills need to grow, or they will wither. There is no middle ground.

A failure to invest in your knowledge and skills will mean they don’t just stop growing: they will die. Continual professional development is not just a set of points to keep a qualification: it’s a duty…and a pleasure.

Whatever route you choose for professionalism, the PMI’s guideline of 35 education hours per three years must be an absolute minimum. That is, after all, just an hour a month. And you cannot even read a decent professional magazine in that time. It’s just three articles like this, per week.

So, whether it’s learning more about virtual teams, doing an agile course, reading a book on stakeholder engagement, or attending a cookery workshop, do make 2019 another year when you keep learning.

Another priority for project managers in 2019 is making sure they’re equipped with the best tools to take advantage of new trends. The tools located here are cloud-based project management software that gives users real-time dashboards and a collaborative online Gantt chart for better scheduling. Try one today, free with a 30-day trial.