PM Believer: I'm Right, You're Wrong

I am a believer in the power of project management.

As a professional project manager for nearly twenty years, I have witnessed project success drive business results. I have also proven that project management can change lives and help achieve personal transformation. Now I am sharing some practical tips and techniques that you can use to help achieve your own personal goals, live your best life and become a PM Believer.

I’m Right, You’re Wrong

I’m right, you’re wrong!

You’re not using the correct methodology.

That meeting should have been an email.

You didn’t describe that correctly.

Your issue doesn’t matter; you just need to figure it out.

I don’t have time to help you.

How often have you heard statements like these in the projects you have been part of? Have you ever said things like this yourself? Did this behavior make your project easier or harder to deliver?

Above all else, a project manager is a servant to their project teams. The role of the PM is to help identify, structure and drive the work to completion to achieve the objectives of the project. They do not own their projects alone; they rely on other people to get the project to the finish line.

In short, a project manager only achieves success through others.

The way we treat people in our lives matters a lot. When you are in a position where you rely on other people for your success, the way you treat them matters even more. If you act with arrogance, don’t listen, and exhibit a cold, prickly style, you are going to struggle. When people don’t like working with you, they will minimize how much they interact with you. This is the beginning of the end for any project.

The most effective strategy to help people enjoy working with you is to employ the Golden Rule. Treat other people the way that you would like to be treated. The first step to mastering the Golden Rule is to lead with humility.

Approach every interaction in your project as an opportunity to learn from and serve others. As leaders, project managers must always be rooted in the honest belief that every team member is playing a position that contributes to the ultimate outcome, no more or less important than any other person. They do this by never looking down on or discounting the contributions of others in the team. This is what humility looks like for a project manager; it is the secret weapon to getting the job done while still being a leader worth following.

Beyond a work setting, humility is just as critical, especially when pursuing an important goal.

As I explained in Go Fast Or Go Far, we need help from other people if we are going to achieve big goals. From accountability partners to your team of experts, this is not a solo endeavor. You need to rely on others to be willing to help you. If you approach them without demonstrating humility, how eager will they be to help? Not very.

If you are looking to demonstrate humility, start by realizing that you can’t go it alone and that you are going to need help. Then ask for help. Keep in mind that your goal is no more important than the goals others are pursuing; we are all in this together. Be appreciative of their time and support. Then continually seek ways to be of service to others in the pursuit of their goals.

Imagine how unstoppable we would be if we each spent a little more time looking for ways to help others and less time trying to be right.

Are you ready to be a PM Believer?

While not a traditional project management tool or technique, one secret weapon can make any project manager better. Whether you are managing a multi-million dollar program at work or a personal goal project, try this surprising strategy if you want to increase your probability of success. Plus, you might just find that people will enjoy working with you a little more.

How have you applied project management for your personal success? Tell me about it at OperationMelt.com and make sure to join my email list to have updates delivered to your inbox weekly.

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Want to know more about how I changed my life with project management? Pick up your copy of my book Operation Melt: How I Used Life-Changing Project Management to Lose Over 100 Pounds In Under a Year.