How To Achieve Quality Execution as a Project Manager?

Execution phase is usually the longest phase of a project. It is in this phase that all your planning, as a PM, comes to fruition.

This is the phase where you take a backseat and let your team work their magic. Your job is to predict, mitigate and avoid any roadblocks that hinder your project's progress.

At the same time, you now become the face of your project more than ever. You're accountable for your project's success or failure and communicating with your stakeholders. You have the steering wheel to maneuver your team through the best path forward. It is a simple, yet complicated two-way reliance between you and your team.?

Although the crux of your project, people management alone does not always mean a successful project. Pair the people management with process management & communication management and voila! You have all the star ingredients for a perfect recipe!

A quality execution, for me, is defined as a threefold outcome.

• Project is completed on Time, within Budget and Scope.
• Team Morale is maintained.
• You have happy, satisfied stakeholders.?

Now, How to achieve quality execution as a PM?

I follow a 6 step approach which I like to call the “PERFECT” way.

1. Promote Visibility and Collaborate with your team: Create an environment where your team can openly share ideas and queries. Regular stand-ups & status meetings with your team will take you a long way. Pay attention to what they say even if you don't understand.

?2. Empower your team to make decisions and when they stumble, stand by them. Rely on them and don’t forget to recognize their contributions.

?3. Review your Deliverables to ensure you’ve met all customer expectations. Check your work, Document approvals and deviations along the way.

?4. Foster that strong trust with your stakeholders – OVER Communicate, be candid but be smart with your customer. Work closely with them and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Give regular updates to all your stakeholders and keep everyone in the loop.

?5. Control the scope – keep away the nasty scope creep but continue monetizing on adaptable changes.

?6. Utilize Tools & Processes – Using the right tools for communication and processes increases efficiency, collaboration, enables you to track progress and reduces the number of meetings.

There will always be curveballs that hinder a smooth project execution - a project with no challenge is no fun but I hope that this recommended framework helps you in leading the way and making an impact.