During my first semester as a project manager, I developed a better understanding of what a project manager does and how to become a successful in such a role. Through my experiences, I developed a series of tips on how to become an effective project manager:



1. Don’t procrastinate: I think the number one tip to become a successful project manager is do not procrastinate! You will be surprised how quickly time flies.

2. When stressed, ask for help: Each member of our team is blessed with unique gifts, and I will be the first one to admit that I do not possess all of those qualities. It has been great to see how everyone has played a unique part in this team, lending a hand to one another.

3. Write down all of your ideas: There have been so many times that I have thought of ideas, but forgotten them before I had the chance to write them down. With so many things going on, take time to scribe your ideas on paper or on a computer so you have them for future use.

4. Don’t discredit any ideas, for even the most obscure ideas could be useful: During our meetings, one of the most important things that Bonni, our advisor, stressed was not to shut down any ideas, no matter how unconventional they may seem. This has been such an important rule for our team because through some of those obscure ideas or statements, we have come up with some great ideas for our projects.

5. Make goals for yourself, and try to keep on track with those goals: This tip is also very important, because it is easy to look at a list of things that you need to accomplish, and suddenly become overwhelmed. It is important to make a schedule of when particular goals need to be accomplished, and stick to it.