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If you are working with outside vendors, keep them accountable by having them provide a schedule to you based on your desired due date.

“If I’m working with a particular supplier, I want that I want them to develop a schedule, and then tell me where they feel like they’ve
fallen off their plan, and show me using their schedule,” Glen said.
Communicate with your team
As a project manager, you typically aren’t doing the hands-on work yourself. You’re relying on a team of internal and external people to
get the job done.

Keeping an open line of communication and developing a high degree of emotional intelligence is important.

“At the end of every meeting, I like to ask what kind of help is needed,” Glen said. “I go around the room and say, no, literally I need you to
tell me, do you need any help? What is it? And if you have something, bring it up,” he said.

This practice develops a culture where open and honest communication is at the forefront.

The more your team feels comfortable sharing challenges and asking for resources, the quicker you can identify new risks and help solve them.

Tony agreed. “You’ve got to have a great team, and you’ve got to create that. People don’t just always fall into excellence. Every day,
you’ve got to manifest that. And that’s why there are project managers that can do that, and there are project managers that can’t, and
they just manage the schedule.”
If you can manage a schedule, you’ll be a good project manager. If you can manage people effectively, you’ll be a great project manager.

“You have to care about the project. Number one, you care about the customer,” Glen said. “And then literally care about the people that
are working within the construct of this project. And it’s not always easy to do because there’s lots of stuff that comes up. You realize
that people are people. They’re human.”

Communicate with your client
As the project progresses, it’s also important to communicate regularly
with your client.

“Depending on the project, you could have a standard check-in with the
client and/or stakeholders,” said Tony.

For large projects, Tony’s meeting schedule looks something like this:

● Daily scrum meeting
● Weekly team meeting
● Weekly client meeting
● Monthly executive meeting

Tony’s learned that honest and regular client communication is best.
“With the client, what I’ve learned is you talk to them frequently with an honest status—whether it’s good or bad—and let them know.
If there’s something wrong, what are you doing about it? Don’t let there be any surprises, or them find out another way. It’s got to come
from you,” he said.
Glen said that sometimes, a client won’t be as concerned about an issue as you expect. In fact, they can often help you navigate hurdles
that come up.

“Sometimes your customers can help you solve problems too so that when you’re open and honest with that, they can help you. And
then there are times where you can help them in solving some of their problems,” he said.

“Everything is a relationship. You hope this is something that is not a one-time thing. You want to try and establish long-term
relationships with not only your team but your customers.”

Sometimes client communication is related to change management if something comes up that impacts your project scope.

If you have a good relationship with the client, these conversations are easier. You can work with the client to confirm why the price is
increasing or why the timeline is extending.
Tony likes to add an extra 20 hours to the poject at the very beginning that are dedicated to change management in the contract. Then,
if the funds aren’t needed, they are refunded to the client.

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