Project Management: Time Management Issues

The larger the project, the longer it is going to take to do and it usually means there are more people involved as well. So not only do you have to manage your time, but you have to manage theirs as well.  Given the problems associated with working with other people, this can have a major impact on the timeline and budget. All you need is for one of the "Team" members to do a little less today than they should have been able to do, and you will have delays further down the line.

To give you an example - take any kind of production line. If the worker at the beginning of the job decides to miss something off the assembly or wastes time or walks off the job - the finished product will be a) delayed and b) faulty. So as a project manager it is essential to find the right people for your particular production line.

• Does everyone want to be involved?
• Are they enthusiastic or there because someone told them they should be?
• Are they helpful or disruptive?
• Are they a team player or should they be off manning a lighthouse somewhere?

So how can you ensure your project moves forward in the way that it should - apart from doing the work yourself, or making sure the people you hire to help, do help rather than hinder.

One of the best ways is to ensure people are accountable for their actions. Regular team meetings. What's done, what needs to be done? Where are the hold ups? Peer pressure can work when nothing else will. As well as having realistic milestones.