Project management is the heart, the core, of any business, including here at JJR Marketing. Regardless of what business you are in, it should be at the core of yours, too, even if you call it by a different name.
How can I be so sure of this? Because I’ve experienced business both ways—within the chaos of an unmanaged project and when it’s run well, using project management methodologies.
Chaos leads to stress, miscommunication, and, sadly, missed deadlines or opportunities and is something we knew early on must be avoided. On the other hand, a well-run project oozes competence and confidence and earns the trust of our clients. It helps to keep everyone informed of where we are in the project lifecycle and allows us to work out any kinks before they become problems that impact deadlines.
At JJR, we utilize project management principles to manage expectations, people, and money. We’re also managing resources and time. I believe that all of us on the JJR team are heart-wired to be project managers.
Focus on the Mission
While many businesses use the project manager title, at JJR, we have chosen to call them Mission Managers. They may have all the attributes of a project manager, but the title of Mission Manager reminds us all that we are on a beautiful mission to bring Magix to our clients and help them to succeed in reaching their audience in a unique and organic way.
Mission Managers help our team to keep projects organized and ensure that every task, every word that is written, every design paired with content, is done in a way that brings inspiration and joy to the project.
Yes, we all have tasks to complete. However, if we focus solely on the task, it’s all too easy to forget about the mission and making it come to life. Many people forget about following through and only focus on the task at hand, the reminders, and the emails with all the task-related details.
Tasks have to be done, but the mission is the goal. The mission is to make it happen, whether you make widgets, own an event venue, or provide a service.
Communication is Key
The best project manager is one who not only takes on a project but is also in close communication with the person who gave them the project. They keep them informed on where they are in the project, and when it is completed, they go back to that person and say, “This is done.”
Some managers are shy about contacting their clients, afraid they will disrupt them. That’s a mistake. There is no such thing as excess communication in project management because not only is it about communication, but it’s also about letting them know their project is a priority. And it’s about nurturing a relationship and keeping the door open for that inevitable moment when we have questions.
Pilotina in Project Management
The project management process reminds me of aviation and flying an airplane, another love of mine. It has led to my other “name,” Pilotina. Writing that still makes me smile. It is a dream that I had, one I was determined would come true. That one day, I would be able to fly a small engine aircraft all on my own.
Much like the process of building a business, I discovered that it takes time, knowledge, practice, and patience to learn how to fly an airplane.
In project management, we follow three main steps. The project is assigned to a Mission Manager who acknowledges they received it. The Mission Manager tracks its progress and provides progress reports. And once it is done, they follow up to make sure the client knows it’s been completed and has accepted delivery.
It’s very similar, if a much faster process, in aviation. Imagine for a moment that you are my flight instructor. I am sitting on the left as the pilot in command, and you are sitting on my right. You originally gave me my instructions and control of the aircraft several minutes ago. You’ve followed my progress and offered further instruction along the way. Now, it’s time for me to give control of the plane back to you.
This is done in what we call three-way communication. First, I say, “Your plane.” You reply and say, “My plane.” And I confirm, “Your plane.” I’ve handed back control of the aircraft and followed up to make sure you are in control again.
In both cases, we know who controls the project or flight, where we are going, and when we have landed. And both can give you a heady rush when successful!
Create Magix
Today we have a lot of technology available for project management, but how are you using that technology? Even more, have you mastered the soft skills that no technology can give you? Skills like good communication, follow-up, follow-through, the ability to connect with others, to create emotional connections, to inspire others to do what you asked, and making each team member part of something bigger than themselves.
These are all amazing techniques you can use to master project management. They will lead to more efficient timeframes, growth opportunities, increased profit margins, a lack of confusion, and—above all else—landing on something spectacular, where everybody feels like their expectations were met perfectly! This is project management Magix.