The field of Project management is a dynamic, demanding one. Whether you are overseeing a small and dedicated team or are in charge of a huge multinational, being able to adapt, plan and communicate controls your success. Our list of 100 essential tips has been reimagined and expanded offering a comprehensive blueprint for the modern project manager. It has been augmented with modern practices, powerful statistics and actionable examples to further aid in the more effective, efficient and successful delivery of projects.
Project initiation and definition (the “why,” “what,” and “who”)
The tone of the initial phase is set for everything that follows. It is not just helpful to have clarity of objectives, scope and stakeholder alignment, it is foundational.
Defining success and purpose
Starting a project means it is necessary to define its direction, purpose and any measures of achievement before any work commences.
1. Outline the SMART goals at the start of every project. SMART means: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. This should be the base of any plan.
2. Know what you want to achieve with every project. Each task and decision should link back to this core objective. A project where there is no defined, clear destination is unlikely to follow the correct path.
3. Define project success criteria. You should define business goals that are measurable and clear. Examples include achieving certain measures of customer satisfaction, reaching a pre-specified revenue or sales volume, and having goals to increase market share by a set date and to a specified amount.
4. Gather all of the materials you need. This includes a draft budget, a draft schedule and a Statement of Work (SOW), these will help to move the status of the project forward from a basic idea to a formal guarantee.
5. Prioritise projects. It isn’t possible to manage ten P1 (Priority 1) projects at once. Methods like MoSCoW (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have) or Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) can help you to objectively rank and then manage your portfolio.
Real-World example and statistics
A study carried out by the Project Management Institute (PMI) found that one of the primary causes of project failure is poorly defined business requirements, this was cited by 37% of project managers. A significant government IT initiative was infamously disrupted because “the project success criteria” was defined rather vaguely as “modernising the public facing website.” In contrast, a successful project defined success as “reducing average call centre volume by 25% within 12 months by enabling 80% of current transactions to be completed online.” The necessary requirement was driven by the measurable goal.
Understanding the environment
It is rare for success to be the result of the efforts of just one individual; it depends on understanding both internal and external forces that are at play and gaining executive support.
6. Maintaining a good relationship with the owners of the project is critical to success. (Sponsor/Executive) Their support makes certain that resources are available, and any roadblocks are removed.
7. Ensure that stakeholders not only believe in the project budget, but that they believe in the goal and the benefits that will be realised by achieving that goal. Budget buy-in is financial whilst benefit buy-in is strategic and emotional.
8. Think about all of the outside forces that could have an impact on your project. This includes both negative and positive impacts. Think about using a PESTLE analysis (Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental) which will help you capture macro-level risks.
Scope, schedule and budget control (the triple constraint)
Managing the triple constraint – scope, time and cost – is a Project Managers core responsibility. Being able to master this needs rigour, discipline and the ability to be flexible.
Managing scope and requirements
When it comes to project delivery, uncontrolled change is the biggest threat. Having stringent controls and realistic expectations can help to protect the budget and schedule.
9. Set realistic expectations to avoid project delays. There are many project managers who are guilty of setting up their team for failure through the imposition of over ambitious deadlines.
10. Deal with scope creep. One of the most complex issues that project managers need to deal with is scope creep. A formal Change Control Process should be implemented. Document any change, analyse its impact on both cost and time, and obtain formal sign-off before implementing.
11. Handle change requests by establishing clear expectations. This is particularly important when dealing with those clients who are challenging.
Planning, estimating and buffers
In order for there to be accurate estimation it is necessary to shift from calendar thinking and use effort thinking instead. It is also important to recognise that there is inherent uncertainty in projects.
12. Do not estimate based on calendar time. Estimate based on effort. “Two weeks” is calendar time. “80 man-hours of dedicated development effort” is a professional estimate.
13. Use estimation tools and techniques. Techniques such as Three-Point Estimating (Optimistic, Pessimistic, Most Likely) or Planning Poker (Agile) offer statistical consistency to your figures.
14. Record estimates and how you derived them. When an estimate is shown to be wrong, this allows for effective analysis of the root cause.
15. Decompose tasks. It can be rather difficult to work efficiently when you have a huge to-do list. Every project needs to be broken down into smaller segments that are more achievable, use a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for this.
16. Plan contingency buffers. These are vital when addressing known unknowns that are identified in the risk register. Contingency needs to be part of the project budget, typically 5-15% in the case of IT projects.
Statistic and deep dive – what’s the cost of inaccurate estimates?
