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Congratulations! You've embarked on your journey as a project manager at your new company. After navigating through countless applications, attending numerous networking events and calls, acing the interview, and accepting the offer, you've achieved a significant milestone. This accomplishment is no small feat, so congratulations are truly in order!
This is an exciting opportunity for you to make a significant impact within your new company. As you embark on this journey, it's essential to approach your role with enthusiasm, determination, and a commitment to excellence.
Transitioning into a new role can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. You may encounter new faces, processes, and challenges along the way.
However, remember that every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and learning. Embrace this new chapter with an open mind and a willingness to adapt.
You’ve got this!
My goal is set you up for success and for you to make the largest impact on your team and within your projects in the smallest amount of time. Now is your time to make a positive impression on your new teammates and manager.
To help you navigate through the initial stages of your new role effectively, I’ve developed a structured 30/60/90 day plan for my coaching clients.
First 30 Days: Foundation Building. During the first 30 days, you will focus on familiarizing yourself with the company, understanding your projects, establishing relationships, and setting clear short-term goals. This is a critical time.
As you begin your journey, it's important to set the stage for success. Schedule time with your new manager to understand their needs and expectations.
Clarifying expectations: Understand the responsibilities and expectations associated with your role as a project manager. Re-read the job description and speak with your manager.
Establishing goals: Define clear and achievable goals for yourself and your projects. Understand any goals your manager may have for you.
Building relationships: This is a very important area to focus on during your first 90 days. Invest time in building relationships with your team members, stakeholders, and cross-functional partners.
Seeking support: Don't hesitate to seek support from your colleagues, mentors, or supervisors whenever needed. There is nothing wrong in asking for help.
Staying adaptable: What you may have done before may not apply in your new role. Remain flexible and adaptable in the face of challenges and changes, and be open to feedback and continuous improvement.
Listen: Before jumping on the process improvement bandwagon and proposing several changes, be sure to listen and understand the current state.
Remember, the first few months in a new role are crucial for establishing credibility, building trust, and laying the groundwork for long-term success.
The initial positive impressions you make with your manager, project management colleagues, project team, business stakeholders, and cross-functional colleagues enable you to begin to build the relationship currency bank. They will remember how you made them feel when you started in your new role.
Take this time to embrace this opportunity with confidence, determination, and a commitment to excellence, and you'll be well on your way to achieving your goals as a project manager.
Embracing Company Culture
The company culture forms the bedrock of its identity, influencing how employees interact, make decisions, and work towards common goals. Embracing the company culture involves immersing yourself in its values, norms, and practices:
Observation: Take note of the company's mission, vision, and core values. Observe how employees interact, the organizational hierarchy, and the overall work environment.
Engagement: Actively participate in company events, meetings, and initiatives. Engaging with colleagues and superiors fosters camaraderie and a sense of belonging.
Alignment: Align your actions and decisions with the company's values and objectives. Demonstrating alignment showcases your commitment to the organization's success.
Understanding Project Management Methodologies
Project management methodologies provide a structured approach to executing projects efficiently. Understanding the methodologies adopted by the company is crucial for effective project delivery:
Research: Familiarize yourself with the project management methodologies commonly used within the organization, such as Agile, Waterfall, or PRINCE2.
Training: Attend any training sessions or workshops offered by the company to deepen your understanding of these methodologies.
Application: Apply your knowledge of project management methodologies to upcoming projects, ensuring alignment with organizational standards and best practices.
Meeting Key Stakeholders
Stakeholders play pivotal roles in project success, ranging from senior management to project team members and external clients. Meeting key stakeholders early on lays the groundwork for productive collaborations:
Identification: Identify the primary stakeholders associated with your projects, including sponsors, clients, team members, and subject matter experts.
Introduction: Initiate introductory meetings with key stakeholders to introduce yourself, understand their roles and expectations, and establish rapport.
Communication: Maintain open lines of communication with stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle, keeping them informed of progress, risks, and decisions.
Reviewing Project Documentation
Project documentation serves as the blueprint for project execution, providing valuable insights into project scope, objectives, timelines, and deliverables. Here's how to approach the review process effectively:
Gather Documentation: Collect all relevant project documents, including project charters, scope statements, work breakdown structures, schedules, and budgets.
Thorough Examination: Carefully review each document to gain a holistic understanding of the project's goals, constraints, and requirements.
Identify Gaps: Identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the documentation that may require clarification or further investigation.
