Clients and stakeholders who are concerned with the success of project are often in different locations. Especially when you are a Virtual Company (like mine). Communication is a critical factor to a projects success.
Communicating with clients on the progress of each project will keep them updated. Communication with the team is everything. Monitoring progress, early warning signs of danger, cooperation, motivation and involvement of the team rely upon communication. If everyone on the project is not on the same page – how will you ensure the entire team is working towards the same goal?
Even if you only have one client – you might be juggling multiple projects for that one client. When I worked for the Construction Industry, my team was building the Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio. 1 project, 8 floors and 25 Subcontractors and over 300 trades people on the job, there were dozens of projects happening at once.
With that much happening at once, communication had to be top notch. Walkie-talkies were in use all day, there were Superintendents in charge of each floor, it was organized chaos. Construction isn’t the only industry that could benefit from a Project Manager. Any business has projects, right now I’m a Project Manager for a very prestigious Lawyer/Coach/Author, also for a Financial Consultant, a Non-Profit Organization, a Spa Development Company. With each of these Industry’s one thing remains true – Communication is Key.
So here are some quick tips for Communication –
1. Do not micromanage! Delegate work and do not forget to coordinate their actions and review the progress.
2. Do not allow project plans to go unattended. Keep all project data at one place with schedules.
3. Do not keep multiple project data in different places. Create a master plan to have bird’s eye view.
4. Make use of technology and the right tools to keep information updated on projects without wasting time.
5. Do not neglect communicating with your team and client. Communication is a moral booster.
6. Keep task switching to minimum among team members to increase productivity.
Dawn Chuma
Small Business Solutions
Dawn Chuma 