According to Gartner, under 20% of IT projects are finished on time and to budget. A significant factor is optimism bias. It is important to estimate based on effort. If a task is expected to take 40 hours of focused work, but the resource is only 50% dedicated to the project because they have to deal with meetings and support, then the duration will, in fact, be two weeks (10 calendar days), and not one week. It is important to make a distinction between Effort (time spent working) and Duration (calendar time elapsed).
17. Create a reverse to-do list for your projects. When working to a deadline a month or more away, it can help to start from the delivery date and then work backwards. This forms the basis of Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling.
Risk, quality and governance (the “what if”)
If you want to prevent minor issues from turning into catastrophic failures than a proactive approach to risk and a commitment to quality standards is needed.
Risk management
Effective Project Managers are strategists who are proactive rather than reactive fire.
18. Stop having a reactive mindset. You need a preventative approach. Do not wait for problems to occur; be ready for them.
19. Make sure your risk management plan is discussed with your team on a continual basis. Over time risks change; an initial risk can become a non-issue, but there is also a chance that new threats might emerge. Make this a re-occurring agenda item.
20. Plan to do rework after a quality control activity. Rework should not be considered a failure; it is an expected aspect of achieving quality. Allow time for testing, inspection and any resulting fixes (particularly in software development).
21. Have an escalation strategy. Ensuring that you have clarity on who needs to be informed, when (the trigger point), and how they should be informed is essential when it comes to crises.
Security and standards
22. Define product release criteria. These are those non-negotiable checks that need to be passed before the final deliverable can be handed over. (e.g., “All major bugs are resolved,” “Performance tests pass 100 users/second,” etc.).
23. Make sure everyone is aware of the steps they need to take to secure the project. The last thing you need is for your project to be derailed due to a data breach. Security is a project risk and should be managed.
24. Always update the software you use to the latest version. This is essential for reasons of security and for allowing access to the latest features and bug fixes.
25. Build training time into your schedule. New systems, new skills, or new software, these can often require dedicated time for your team to get used to. This minimises “shadow work” and also quality issues.
Real-World example
When it comes to infrastructure projects, risk planning involves the identification of single points of failure. For example, on a major bridge construction project, “Delay due to unexpected material shortage” was identified as a risk. The preventative approach (Tip 18) was to ensure that early-delivery contracts were signed with two different primary steel producers, each of which was located on a separate continent. This mitigation strategy prevented a delay of several months during a global supply chain crunch, and the initial extra cost was justified.
Stakeholder and communication management (the “who” and “how”)
Communication is the single most important aspect of a project; it should be strategic, transparent and focused on building trust.
Strategic communication
The primary job of the project manager is to connect information and people. You cannot over-communicate, but you can communicate ineffectively.
26. Make a stakeholder management plan. Identify your stakeholders, analyse stakeholders influence, and interest, and then determine the best communication method and frequency for every group.
27. Have a communication plan. Define what, why, when, how and to whom for every recurring project update.
28. Communicate more than you think is required. Over-communicate is better than not communicating enough. A team that is informed is empowered.
29. Communicate delays as soon as possible. Some project managers attempt to keep delays secret, hoping that the team will catch up. However, this can lead to things ending up more out of hand. Transparency builds trust.
30. Be transparent. If you are caught lying or have failed to disclose important information, not only will your team lose faith in you but so too will your stakeholders.
31. Be honest when things go wrong. Hiding problems is likely to magnify them. Own any issues, describe the impact and suggest a recovery plan.
Listening and filtering
Great communicators are those who listen more than they speak and focus on delivering clarity, rather than clutter.
32. Listen first. Don’t just listen for the sake of waiting for an opportunity to speak. You need to truly listen to what people are saying. Active listening can help to uncover hidden risks and assumptions that are unstated.
33. Filter information that is trivial or irrelevant. Your role is to shield the team from any unnecessary noise whilst ensuring that stakeholders receive important updates.
34. Always be specific. This helps avoid confusion and stops assumptions being made. Use actionable metrics rather than vague statements like “speed up” or “improve quality.”
35. Track project status honestly and openly. Utilise visible dashboards or Kanban boards that show the true status, even for bad news.
36. Maintain accurate records and files. Documentation makes sure there is continuity, particularly when there is a change in team members.
Team leadership and motivation (the “how to lead”)
Project leadership is all about serving the team, removing barriers and nurturing a high-trust environment where people are able to thrive.
Empowerment and delegation
A project manager is a conductor and facilitator they do not work alone. Success is defined by the success of your team, not the individual.
37. Learn how to delegate tasks efficiently. One of the biggest mistakes made by project managers is spreading themselves too thin. Delegation based on competence and capacity is essential.
38. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of every team member. This will allow you to delegate more effectively, managing your team to greater success.
39. Leverage the collective strength of your team. Provide opportunities for cross-functional collaboration allowing experts can fill knowledge gaps.
40. Empower other people on your team to fix problems themselves. Give others the authority and resources to allow them to solve challenges within a defined scope.
41. Offer help to your team members on a frequent basis – not just when they need it. This shows you are a people person and cultivates good faith within the workplace.
42. Treat all team members equally. As a project manager you cannot have favourites, fairness and equity are essential for good team morale.
Statistic and deep dive – the power of autonomy
A study on team dynamics in the Harvard Business Review discovered that high-performing teams often mention ownership and a sense of autonomy are key factor in their success. When team members feel that they are trusted and capable of solving problems (Tips 40, 41), engagement actually increases. This is something that is reinforced by a Gallup study that found that when a team is highly engaged there can be as much as 21% greater profitability.
Culture, morale and feedback
43. Encourage collaboration within your team. Promote unity through the use of collaboration tools, joint problem-solving sessions and shared document platforms.
44. Build a culture of innovation and sharing to build a strong team. Allow team members time and space to explore unique solutions.
45. Show gratitude. Feedback shouldn’t be negative only. It is important to show your appreciation and give positive feedback as well. There is a universally accepted “magic ratio” for feedback of 5:1 (five positive comments for every one critical correction).
46. Hold one-on-one project feedback sessions. These should offer safe spaces where discussions on personal performance, roadblocks and professional goals can be undertaken. These should be separate to task-level updates.
47. Encourage regular breaks. Regular breaks should be encouraged for everyone in order to ensure optimal working efficiency. Studies show that productivity drops significantly following 90 minutes of focused work when there is no pause.
48. Stay positive. If there is a negative vibe, it can rub off on team members. As project manager your attitude will set the emotional climate for the project.
49. Develop emotional intelligence. It is important to understand how people on your team function and also interact with one another. This allows you to tailor your approach so you can achieve the best from your team members.
50. Respect other cultures when managing remote teams. More and more project managers are in a position where they need to handle remote teams. It is important when doing so to respect their culture and way of life.
Process efficiency and tools (the mechanics of delivery)
Standardisation, historical data and well-utilised tools can help not only to reduce friction but also to save significant time across projects.
Standardisation and leverage
51. Create standardised templates for your methods, processes and systems. This ensures that time is not wasted whilst also assisting in the avoidance of mistakes.
52. Use historical information. If a previous project has had similar issues, you can use this to ensure the same mistakes are not repeated. This is the principle of organisational process assets.
53. Create a schedule template for your clients. This assists in the management of external expectations and helps streamline the initial project planning phase.
54. Use resource calendars. Knowing when team members are on holiday, attending training course, or committed to other projects is vital for realistic scheduling.
55. Having project management software is only useful if people know how to use it effectively, otherwise it is just another task to complete. Invest in training for team members and set up mandatory usage standards.
56. Stay up to date with the latest technology. Technology has dramatically changed project management. You should stay up to date with all the latest technology if you want to be effective in your role.
Time management and focus
57. Use a responsive to-do list. Flexibility is essential, particularly if you are working to a deadline that is a couple of months away. Responsive tools (such as Agile backlogs) can be helpful.
58. Make the most of time management software to keep your team organised. Tools such as Trello, Asana, or Microsoft Project can offer transparency and help to centralise activities.
59. Set up calendar reminders for milestones. Do not just rely on status reports; use automated reminders to help keep your team focused on any key delivery dates.
60. Know what everyone is doing. You shouldn’t micromanage; however, it is important to maintain a high-level view of any tasks and associated progress to spot dependencies and hold-ups.
Meeting and collaboration hygiene (daily grind excellence)
The biggest time sinks are often meetings and daily interactions. Optimise these routines so that you can create time for actual work.
Meeting effectiveness
61. Start every meeting with a goal, especially the project kick-off meeting. If there is no clear, stated, objective, for your meeting then cancel it.
62. Only invite team members to meetings who are impacted by what is being discussed. Unnecessary meetings waste so much time so make sure you are respecting the time of your team members.
63. Remove distractions. This means turning social media and email notifications off and encouraging focus in meetings and periods of deep work.
64. Don’t schedule yourself at 100 per cent. If you work for nine hours, it is not possible to work for every minute of that time so do not fill your schedule completely. Build a 10-20% buffer into your own individual daily schedule.
