You know them as the ‘A’ team…. The ones the company brings
in when they need to make sure the project is done – and done right the first
time. They come in all shapes, and sizes…some
quiet and authoritative and some who like to make a grand entrance. They aren't necessarily on the warm and fuzzy
list of favorite people you want to know, but above all else they are respected
for who they are and for their ability to get the job done. So how do you get yourself on this
list? What traits do you need to develop
to become one of ‘Them’?
Communication: Communication is key to everything we do
in the business world. If you cannot
effectively convey yourself to your clients, co-workers, managers, and
subordinates, you cannot accomplish anything.
The people who are most skilled at listening to others, conveying their
intentions, and clearly stating requirements are the most adept at meeting
client’s needs and getting subcontractors and subordinates to participate in
the project when they are supposed to.... making the process as smooth as
possible. I’m not referring to the guy
who likes to yell and manipulate people with fear either…anyone can be loud and
pushy. The truly polished manager is the
one who can make himself / herself known without so much as a raised tone of
voice. They don’t need to raise their
voice - because everyone knows that to ignore the boss is to cut off their own
right arm.
Motivation (a.k.a.
Understanding People): So why would
someone feel like they cut off their right arm by ignoring the boss? Because the best Project Mangers Understand
people and know how to help them feel personally invested in the success of the
project. Managing a project well requires listening
and comprehension. …you need to be on the same page with everyone striving for
the same goal. A good manager also needs
to know when to push people, how hard to push and when to let them have some
room. It may not seem like a skill for a manager
to ‘step away’ from a project…it may feel more like being abandoned when you
are the employee shouldering the burden.
But when the project is complete and that employee is suddenly ready for
a promotion because of what they just learned, you know you are dealing with a
master project manager - one that knows when to step in and take over or when
to turn up the heat.
Organization: Getting lost is not an option. Neither is getting anyone else lost. The best Project Managers need to be more
reliable than a GPS when navigating
a project. Not to say they never take a
detour… even the best managers run into road blocks, issues and set-backs. Mistakes happen too, but an organized manager
will know where everything is at and where it all needs to go, so they can make
the adjustments needed to keep the project moving forward. This is the heart of managing - trying to
foresee and make the changes necessary to reach the end goal faster and better
than anyone else.
So who is our ‘A’ Team?
That’s the good news…. We don’t have a ‘B’ team. When you hire MeritCorp, Group, you get our
‘A’ team every time. When new people are
brought on-board in our office we put them with an experienced Project Manager
who oversees the whole project and begins training them to eventually become
part of our ‘A’ team.
Want to meet our team?
Just call 630-554-6655 or e-mail us today to meet our staff or get more information
on how we can help with your next project.
