Project Management Mistakes to Avoid

For more than a decade, Kara Down of Naples, FL, has worked in the financial services industry as a project and change manager. The principal consultant for NTT Data in Naples, FL, Kara Down has extensive experience in increasing productivity among her teams and meeting regulatory mandates.

Below are several common project management mistakes to avoid:

Not setting goals immediately
At the beginning of every project, managers should meet with their entire project team and make sure members fully understand their responsibilities and roles. This kickoff meeting is also a great time for managers to set expectations and goals for their team. By doing so, managers help their team become more self-sufficient.

Not communicating enough
Good communication between the client and team is essential for good project management. Not only does it keep project managers more engaged with their team, it keeps clients in the loop. Since communication is so important, managers should promote open communication among their team members and set out simple communication strategies.

Incorrectly assessing risks
Every project faces potential risks capable of increasing project costs or delaying completion. Ignoring or underestimating these risks is extremely dangerous to a project plan. However, so is overestimating these risks. Project managers must be careful how they assess and prepare for risks to ensure they create an accurate project schedule.