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Even though the technology is evolving at fast rates, the need for project managers and leaders is rising continuously. One might expect that some jobs will begin to be already replaced by complex software, apps, or automation. But until leaders and project managers will be replaced by robots or apps there is still a long way to go.
Every human is unique and depending on their personality and past experiences, they form their perspective on the world. This has an effect also on their working style, communication, and collaboration. And for a team to collaborate harmoniously and be highly cohesive, it needs a leader that knows how to adapt to each member and keep the team united.
As a beginner tech leader, you might feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of apps and tools you can use to manage your projects and teams. Technology is in continuous change so keeping up the pace with the innovation when you are just learning how to manage projects can become stressful. But do not worry! Here are 10 project management tips for new tech leaders that will help you navigate these stormy waters successfully.
Many new tech leaders think about how to ensure smooth collaboration between team members. This might seem increasingly difficult during these pandemic times when remote work has become the new normal.
As a new tech leader, you should know that all the modern tools used by tech teams help you do this. They have many collaboration options already integrated so that teams can work more efficiently.
Slack is a great options for teams to communicate amongst each other. To step it up a notch, you can install Workast into Slack, which is a task management app that connects directly into the Slack workspace. This ensures that you can capture and manage team work, no matter where your team members are.
Other excellent free and paid collaboration tools include Click-up, Asana, Trello and more.
One of the key principles of effective project management is clear communication about roles, tasks, and expectations. People will not do their tasks right if they do not know what they need to do or what you expect from them.
At the same time, team members need to be aligned on the objectives of the project and be aware of the team’s progress towards accomplishing the set goals. Communicate clearly and openly.
As a new tech leader, you might be overwhelmed by the tasks and responsibilities you have with coordinating the team. There are hectic times full of one-on-one meetings, client meetings, work meetings, that might crowd the schedule a lot.
Some leaders decide to postpone daily communications, but they are crucial. Having consistent stand-up meetings with the team helps you progress. At the same time, team members can ask for help when they are stuck and get solutions from colleagues, which is beneficial for the entire team.
Because most tech employees now work remotely, Zoom or Microsoft Teams are the platforms used for online meetings. It is important to create an agenda prior to the meeting and share it with the team. In Workast, you can create a Meeting which has a place to create an agenda, and record meeting minutes and tasks. Like this, they know what to prepare for the meeting, which will make it more efficient. But they can also propose some new topics for discussion.
You don’t work in an office with a team, so you may need to keep in contact with them regularly. It is important, before setting a meeting with the team, to think about its urgency and importance. Can the issue be solved by opening a thread on Slack or by email? Avoid overcrowding your team’s agenda with unnecessary meetings.
As a new tech leader, you might want to do all the tasks by yourself. But those tedious tasks that are routine ones can be automated. Like this, you will be more productive because you will focus on tasks that really need your attention, not on flagging or assigning projects.
Software is your best friend when you are a manager. Use it to your advantage. Here are a few SEO automation tools you can use in your business.
The danger of being a new tech leader in project management is that you can solve issues and take tasks that are not urgent or important. This is especially valid for those who are active in start-up companies, where there are not so many procedures and policies established.
It is important to prioritize your tasks to make sure you accomplish them efficiently. For this, use the Eisenhower Matrix.
Many leaders are afraid of asking for feedback because they fear it of being negative. But you should change your perspective on feedback. What others say about your activity will help you improve it even more.
Do not forget, as a tech leader in project management your responsibility is to ensure the successful delivery of the project. And you can do this by coordinating the team efficiently.
But project management is also about managing the resources, time, tools, and people part of it. So, it is important to always keep an eye on the progress of the team and use the data available to predict what resources will be needed in the future.
Many employees are afraid to speak with their leaders about the obstacles they came across in their work or personal life. As a project manager, you need to keep in mind that this is about people.
You cannot manage a project if you do not have a team that works on it. It is important for your team to know and feel that they can talk to you anytime and that you are open to listening to them. Show that you are open and available for this and the processes within the team will improve considerably.
Being a new tech leader in an industry that is always on the move can be overwhelming at the beginning. However, following these 10 steps will help you overcome obstacles in your work and manage teams and projects successfully.
Every beginning is difficult, but you can face all the challenges ahead. Leadership and project management are just a few of the skills you will improve by working in this industry.
This article is a guest blog written by Charlie Svensson. To contribute a guest post to Workast.com, please complete the expression of interest form here.
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