Top Project Management Myths

Project management has been an integral part of various company operations because it maximizes efficiency. That is accomplished by an appropriate allocation of resources, strategic planning and, most importantly, optimizing tools that are being used. 

The results of project management techniques have been very impressive because major cost savings have been achieved and the deadline has been met much sooner. 

“Some educational institutions have adopted this line of work and created a curriculum that teaches students how to manage projects efficiently. Education for achieving success is important and project management is a great way of enhancing that success even more.” said by Jonh, who are working at custom essay writting and best paper writing service reviews .

As with everything, there are some myths though that have surrounded project management, what are they? Here are the top project management myths – debunked.

Multitasking is beneficial

Often, project managers take on more than one task and try to handle all of them once. Sometimes it works but it isn’t ideal for the majority of projects and can be a recipe for disaster. It’s true that if you’re a project manager for one particular company, they may encourage you to take on more workload to try and cut costs. 

That can lead to catastrophic results of missed deadlines and a bunch of other productivity problems. Neuroscientists have proved that multitasking can be burdensome for the brain and exponentially hinder the performance of an employee. 

To avoid that, reject project offers that may be thrown your way while you are in the middle of another one. Respectfully relay the position you are in and offer a realistic timeframe you might be available. 

For project managers that are direct employees of one company, asking employers for additional hands on the project could lessen the workload. Not delegating certain tasks can lead to major problems that could affect the output of the work you are doing.

The customer is always right

There is a saying that says the customer is always right and unfortunately, project managers have fallen for that trap. You should indeed value the input of the customers but not throughout the entire project management processes. 

The customer should trust you to implement the best methods for the project and not constantly worry about the techniques you use going sideways. 

Remember that customers don’t always know what they want, even though they may have the best interests at heart for the project. Also, customers don’t have adequate experience and background in project management, which might drive the entire operation to its knees. 

With that being said, don’t fear respectfully voicing your opinions and suggestions that could benefit the project to a greater extent. Essentially, customers aren’t always right regarding project management and may need a gentle push in the right direction for the success of their operation.

Working long hours is beneficial

When Henry Ford cut down the hours employees should work to 8 hours a day back then, some thought he was crazy to do so. 

As time unfolded, it proved to be quite the opposite because his business grew at an impressive scale despite that drastic change. That showed a lot of employers that they also need to reconsider long hours to get more work done efficiently. 

Project managers can follow this example by allowing their human resources to get some time to themselves and rest. That applies even in times of crisis, trying to increase working hours will only lead to more absent employees and slacking productivity. 

Working extended hours can even cause health problems for employees, which, in turn, can cost the project more than its budget. Before ordering your human resources to stay up late to try and resolve an issue, consider asking them to brainstorm possible solutions overnight.

Remote workers hinder performance 

A global workforce is something that is gradually gaining momentum and the results have been great up until now. Some project managers, though, still don’t like the idea and are skeptical about exercising this option. 

They say remote workers hinder the overall performance and productivity of the workforce, but those are unfounded rumors. It is true that there are certain tasks you can’t delegate to remote workers but some can and have a better success rate. 

For example, digital projects like creating a new software system could definitely use the input of experienced workers in other states or countries. Also, administrative tasks can be handled by virtual private assistants and boost the project to greater heights. 

Shirliy blogging, web development are some of the popular areas where companies have either been hiring through freelancing platforms or maintaining remote workers. The results speak for the success of freelancers and remote workers. There is a lot of interesting information, which you can check here assignment help australia, assignment writing service, good essay writing services

In actual fact, remote workers have better productivity because they don’t feel caged in their office all day. That extra productivity could be all the project needs to complete it quicker and more cost-effectively.

Project managers must have certification

Another myth about project management is that managers must have certification to conduct their tasks. That isn’t entirely true because there are self-taught skills that are learned on the job under the supervision of experienced project managers. 

Certification can improve the credibility of a project manager, but it is not something they must compulsory have. Some very successful project managers started off winging it at their workplace and were then entrusted with more critical operations. 

The truth is, experience and industry knowledge are the most important of all factors to rate a project manager. You should consider having a certificate to help you attract more customers, especially if you’re a private company or individual that’s aspiring to be a project manager. 

Courses can help you gain more insight into the ins and outs of the industry and project managers might learn something new and beneficial but it isn’t mandatory.

Time is the most important factor

When a project gets assigned to you, there is a specific timeframe that the customer or yourself may set to get it done. That can be a great metric of the progress of the project and can indicate timelines when you are encountering problems. 

Time can also impact the payment you get as there may be penalties for late delivery but it shouldn’t be at the top of the list of your concerns. 

Bear in mind that there may be project planning related difficulties you may encounter that can derail the goals you have set for the project. Apart from that, unforeseen circumstances you have no control over can overtake you and put the project behind schedule. 

When you do the project in a rushed timeframe due to the time lost to those problems, you cannot predict that it can impact the quality of the work. To avoid this devastating aftermath, communicate transparently of any problems you or your team may encounter in real-time.

A lot of meetings will ensure the success of the project

Meetings can have a great impact on productivity because they can motivate the team and get them going but they aren’t always the answer. Arranging meetings can also help bring across a more personal message about the importance of meeting the deadline and other items. 

That is true, but consider the cost of motivating the team and stressing important points or highlighting those problems on the horizon. Believing that meetings will solve all the problems of a project is one of the greatest myths this industry has come to know. 

The results of having one too many meetings could be simply that when employees are attending to them, they leave their workspaces unattended. Instead of making meetings you one and only hope, delegate the task of motivating the team to supervisors and other leaders of smaller teams. 

Alternatively, use emails and text messaging or arrange a meeting once or twice a month and cover all those points in it.

The bottom line

Project management can be a complex line of work and that can be exacerbated by these myths outlined here. Avoid trying to overburden yourself by multitasking but instead, delegate tasks to other team members. 

Try to keep meetings to a minimum and avoid making your employees work longer hours because that leads to catastrophic results. Also, remember that time alone is not the most important factor, so ensure that the quality of the work is your number one priority. Also, as a project manager, don’t shy away from the concept of using remote workers to chip into the workflow. If you are interested in writing some dissertations, you can check it here essay paper, best essay writing service, essay writer for you.