9 habits of happy project managers

 I know. This one is a no-brainer, and quite a cliché. I mean, who shouldn’t eat healthy? Everyone knows how important it is to eat right to say fit and active. But happy managers make it a reality. Healthy diet is an indispensable part of their routine. It’s because unlike team members who are usually confined within their cubicles all day long, project managers are often walking from one section of office to another. They have to answer and interact with a lot of people too, which can be quite exhausting. So, they make sure to eat right in order to stay fuelled throughout the day.

 Slow and steady wins the race. Remember the classic tale of the tortoise and the hare? The story perfectly exemplifies that slow work is actually fast. Happy managers are able to get things right without a lot of repetitions or rework, because they work slowly but steadily. What is the point of being hasty and doing things hurriedly only to realize how many errors are made in the process? You may have to redo everything, which will probably waste more time than you were trying to save by being fast. Happy and efficient managers may take longer to plan and implement, but when they are done, there would be few things (if any) that would need to be corrected later.

Has it ever happened with you that you were writing an e-mail, talking to someone over the phone, and also eating your meal; all at the same time? Welcome to the world of chaos. Happy project manages try to avoid mental chaos even if they are buried under countless deadlines. They try and do one thing at a time. This is not to say that they don’t care, or that they just become laid-back. Instead of trying to do everything simultaneously — they sort things on the basis of priority. They work with ‘first things first’ approach. It makes them quick in their doings which enables them to do more in less time. That’s why there is always precision in their work.

Happy managers know it does not take long before a presentation turns into a boring lecture. Not even the chairperson of a company likes listening to same old redundant talk repeated over and over. A good project manager will try to wrap-up the entire presentation within minimum power-point slides. They also try not to take too much of time to convey the idea. Besides, a short and precise presentation has better chances of getting approved by the boss, when compared with a lengthy one.

Let’s recall the old adage that says, ‘you have two ears and only one mouth; so you should listen twice as much as you speak’. Happy managers are automatically efficient because they listen before they speak. They know that it is hard to solve a problem unless the problem is fully understood. So, they have to be exceptionally good listeners. Good managers don’t just act silent. They pay attention to what is being said. They don’t just hear, they process information, ask questions, and then repeat it in their own words to be double sure that they got it right. It makes the person feel that he was actually heard. Once all the parties have spoken, that’s when the manager starts pouring suggestions and ideas.

 Why did it happen? Who did it? This shouldn’t have happened. We can think about the past all day long. But let’s be practical, is it going to benefit anyone? What’s done is done. There is no undoing it. The only wise thing is to learn from the past and get to work, so the same mistake doesn’t get repeated. Happy managers never let an unfortunate past affect their present and eventually the future of the project. They live in the present keeping in mind the lessons from the past, and the future destination where they have to be. Their entire focus is always in the present. Because, they know that if they take care of the present, the future will automatically be taken care of.

In the words of Helen Keller — ‘Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much’. How many ideas can one person come up with? And, how many ideas can you think of when you combine the creativity of an entire team? A lot! And, it can do wonders if done the right way. Happy managers are always pooling ideas by bringing out the creative side in everyone. Most of us don’t realize what we are capable of and how many great ideas we have buried deep in our mind. Good managers try to make everyone discover that hidden potential. They enjoy when people come together and brainstorm ideas, and think of new ways to do things in far more interesting and fun ways.

 Happy project managers respect everyone’s viewpoints even if they are in disagreement with it. Instead of judging others, they try and walk in others’ shoes. This quality allows them to make everybody come to the terms with a common arrangement. That is why they are able to get things done without making others feel belittled, which makes them great leaders, apart from being amazing leaders.

If you want something, start giving it! This is a universal law. If you want respect, start respecting others. If you want trust, start trusting others. The same way, if you want happiness, start giving it. Although, I know that it is practically impossible to please everyone around you. But, good managers do whatever they can to make a difference. A smile at someone or a compliment can really make someone’s day. Happy managers never hesitate in pointing out the good in others. That’s why they are easily able to earn everyone’s respect and love.