In the previous post, we discussed how project managers could prioritise, delegate, and communicate effectively to add value to their projects. This post will concentrate on the primary ways in which project managers can add value to projects and impact organisations, which are as follows:

• Putting the customer first
• Putting together a fantastic team
• Relationship and communication development
• Project management
• Removing impediments

Putting the customer first

Customers are always an essential aspect of any business’s success. In the field of project management, this is not an exception. In project management, “customer” refers to a person or organisation that defines the project’s requirements and establishes essential guidelines such as budget and deadlines. Customers in projects can be internal or external. Project team members, resource managers, and other organisational departments are all examples of internal customers or stakeholders. External customers include clients, contractors, suppliers, and consumers who do not work for your company.

A successful project must meet the customer’s expectations. To meet the customer’s expectations, you must first understand their expectations. A successful project revolves around the customer. Building relationships with customers and ensuring the customer is heard and satisfied with the outcome can add value to a project.

Asking the customer questions

Let’s talk about how to focus on the customer in a project. First, sit down with the customer and inquire about the problem they are attempting to solve. You could ask if they have a specific vision of the final result they want to be delivered. Customers will sometimes rely on project managers to solve their problems. It is your responsibility to ask questions such as:

• What is the issue you want us to assist you with? Example response: The customer wants assistance in developing a new process that will make their company more efficient.
• How is the issue affecting your company? Response example: The customer claims they are losing customers due to their current inefficient processes, as orders are sometimes delivered late.
• What prompted you to seek assistance now? Response example: The customer claims they will lose department funding if they do not improve efficiency.
• What are your expectations for the project’s outcome? Example response: The customer states that their ultimate goal is to increase order filling speed without sacrificing quality. 

Investing time in understanding the “why” behind the project can help a project manager better support and understand the customer. The better you know the customer’s goals, the more likely you will produce what the customer wants.

Putting together a fantastic team

The team is a project’s most valuable asset. A successful project manager understands this and takes the time to learn about each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. They add value to the project by identifying the best team for the job and empowering the team to succeed and make decisions.

When putting together a great team, you must consider both the skills required for the project and the resources available. Understanding the customer’s needs helps shape the skills needed for your team. For example, let’s assume you are working on a project that requires aviation expertise and hires people who do not have an aviation background; no matter how hard they work, they will not be able to complete the project.

As a project manager, you should hire people with the necessary skills and ensure that everyone on the team understands that they are valued, trusted, and appreciated. You can show how much you value the team by allowing them to contribute and ask questions and by responding to their needs as soon as possible.

Relationship and communication development

Customer satisfaction and team building are two ways that you, as a project manager, can add value to a project. Both of these abilities are based on relationships and communication. Project managers who take the time to build relationships, communicate, and treat others with consideration and respect add the most value.

Project managers can set the tone for their teams and build relationships with stakeholders. Taking the time to check in with your team daily to see how they’re doing and ask if they need anything can go a long way toward making them feel valued and heard.

When forming teams, each member is typically assigned specific project tasks. The person in charge of that task transfers that portion of the project to the next person. Your team members may not always see the big picture or how their actions affect others in a project.

A successful project manager recognises and communicates the effects of each process within the project ensuring that everyone involved understands their task and overall goal for the finished product. For example, suppose a graphic designer working on marketing materials for your project does not understand the customer’s overall goal of appealing to educators. In that case, they may not fully capture the campaign’s vision. By assisting team members in comprehending the big picture, they will be able to tailor their tasks to meet the requirements of the project’s end goal.

Managing a project can be stressful, but if you take the time to build relationships and keep lines of communication open, you will increase the chances of the project’s success and the satisfaction of the customer and your team members.

Project management

When you ask why something is done a certain way, you may get the response, “Because we’ve always done it this way.” When a project manager breaks down barriers, allows their team to innovate new ways of doing things, and empowers them to share ideas, they add value to the project. As a project manager, you must set a good example of creativity and collaboration and encourage your team to do the same.

Removing impediments

How can you break down project barriers? You can support your team as they try new approaches to solving problems, and you can advocate for more resources for your team. If your team has difficulty receiving an answer from another organisation, you can contact the organisation directly to keep the team on track and schedule.

Key takeaway

You’ve now learned about how project managers can add value to projects and impact organisations. By putting the customer first, building a great project team, fostering relationships and communication, managing the project, and breaking down barriers, you can overcome obstacles and find solutions to success.