In 2021, it’s essential to understand that managing the unexpected is a matter of success versus failure.
We are all trained to manage the expected. We look at the business goals; we define the objectives; we see the hazards and the potential consequences of both the positive and the negative. We analyse the risks, and we get ready to control and manage these. We believe this is what project management means, however, project management isn’t just about controlling and planning. We would say it is more a way of facing the unexpected while managing the expected and balancing the two towards achieving an organisation’s goals.
Yes, it does sound slightly complicated and perhaps a bit utopian. Still, it’s an ongoing project management trend that will never become obsolete because it will keep the engine on and the wheel spinning of any successful project or business.
Now let’s talk about what we want to say by managing the unexpected and why our project management style can make a difference in running a successful project or business.
Project Management is a mindset. Looking at the big picture while overseeing the small tasks.
A project manager is responsible for mastering all the details while owning the “big picture” view and coordinating everything. With this idea in mind, it seems like we are talking about the leader of a project. But the leader or the manager is not necessarily always the project manager. That’s why the two of them should work as allies regardless if they are part of the same company or not. In other words, a project can run successfully without a leader as long as it has a project manager, because the second one can take over the role of the first one.
The project manager role should not disregarded or be replaced in any organisation. Although, someone else can keep an eye on the ‘’big picture’’ and run the project, this would only be a case of managing the expected.
A leader, sometimes, plans with the focus to achieve the business goals (expected), while a project manager plans with the overall project in mind (both expected and unexpected). If we shift from leaders to creatives, these amazing creatives build such powerful brands, with such incredible designs, and need help to convey them into outstanding solutions. Those creative minds need a project manager to support them. It’s a matter of running those small projects increments or sprints within the big project successfully. Whether you are leading or creating, you need assistance to do what you need to do successfully.
Project management is a mindset. And this mindset is gradually built, developed and nourished.
Focus on growing, not just on delivering. Project Management is, in other words, business development.
Project Management is not only about delivering a project from A to Z. It supports the goals and objectives of your organisation.
It helps you build that strategy that enables scale your business.
Sooner or later, any business business has to evolve to survive. Running more IT, creative projects or implementing new business strategies could bring a high level of complexity for employees and contractors and impact the workload.
As good project managers, we drive a controlled perspective that can fuel the prosperity of your business. We see the rifts and the upcoming obstacles. Thus, we can suggest solutions by focusing on what’s a must versus what’s nice to have.
We live in such an uncertain era, and we all see the need of having a controlled approach, an approach that would allow you, as creatives, to shine through your conceptions.
New tools, the same responsibilities. A good strategy is a personalised one.
A project management tool is not a substitute for a project manager!
Although, the trend is to replace the project manager with a project managing tool, this is not the solution to achieve expected results or guarantee business success. Project management tools are meant to support the project manager’s work and not to replace it. It does simplify it, but it’s only focused on managing, again, the expected.
It would not be fair to believe that anyone can have an excellent performance while using a project management tool. Anyone can learn how to use it, but it needs to have the project manager’s mindset and vision. A project manager can acquire more easily and quickly the technical skills because the tools are built using known methods. Moreover, if set up correctly, the project management tool could enable you to coordinate the employee’s and contractor’s tasks and as well as running the project flawlessly. A successful project will always be driven by that strategic approach that the project manager defines. And this strategy is personalized to each creative business and its projects. We have built a framework that has served multiple creative agencies, and we know we can help you too.
This is one of the reasons why we are providing project management services to our creative agencies. Moreover, we work remotely, which means we are what you need in the current climate.
