Shout About Your Projects The Easy Way
As project managers, we often struggle to get our projects noticed in a large organisation, particularly if they are on track and without problems. This can be really frustrating if you are passionate about your projects, and can also lead to a lack of perceived value, making it difficult to ask for extra funding or man hours.
So in the current stripped back climate where everyone has more on their plate at work than ever, how do you make sure the successful projects are given the spotlight, rather than the projects with problems getting all the attention?
Taking a tip from Public Relations professionals and thinking about the prelaunch buzz is a really good way to get your colleagues behind you. As soon as you are assigned a project, make it your number one task to tell people about it so that as many people know in advance before you even start working on it. Use both official and unofficial channel of communication, to reach your colleagues in different ways. Do the usual things like sending emails outlining the project, but also use any social opportunities to chat more casually about the project and get people interested. If you do the groundwork before the project, then once you start working on it people will already be interested.
Another useful trick is to get the important people in your organisation to back the project. Those in your team or division will already be aware of the project and be supportive of it, but is always worth getting the big players from other departments behind the project as they are always able to use their influence on others/ If you get key figures in the business interested then they are likely to spread the word and will also be instrumental in getting support or resources further down the line, if necessary.
Last on the tips list is an oldie but a goodie: make sure you communicate. Whether it’s by sending out reports or holding informal meetings, make sure you are keeping as many people as are relevant up to date with the projects progress, success and any other news: particularly the important people.
project management software can be a good way of keeoing colleagues in the loop and if you choose one with a bug tracker this makes it even easier
As project managers, we often struggle to get our projects noticed in a large organisation, particularly if they are on track and without problems. This can be really frustrating if you are passionate about your projects, and can also lead to a lack of perceived value, making it difficult to ask for extra funding or man hours.
So in the current stripped back climate where everyone has more on their plate at work than ever, how do you make sure the successful projects are given the spotlight, rather than the projects with problems getting all the attention?
Taking a tip from Public Relations professionals and thinking about the prelaunch buzz is a really good way to get your colleagues behind you. As soon as you are assigned a project, make it your number one task to tell people about it so that as many people know in advance before you even start working on it. Use both official and unofficial channel of communication, to reach your colleagues in different ways. Do the usual things like sending emails outlining the project, but also use any social opportunities to chat more casually about the project and get people interested. If you do the groundwork before the project, then once you start working on it people will already be interested.
Another useful trick is to get the important people in your organisation to back the project. Those in your team or division will already be aware of the project and be supportive of it, but is always worth getting the big players from other departments behind the project as they are always able to use their influence on others/ If you get key figures in the business interested then they are likely to spread the word and will also be instrumental in getting support or resources further down the line, if necessary.
Last on the tips list is an oldie but a goodie: make sure you communicate. Whether it’s by sending out reports or holding informal meetings, make sure you are keeping as many people as are relevant up to date with the projects progress, success and any other news: particularly the important people.
project management software can be a good way of keeoing colleagues in the loop and if you choose one with a bug tracker this makes it even easier