9 Signs that Project Management is Your True Calling

Do you love what your do? Or do you do it to make a living doing what you love.
For many years, I was part of the second group. Selling toothpaste, dog food, or pharmaceuticals is something that I don’t feel passionate about. It was a job. It allowed me to live comfortably, so I could enjoy my leisure time after work and pay for my lifestyle. I enjoyed what I did, and I was skilled at it. But I wasn’t passionate about it.
Now, I love to write! I can do it anywhere! I meet the most amazing people. I am constantly learning new things and often find my fingers dancing on the keyboard long after the sun has set. I am sad when I have to close the computer for the night.
What about you? Do you set a goal to get through each day? Do you feel like you can just get through the day? Congratulations if you can identify with any of these traits! You’ve found your calling as a project manager.
1) You are a detail-oriented person who loves to get down to the details but can also rise above them.
You are comfortable inviting the devil to your party, even though he may be in the details. You enjoy understanding every detail and laying the foundation for your project. You aren’t afraid to get the buy-in of key players. It is no problem to ensure that everyone on your team understands their roles and the scope of the project. You enjoy tracking your projects and creating metrics to measure success. You enjoy setting goals and seeing them achieve their goals. You are a stickler for budget targets and make sure that every industry regulation is met. You will feel happier if you have more graphs and charts. You create your project with actionable data and enjoy crossing off each box on your list. Knowing that every successful element is bringing you closer to a rewarding project result will help you.
You also know when to delegate or coordinate these details to other members of your team. You are the conductor of this orchestra. You can’t focus all your attention on the sheet music for the flute solo.
2) You are a master communicator.
Communication is an essential part of any project. You are a natural communicator who can keep everyone informed, create a communication plan, stick to it, and alleviate fears and frustrations. Project management is best for people who communicate clearly and with an honest voice. If you make status reports second nature and give everyone all the information they need to make decisions, no one will be surprised or feel that their efforts have been wasted.
3) Don’t over-plan without complicating.
We all know that nothing goes according to plan. Even if everything goes according to plan, it’s rare that a project is completed on time and within budget. If you can see and anticipate problems, and have plans in place to fix them, you will be able to cover your team when the stars don’t align. This could mean that you need to create additional documentation for stakeholders in order to plan for unexpected events. You don’t want people to be overwhelmed by unnecessary paperwork. You’ve reached the sweet spot in project management preparedness when you can provide just enough protection without being too generous.
4) You enjoy building a team that is uniquely qualified to achieve your project’s goals.
You are responsible for assembling a team that will achieve your project goals. You have the ability to evaluate each person’s capabilities and place them in the best position for success. You must create an environment that fosters trust and encourages sharing. You must be constantly reviewing how you communicate so that you don’t slip up.