The Mindset of the Best Project Managers
Adriana Girdler, CET, PMP
Helping project managers and accidental PMs successfully achieve project goals with an efficient, practical, non-chaotic system | Award-winning Project Manager | Workout & Guitar Enthusiast
Cultivating a Winning Mindset To Build Project Success
Ever wonder what sets the best project managers apart from the rest? Is it their ability to juggle a million tasks at once or their never-ending secret stash of coffee? Nope! It’s all about their mindset.
In all my years running projects and teaching scores of students how to successfully run projects I’ve seen firsthand that mindset is what truly makes the difference. The good news is, I have some actionable tips to share on what you can start doing today to cultivate a winning mindset as a project manager.
Tip #1 – Lead projects with confidence
The best PMs are extremely confident. But how do you project confidence when you’re new to an organization, or even new to project management in general?
·??????? Lean into your strengths and practice on any areas of weakness.
·??????? Put effort into being super organized before executing anything.
·??????? Gather data to help make decisions to avoid second guessing yourself.
·??????? When things go sideways, look for the silver lining.
Tip #2 – Stay curious
The best PMs approach their role with curiosity and a growth mindset. Here’s how you can too:
·??????? Seek feedback from trusted sources to help you learn and grow.
·??????? Don’t dwell on your mistakes – learn from them and move on.
·??????? Look at everything through a lens of continuous improvement.
More tips for project managers to cultivate a winning mindset
There are a few more tips I want to share for how you can develop the kind of mindset that will help you succeed as a PM. Be sure to check out this video I made that does a deep dive on the topic.
Meanwhile, if you really are committed to mastering your next project, do consider taking my SLAY Project Management online course. I show you step-by-step how to successfully manage a project, plus you get access to every template you will need, along with detailed video instructions on how to fill them out.
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management?
P.S. Check out what one of my students said recently about SLAY:
“Highly recommend this course no matter what position you hold. It gives you knowledge you can't get anywhere else and it's worth your time.!” MA
Senior Project Manager | Delivering Complex, High-Impact Projects On Time & Under Budget | Expert in Process Improvement, Cost Optimization, & Operational Efficiency | Strategic Leadership & Results-Driven Innovation
4 天前Absolutely agree—mindset is the foundation for project success! The right mindset not only drives results but also inspires teams to excel. I’m excited to hear your actionable tips—always looking for ways to improve and grow. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Content Writer | Digital Products | PM Career Strategist
5 天前Adriana Girdler, CET, PMP mindset is key. For me, the perfect mindset for a project manager is solution-oriented and adaptable. Focus on clear communication, empowering your team, and anticipating challenges. Embrace setbacks as opportunities, prioritize the goal over the ego, and lead with resilience, empathy, and accountability.