You’re a power engineer with a big project to manage. How do you balance technical and management skills?

1 Know your project scope

One of the first steps in any project is to define the scope clearly and realistically. This means you have to understand the goals, requirements, deliverables, and constraints of your project, as well as the expectations and needs of your clients and users. You also have to identify the risks, assumptions, and dependencies that may affect your project. Knowing your project scope will help you plan your technical activities, allocate your resources, and communicate your progress and changes effectively.

3 Lead and collaborate with your team

As a project manager, you have to lead and collaborate with your team of power engineers and other professionals. This means you have to define the roles and responsibilities of each team member, assign the tasks and deadlines, monitor the performance and quality, and provide feedback and support. You also have to foster a positive and productive team culture, where you encourage communication, cooperation, innovation, and learning. You should also leverage the diverse skills, experiences, and perspectives of your team members, and acknowledge their contributions and achievements.

4 Manage your budget and schedule

As a project manager, you also have to manage your budget and schedule effectively. This means you have to estimate the costs and time required for your technical activities, and track them throughout the project lifecycle. You also have to control the variations and deviations from your planned budget and schedule, and mitigate the impact of any changes or issues. You should also report your financial and temporal status regularly, and justify any adjustments or requests.

5 Engage with your stakeholders

As a project manager, you also have to engage with your stakeholders, who are the people or groups that have an interest or influence in your project. These may include your clients, users, sponsors, suppliers, regulators, and community. You should identify your key stakeholders, and understand their expectations, needs, and concerns. You should also communicate with them clearly, frequently, and respectfully, and involve them in your project decisions and feedback. You should also manage their expectations and satisfaction, and deliver value to them.

6 Learn and improve continuously

As a power engineer and a project manager, you should always seek to learn and improve your technical and management skills. This means you should reflect on your project performance, outcomes, and lessons learned, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You should also seek feedback from your team, stakeholders, and peers, and use it to improve your future projects. You should also keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in power engineering and project management, and pursue professional development opportunities.