65. Don’t attempt multi-tasking. Working on a single task exclusively is a more efficient use of time.
Collaboration and standards
66. Communicate as you collaborate. Some project managers assume that communication and collaboration are the same thing, this is a mistake. They are different; however, they do go hand-in-hand. You need to ensure that you diary regular check-ins with your team and choose the right method of communicating with them.
67. When dealing with remote teams, you need to make sure you have a plan in place for dealing with the time difference. This must include those people leaving updates for those in different time zones to collect when they start work. If a video call is needed ensure you alternate who is going to need to stay late as a result of time differences.
68. Always explain why the due date for a task is the due date. This helps each team member feel accountable for those tasks they are responsible for.
69. You should only count tasks as complete when they are 100 per cent complete. All too often we give ourselves partial credit for tasks that we have begun but not yet finished. This is “90% complete” syndrome and best avoided.
70. Establish Key Performance Indicators. These are metrics that assist you in determining the progress of your project (e.g., Earned Value, Schedule Variance, Defect Density).
Continuous improvement and self-development (the learning PM)
The best Project Managers are those who recognise that every challenge can be a lesson and that self-awareness is key when it comes to growth.
Learning from failure and success
71. Review and learn from every project. Conduct a session of formal ‘lessons learned’ (a retrospective) at the end of the project.
72. Turn every mistake into a learning opportunity. The goal is to process improvement, rather than punishment.
73. When assessing project failure, remember that it never just comes down to one thing. The correct way to approach analysis is not to look for the single root cause of project failure. Instead use the “5 Whys” technique to take a close look at the superficial issue.
74. Avoid playing the blame game. This does not help anyone, rather than looking for someone to blame, consider ways you can ensure the same mistakes are not repeated in the future.
75. Don’t be scared to fail. If you are, you may never succeed. When it comes to innovation calculated risk-taking is necessary.
76. Challenge ideas. This is the only way to help your team improve, a good PM encourages constructive debate.
Self-Awareness and growth
77. Never stop learning. Project management training courses are not exclusively for beginners; they are also for seasoned professionals. Maintain your certification whilst exploring new methodologies (Agile, Lean, Hybrid).
78. Learn from other project managers. The Internet allows project managers to connect and share tips with other. Use this to your advantage and look out for project management themed blogs as well.
79. Understand your own role first. You cannot delegate effectively if you do not understand your own role in the first place.
80. Learn to accept criticism and become more self-aware. Seek 360-degree feedback from superiors, peers and subordinates.
81. There is no room for egos in any project. Not only is it important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team, but also your own strengths and weaknesses.
82. Work on your interpersonal skills. 80% of the role of a project manager is communication and negotiation.
Mindset and action
83. Take time to reflect on the project and its over-riding purpose. Reconnect with the why, this helps maintain motivation during difficult project phases.
84. Don’t take anything for granted. You should be prepared for anything and assume that nothing is stable.
85. Don’t lose your cool or overact. Projects can be challenging, however losing your patience is unlikely to solve anything. It is important to maintain professional composure.
86. Whenever someone makes a suggestion, you need to ask follow-up questions. Clarify any assumptions.
87. Respect every opinion as if it were your own. It is important to value any diversity of thought.
88. Pull ideas from everyone on the team, no matter their role. Remember that good ideas come from everywhere, and the best ideas often come from the most unexpected source.
89. Think outside of the box. It is important to encourage problem-solving that is creative.
90. Make every step clear to your employees. When something goes wrong, it is all too often because people do not know what is expected or how they should go about it.
91. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you are unsure why senior management has done something, ask them. The answers may surprise you.
92. Sort out any problems at the earliest opportunity. The longer it takes to discover a defect the more it costs to fix it.
93. Create accountability for yourself. This should include tracking your own progress and sharing any progress you make towards goals with the rest of the project team.
94. Stop having a reactive mindset. Use a preventative approach in order to anticipate issues.
95. Know what everyone is doing. This will help you to identify bottlenecks.
96. Communicate as you collaborate. This will ensure that you have seamless teamwork in place.
97. Make sure you keep detailed project notes to share, this is useful for transparency.
98. Speak to your team regularly in order to gauge their morale and the status of the project.
99. Read project management quotes to inspire yourself.
100. Create a feedback loop so that team members can see the impact of their work.
The journey towards project management mastery is paved with plenty of intentional action, clear communication and, of course, continuous self-improvement. When you adopt these 100 principles, which have been organised into a strategic blueprint, you will be able to transform your approach from one of reactive task management to that of proactive strategic leadership.