Initial Meetings with Project Teams
Your project team members are invaluable resources who will play pivotal roles in project success. Conducting initial meetings with the project teams allows you to establish rapport, clarify roles and responsibilities, and align on project objectives:
Introductions: Introduce yourself to the project team members and provide an overview of your background and experience.
Clarify Expectations: Clarify project objectives, expectations, and deliverables with the team members to ensure everyone is aligned.
Encourage Collaboration: Foster an environment of open communication and collaboration, encouraging team members to share insights, concerns, and ideas.
Understanding Project Status
To effectively manage projects, you must have a clear understanding of their current status, progress, and any potential challenges. Here's how to gain insight into project status:
Meetings with Project Leads: Schedule meetings with project leads or key team members to discuss project status, milestones, and progress.
Review Progress Reports: Analyze progress reports, status updates, and performance metrics to gauge project health and identify any areas of concern.
Identify Risks: Identify potential risks or issues that may impact project timelines or deliverables and develop mitigation strategies accordingly.
Building Rapport with Team Members
Team members are the backbone of any project, and establishing rapport with them is crucial for fostering collaboration and productivity:
Open Communication: Encourage open communication channels where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and feedback.
Active Listening: Practice active listening during team meetings and interactions, demonstrating empathy and understanding towards team members' perspectives.
Recognition and Appreciation: Recognize and appreciate the contributions of team members, fostering a positive work environment and boosting morale.
One-on-One Relationships
One-on-One meetings provide an opportunity for personalized interaction with team members, allowing you to address individual concerns, provide guidance, and offer support:
Purpose: Clearly define the purpose of the one-on-one meetings, whether it's to provide feedback, discuss career goals, or address specific challenges.
Active Engagement: Actively engage in meaningful dialogue with team members, asking open-ended questions and encouraging them to share their thoughts and concerns.
Actionable Takeaways: Ensure that each one-on-one meeting results in actionable takeaways and next steps to address any issues or concerns raised.
Developing a Communication Plan
A well-defined communication plan is essential for ensuring that project stakeholders remain informed, engaged, and aligned throughout the project lifecycle:
Stakeholder Identification: Identify all project stakeholders, including team members, sponsors, clients, and external partners.
Communication Channels: Determine the most effective communication channels for reaching each stakeholder group, whether it's through email, meetings, or project management software.
Frequency and Format: Establish the frequency and format of communication for each stakeholder group, ensuring that they receive timely updates and relevant information.
Conducting a Gap Analysis
A gap analysis is a systematic approach to identifying discrepancies between the current state and desired state of a project. Here's how to conduct a gap analysis effectively:
Define Objectives: Clearly define the objectives of the gap analysis, such as identifying areas for improvement or aligning project outcomes with organizational goals.
Assess Current State: Evaluate the current state of the project, considering factors such as project scope, budget, schedule, and team dynamics.
Identify Discrepancies: Identify any gaps or discrepancies between the current state and desired state of the project, highlighting areas that require attention or improvement.
Addressing Immediate Challenges
In the fast-paced world of project management, addressing immediate challenges promptly is crucial for maintaining project momentum and mitigating risks:
Identify Priority Challenges: Identify and prioritize immediate challenges that could impact project delivery, stakeholder satisfaction, or team morale.
Develop Action Plans: Develop action plans to address each identified challenge, outlining specific steps, responsibilities, and timelines for resolution.
Implement Solutions: Implement solutions and strategies to overcome immediate challenges, leveraging resources and expertise within the project team and organization.
Setting Short-Term Goals
Setting short-term goals provides a roadmap for achieving incremental progress and driving project success:
Define Clear Objectives: Define clear and achievable short-term goals for the project, focusing on key deliverables, milestones, and performance metrics.
Break Down Goals: Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks and activities, making them more actionable and attainable.
Monitor Progress: Monitor progress towards short-term goals regularly, tracking key performance indicators and adjusting strategies as needed to stay on track.
About the Author
Lori Schoenhard is the Founder and Principal of Athena Project Consulting, LLC.
Lori possess two decades of IT leadership expertise, building and leading Project Management Offices (PMO), managing complex global enterprise programs across cross-functional teams, spearheading change management initiatives, and providing coaching to program and project managers. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, SaaS companies, digital agencies, and SMBs to deliver impactful results.
Lori holds several project management and industry certifications: PMP, CSM, CSPO, SAFe, ITIL. Lori holds a Masters Degree from Boston University in Computer Information Systems and IT Project Management.
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