HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL JUNIOR PROJECT MANAGER: Embrace Risks, Break Barriers, and Make an Impact

If you're just starting out as a junior project manager or project manager apprentice, congratulations! While the road ahead may provide some difficulties, don't worry! This blog post will help you on your journey to excellence. We'll cover everything from risk management to effective communication and making a real difference in only a few paragraphs. The advice you are about to read comes from twenty-five years of experience in the trenches of project management.

So buckle up and prepare to unleash your superpowers as a junior project manager/project manager apprentice!

This is not what you will hear in most project management courses or from most project managers. You will have likely been taught that the most important things are planning, communication, stakeholder management or a number of other lovely corporate phrases!

That is not to say that these are not important factors in the successful delivery of projects. But, if you spend all/ the majority of your time planning what everyone else does (which you have little or no control over), reporting how everyone else is doing (which you have little or no control over), and convincing stakeholders that everyone else is delivering exactly what's been asked (which you have little or no control over) - I encourage you to consider what real value you are bringing to the project.

Just be aware that although this may sound like total common sense as you read it, but it can be seen as controversial  in the PM community because almost everything that's been taught about project management for the last 60 years puts planning, communication and stakeholder management as a higher priority than risk management.

 

 

Need I say any more!

On the flip side, if you were to focus the majority of your time on identifying and managing risks, then you personally would be having a significant influence on the success of the project...especially when those risks include those in the table below i.e. planning, communication and stakeholder management.

 

Risk	Consequence	Advice
There is a risk that each team member has not defined what they need to do in order to deliver their part of the project...	meaning that there is a low confidence in being able to go live on the anticipated date.	let the team build the plan for themselves
There is a risk that team members do not deliver to the dates they have provided...	meaning that there are downstream delays which create a low level of confidence that the go live date will be achieved.	let the individual team members be responsible and accountable for delivering on time
There is a risk that team members do not deliver what the stakeholder(s) has/ have asked for...	meaning that the confidence of the team being able to deliver any future projects successfully is very low.	let the individual team members be responsible and accountable for producing solutions that deliver what the stakeholders have asked for

 

Note the loop from above - don't treat these as things you've got to do as a PM, treat them as risks to the project.

Key message:

So, when you discuss your role within the project as junior project manager/ project manager apprentice, try to make a very strong case for you to look after risks in the project as this will position you to bring real value to the project - maybe even more than the other project managers on the project!!

 

Become The Risk Whisperer: Exposing Secret Threats and Unlocking Success.

Embrace your inner sleuth and investigate every aspect of the project to look for any hazards. Keep in mind that risks can be sneaky little creatures that reside in plain sight. Use the risk categories below as a starter. Go through each category and ask what could possible go wrong on the project within that category. Get team members and anyone else that's relevant involved in brainstorming the potential risks;

• Resource - example: there is a risk that we do not have the right resource lined up for each stage of the project.
• Finance - example: there is a risk that we spend more than expected in the first few stages of the project.
• Data - example: there is a risk that we do not have enough (dummy) customer data to complete testing
• Governance - example: there is a risk that the document approval process is putting unnecessary delays and costs on the project.
• Decision making - example: there is a risk that the relevant people will not make decisions in a timely manner
• Scope/ Quality - example: there is a risk that we cannot deliver the full scope and/ or the quality of final solution the customer wants with the time/ budget we have been given.

Immediate Action: these 5 risks will cover a large proportion of the problems you will face so start with these and build out from them.

1. Log a risk against every milestone, and every dependency.
2. Log a risk of not having enough/ the right resource to deliver each stage of the project.
3. Log a risk of not having enough/ the right data for development and testing.
4. Log a risk of underestimating the budget needed to deliver the project.
5. Log a risk of governance, approvals and decision making becoming blockers and slowing the project down.

The key is proactive risk mitigation:

• Once you identify a risk, don't allow it become unmanageable. Create backup plans, evaluate the effects, and be the hero who saves the day.
• Talk like a risk expert: Work together with the team to identify hazards as the project progresses. Inform the team of how you are reducing these risks and clearing the path for them to deliver.
• Make sure to notify the team as soon as you become aware that you are unable to prevent a risk from becoming an issue. Don't be hesitant to ask for their assistance; perhaps they will appreciate all the effort you've been doing to make their job simpler.
• To properly manage risks, communication must be open and concise.

The standard way of reporting a projects status is broken: Give management a true perspective on the status of the project!

Almost all projects report the status of their project based on whether it is currently 'on track' to deliver on time and whether it is currently on track to deliver 'within budget'. 

The huge floor in this is that it can only ever be a snapshot based on where the project is at on that day, and it is very subjective based on whether the individuals in the team have told you that they will deliver when they said they will - which, unless they are all clairvoyant can only ever be their best guess!.

Most projects also report on the number of risks and issues the project currently has - but this is almost always shown as a list in a table with a sentence on each about what's being done to mitigate them - does this give management any indication of whether the project is likely to deliver successfully or not?

Here's your superpower and how you can stand out..

 

Reporting based on risk:

• Transcend the menial duty of just monitoring progress in relation to deadlines. Instead, concentrate on the project's risk profile and explain how risks could affect the project's success as a whole.
• Stay flexible and knowledgeable: Assess and update the risk environment often, and change your reporting as necessary. This adaptable method guarantees that decision-makers have a thorough awareness of the state of the project and will show them that you are in control.
• Be a calming influence: Give stakeholders information on risk reduction techniques and offer recommendations so they can make informed decisions on how to move the project forward with confidence.

Planning for impact as a Junior Project Manager

Don't chase people for updates on task progress; instead, focus on unblocking obstacles and clearing the path for seamless task completion.

1. Master of Your Destiny: Crafting Your Own Project Management Plan
   • Take charge of your activities: While it's essential to oversee the entire project, prioritize creating a plan for your own tasks and responsibilities. By managing your time effectively, you set an example for others to follow.
   • Clearing the path: Rather than hounding team members for updates, focus on understanding and removing obstacles that impede progress. Collaborate and support others in overcoming challenges.

 

And one final piece of advice - you'll thank me for this one!

Close:

Your adventure as a junior project manager is just getting started. You'll create the way for project success by embracing risk management, rethinking reporting practises, taking ownership of your own actions and making team members accountable for theirs. Remember, you have the power to make a meaningful difference with drive, a sense of humour, and a superhero mindset. So, junior project manager, go forth and conquer the world, one successful project at a time!