The financial stability of any organization significantly depends on the project completed within the given budget and time. Therefore, the demand for certified project managers is always high who understand how to efficiently manage the quality and scope of the project, follow the budget limitations and ensure timely delivery. While a project manager may have many essential technical or hard skills to guide the entire team at multiple project phases, motivation makes an important element that is relatively less tangible.
Motivation encourages and inspires the project team to achieve their predetermined goals. It further creates an environment that promotes productive initiatives and teamwork to reach the ultimate goals and objectives. The element has a direct influence on the project involving multiple factors – time, budget, scope, project quality, and client expectations.
“Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you’re willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” —Lou Holtz
Make Your Way to Achievement Drive
Organizations looking forward to continuous productivity focus on effective team building. At times, you feel great having some energy drinks, while at the very other moment you will be facing a hard crash. In between, there is a team-building process for the achievement drive. In my viewpoint, it’s important to divide the teams and encourage a competitive spirit among team members. Next, you can focus on the goal-oriented task.
On concluding the project, you will be able to learn both positive outcomes and challenges. The key focus is to make them realize there is no ‘I’ in the Team. The achievement motivational factor is equally important for the project manager to lead the team more successfully. He should be able to understand what can be a motivation for an underpaid employee who has excellent marketing skills. However, money is not always a motivational factor.
In many situations, project managers should look beyond finances and figure out what motivates their employees. It can be appreciation, medical allowance, fuel grant, holiday, and more. This differs from one individual to another. Here are a few strategic achievement-driven elements you are more likely to consider:
- Determine how you will measure the pre-determined goals.
- Keep your observation realistic. If the project objectives are less practical, you may end up with unacceptable results. Make sure you are setting realistic expectations.
- Keep the goals using a timeline or deadline otherwise, it won’t create a sense of urgency. Make sure you have a set list of priorities.
Commitment Keeps the Progress Flow
Commitment to a project is what drives the project team to achieve the set goals and objectives. A project manager can develop commitment through motivational and supporting behavior. Building a project management commitment involves expectations, an open work environment, improvements, and risk-taking. A successful project manager understands the significance of commitment and promotes it among the team. It involves a comprehensive understanding of how everything fits the ultimate goal. Commitment doesn’t merely involve your skills to engage in the project but also your heart.
Run the Extra Mile
Many times, you need to look beyond set goals and come up with an initiative that can make a difference. Before you begin, you must know where you are starting from. What things require more improvement and can contribute to the organization’s success. Take out some time and shortlist your strategic and motivational initiatives that can have the most positive influence. Next, you will be focusing on setting objectives – make sure they are realistic, specific, and measurable. Consider your initiative approach in the long term instead of temporarily.
Many project managers are strictly confined to their routine responsibilities. Keep in mind running the extra mile will always keep you one step ahead. It can be one of many undertakings such as monitoring the project metrics. This helps you with greater and bigger efficiencies and train your team accordingly. On the other hand, an initiative on employees’ mental health or safety can provide them with a sense of wellbeing. They will be more likely to put up every effort when they feel more connected to the organization.
Stay Calm and Optimistic
One of the most important elements of emotional intelligence is to maintain a positive attitude even in challenging or difficult situations. If you panic or have a negative attitude, you will probably demotivate your team and affect your credibility. I recommend you to spend some quality time with optimistic people and you will soon find a change in your personality. This is particularly true when you work in a stressful situation or the project is just at stake. Take the challenge as an opportunity and expect significant growth. At the end of the day, staying optimistic will help you relieve stress and focus on the preset goals.
Wrapping Up
Well, if you have read this far you are more likely to understand the importance of motivational elements to keep yourself right on track and ensure project success. It’s important to focus on your soft skills along with the technical skills – keep your team motivated and committed, prepare the project plan and stick to it, identify any shortcomings, take risks and prepare yourself for a positive change. When it comes to high-level corporate skills such as stakeholder management, effective communication, conflict resolution, and more, keep the motivational spirit high and you will see award-winning success.
Further Readings
- Project Management | Top 8 Must-Have Social Skills
- Important Motivational Elements for Project Success
- Empathy: The Winning Skill in Project Management
- Project Management: Self-Learning Journey
- Self-Regulation: Foundation of Emotional Intelligence
