What mistakes are you making when evaluating your project leadership?

1 Mistake #1: Not seeking feedback

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a project leader is to assume that you know how well you are doing without asking for feedback from others. Feedback is essential for learning, growing, and adapting to changing situations. It can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as a project leader. However, many project leaders are reluctant to seek feedback, either because they fear criticism, lack trust, or have a fixed mindset. To overcome this mistake, you need to cultivate a feedback culture in your project team and organization, where feedback is seen as a gift, not a threat. You also need to seek feedback from multiple sources, such as your peers, sponsors, customers, and team members, and use different methods, such as surveys, interviews, or observations.

3 Mistake #3: Not reflecting

A third mistake you can make as a project leader is to evaluate your project leadership only at the end of the project or not at all. This can prevent you from capturing valuable lessons learned, applying them to future projects, and celebrating your achievements. It can also limit your ability to respond to feedback, adjust your actions, and improve your performance. To avoid this mistake, you need to reflect on your project leadership regularly and systematically. You can use a simple model, such as the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, to guide your reflection process. You can also use tools, such as journals, logs, or portfolios, to document your reflections and track your progress.

4 Mistake #4: Not acting

The final mistake you can make as a project leader is to evaluate your project leadership without taking any action to improve it. This can waste your time and effort, and undermine your credibility and trust. It can also hinder your professional development and career advancement. To avoid this mistake, you need to act on your evaluation results and feedback, and implement a personal development plan. You can use a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) framework to set your development goals and actions. You can also use resources, such as mentors, coaches, courses, or books, to support your development journey.

Evaluating your project leadership is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires commitment, courage, and curiosity. By avoiding these four mistakes, you can enhance your project leadership skills, deliver better outcomes, and achieve your career aspirations.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?