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Image Source: DecosCaribbean.com

14 Ways to be the world’s worst project manager aims to train project managers to avoid doing these 14 mistakes. Being a project manager, you have to have the best time management skills, ability to communicate effectively with the client, dedication with the job, and know how to prioritize task and delegate jobs to team members based on their strengths.

What the post is all about?

The post is all about the 14 ways how you can become the worst project manager. Although it may seem negative, you’ll learn a lot from this post as you can avoid doing these mistakes yourself. Here are the 14 mistakes project managers do:

1. Let Interruptions Dictate your schedule – project managers must know how to deal with distractions, especially if it’s already interrupting their schedule. As a tip, keep your focus on what you’re doing right now until you finish a task.
2. Don’t Communicate Clearly With Your Clients – Communication is very important to maintain a healthy relationship with your boss. Therefore, it is very important for the project manager to read or review their message (email or voice mail) twice before sending it. Be concise and be clear to avoid misunderstanding
3. Keep Your Clients Guessing – Clients will appreciate it more when they know they’re in the loop. If you make them feel they are not in control or they have no idea what you are doing right now, you may give those doubts or misconceptions on their mind.
4. If you’re Not Going to Meet the Deadline, Don’t Tell the Client – If you are not going to meet the deadline, tell your clients. They understand more especially if you communicate it to them effectively. For example, if there is a task, tell them you anticipate to finish it in 2 hours, however it took 8 hours since you lack this or that. You should tell it before the deadline so the client will not expect for your output at the said deadline.
5. Always Underestimate the Resources needed for a Project – If a client only gives you $5,000 for a certain project, however, you cannot accommodate all its needs for the site since there are some expenses that you might need to have to complete it, be resourceful.
6. If a Client is Being Rude, Respond in Kind – Being kind and calm in your response while the client is agitated and angry over a project, makes you very professional. Worst thing will happen if you also raise your voice with your boss
7. Never Admit to Making a Mistake – Rest assured, your clients will not get angry if you admit about the mistakes you have done. They know that you are also human, and you still commit errors. As a rule of thumb though, never make mistakes over and over again.
8. Shift Blame to Someone on Your Team – As a project manager, you are always the one who’s responsible for your team members. Don’t shift the blame for them because if you do, like a boomerang, it goes back to you.
9. Don’t Double Check Your Team’s Work – You cannot assure that your team worked perfectly, so spend time to double check it so the moment you send the finished it, your clients will be happy to see your work.
10. Spend Very Little Time Writing Emails – Writing a quick email may lead to misinterpretation. Why? Because you might write something that you’re not intended to write. Quick emails will not allow you to double check your thoughts.
11. Don’t Get to Know Your Team – Every team member has strengths and weaknesses. Your role is to discover it so you can delegate task more effectively.
12. Assume Your Team is On Schedule – Remember to setup deadlines for your team.
13. Don’t Create a System to Remind You to Contact Clients – It can be very easy to lose track with your clients if you don’t have a system to remind yourself what task to prioritize and who (the client) you should send email to for daily updates or weekly updates.
14. Come Into Meetings Ill-prepared – When expecting a meeting, always remember to “know what to say”.

Who will benefit from this Post?

Project Managers, Team Leaders, are the ones who can benefit from this post most. If project managers are equipped with the ability to manage time and task, communicate effectively with clients, and work with the team embracing their responsibility, they can be more efficient and they can please clients that may come across.