10 Dilbert Cartoons that Get Project Management Just Right

• Project managers with a PMP certification tend to outperform those who don’t have one• In order to pass the exam, project managers must

sometimes take project management courses, in addition to understanding processes and vocabulary• But don’t hold these good processes above the people

you’re working with- use real-time communication and simplified reporting so you don’t have to hold meetings constantly

• “Resource allocation” can often refer to people in addition to non-human assets• Don’t put numbers and deadlines above your team

members’ desires or capabilities- they’re people, not just resources

• For many companies, risk management software adds safety to your project• Even the best systems can’t function without the

cognitive skills of a human working on the project, so make sure the data you input matches reality

• The Project Management Institute has found that poor communication is at the heart of most project failures• Invest in project management software to address these

issues- 52% of project managers say communication was “significantly improved” after implementing PM software• Consider using tools like Asana, Wrike, and Trello to

optimize communication

• No team member wants to walk for a know-it-all• Don’t be like Ratbert and ignore the skills of the people

you’re working with- use your team’s individualized and specialized skills to their best advantage• Don’t distrust your team members to do any critical

thinking

• Don’t be afraid to share the purpose or scope of your project just because you’re afraid someone will sabotage it• Transparency is the key to trust, and teams that trust

their leaders outperform those that don’t, every time

• Project managers often complain about having to chase down individuals for simple status updates• On the other hand, it’s up to project managers to keep

themselves informed- checking status reports should be part of a project manager’s daily routine

• Project managers often get frustrated and attribute problems to a team member’s difficult personality• In this comic strip, that may be the case- but in real life

there are many variables to consider• Cultivate your workplace personality to best fit with

project management, and try to get real-time feedback from teammates

• Unfortunately, dependencies are the greatest downfall to the Waterfall method of project management• Going Agile, particularly for software projects, is one

way of addressing this issue- as well as realistic deadlines and properly matched tasks with skills

• Listen when your team is trying to communicate with you• If you’ve built a reputation for poorly receiving

information and status updates, you’ve set yourself up for poor team management

Originally written by Rachel Burger, the full post can be found here