| If you have been doing project management for a | | | | promise.Be on time. Show your self-discipline to |
| while, your confidence has probably gotten an | | | | yourself and others. It's a healthy habit that keeps |
| occasional shaking. And the resulting lack of | | | | you calm. Start on your way early and break the |
| confidence hurts you, but it also hurts your team | | | | habit of always trying to squeeze in "one more thing" |
| members who need you to be confident and not | | | | before leaving. It will be there when you get back |
| self-conscious. You're their leader after all, and they | | | | and aren't hurried.Be honest, even when it hurts. Stick |
| want you to have a strong plan, vision, self-esteem | | | | to the facts. Lying ends up being a bother and you |
| and the confidence to lead.Obsessing over our | | | | also can get caught, leaving you again with the |
| personal and organizational shortcomings traps us. We | | | | feeling of shame. Step up to the critical conversations |
| may think it is for our own good - to help us truly | | | | to say the things that are hard to tell.Cut the gossip. |
| learn from our past mistakes. But it can spiral | | | | If you have ever walked up to hear comments |
| downward into embarrassment and shame. And if | | | | made behind your back, you know that can be hard |
| you find this happening to you, the best advice is to | | | | to forgive and forget. Don't do it to others. It give |
| turn it around early. Take the lessons learned with | | | | you shame even if you aren't caught. Focus on |
| you, but shed the excess baggage of self-doubt. | | | | meaningful talk which will help you accomplish an |
| Sounds easy. But there certainly is not a quick fix. I | | | | aim.Fall on the sword early. If you have bad news to |
| have seen many project managers leave this | | | | tell, the receiver usually appreciates hearing it sooner |
| challenging career path for non-management jobs for | | | | (when they have time to help) rather than later.If the |
| this reason. The fix requires having a consecutive | | | | damage is already done and you find yourself in an |
| series of successful projects to eventually construct | | | | embarrassing situation, you can still maintain your |
| a pillar of success.Often it is an accumulation of | | | | confidence if you find a way to recover gracefully. |
| shame-inducing situations that results in the loss of | | | | Sometimes this takes real creativity, but there is |
| confidence. Maybe you have had a series of | | | | almost always a way.And finally, don't avoid the |
| death-march projects. Set yourself up for success by | | | | people you made a mishap in front of - avoidance will |
| getting all of these easy things down first, and then | | | | leave you feeling further ashamed. The shame will |
| you will be in a better place to handle the harder | | | | wear off with faster with quick re-exposure to the |
| project problems:Keep your word. It feels good to | | | | people involved. So seek these people back out and |
| be considered reliable. So be careful about what you | | | | re-open the communication.Successful Projects is a |
| commit to, but then take your commitment (even | | | | project management training company in La Crosse, |
| the really small ones) very seriously. A promise is a | | | | Wisconsin. |