I started in Project Management about ten years ago by accident. I had no idea what Project Management was and needed a job to start my career in Public Health. I graduated with my Undergraduate Degree in Public Health and just knew I would work in a Health Department and be an aspiring Health Director. Month after month of job applications going out and hearing nothing back, I started to get discouraged. I had amazing professors at my undergraduate institution, and I reached out to one of my favorites. She put me in contact with a friend of hers who had an opening at a large nonprofit for a Program Coordinator. I walked in, nervous as hell to be interviewed for this part-time 20-hour-a-week role. The woman I interviewed with(who has gone on to be one of my favorite people and Mentors) hired me on the spot, on my birthday no less, and the rest has been history!
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My role was grant-funded; now, if you're unfamiliar with the healthcare nonprofit world, most health education and community programs are funded by a foundation, state, or federal grant. This was a Local Foundation grant that required time in a specific city. I needed to meet the expectations listed within the grant and plan a path to achieving those expectations. A grant is never a sure thing. Most only last a year and may not be up for renewal. I was lucky to have that grant for a few years, in different forms, because it taught me a lot.
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My time at that non profit was split in two, the second act was funded by two grants, the original plus another, that really dove into project management. The stakes were higher, literally and metaphorically; I was working with executive leadership and high-level volunteers. As my first step in project management, it was a playground of knowledge. Looking back, I'm so grateful for the experience I gained and the people I met. With that reflection comes lessons learned; I am a Project Manager, after all. Here are some of the things I've learned over time that I wish I had known about going into my shiny new role.
1. Stakeholder Management is KING 👑
You may read the PMBOK(Project Management Book of Knowledge) and other Project Management Study Material, and they will likely gloss over Stakeholder Management, especially in the 6th edition when I took the exam. You'll spend the bulk of your time doing this, and you won't even realize it. One of the perks I've found in PMing is that I can manage people without managing people. The PM role is typically an individual contributor role that doesn't have staff under them. You get to manage people's work, but you don't have to worry so much about their day-to-day administrative tasks like timesheets, computer issues, and forgotten passwords. To me, it's the best of both worlds. However, you can't miss the fact that projects are completed by PEOPLE. Those people are your stakeholders, if they aren't feeling you or the project they won't prioritize it, and give it necessary effort. Understanding your stakeholders, their level of desired or required involvement, and what motivates them is extremely important. If your stakeholders don't feel safe coming to you to give you an update, whether positive or negative, you'll struggle with every day of that project.
2. Project Management Tracking/Tools
It's crazy, but I don't think I even used a spreadsheet when I started as a coordinator. I believe I tracked everything in the meeting notes in the action items section at the bottom. Not for nothing; I got stuff done, but I didn't have many examples or information about how to gather requirements and keep them visible. Every company you go to will track projects differently. Bigger companies may use Microsoft Project Management or other time-tracking software; others may use Monday, Asana, or my favorite, ClickUp. Some may use Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, and honestly, if your project is simple, I would prefer that method. Having a document to anchor your action item is critical for your stakeholders to keep an eye on progress and know what's required of them. It should provide a clearer picture than meeting notes, which are probably lengthy. You do not want your project team combing through notes when then could search their names/tasks and get exactly what they're looking.
3. Project Management Documentation
Now, this one is interesting because the thought around documentation has evolved since my start in Project Management. I was raised on the Waterfall/Predictive Method, which says you must map out all the required tasks in chronological order. However, over time and with the evolution of industries, the Agile Mindset/Scrum practice has become more mainstream. The Agile/Scrum way of working values communication and agility over heavy documentation. Personally, I think there's a middle ground. I've found that leadership likes the Waterfall view and documentation while those executing the project like the Scrum two weeks at a time view. Most call it hybrid. There are certain documents, regardless of your style, that I believe are important, Scope Document, Change Management Plan, Risk Management, and the Work Breakdown System (aka the Project Plan - like I said, every company is different). I'll explain why they are most important to me in another blog soon.
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This list isn't exhaustive, but the top of the top things I wish I knew as a young Coordinator looking to bring order to projects. I hope this helps give you an idea of ways you can show up confidently in your role as a Coordinator. Your role is important to the over all project team and understand these three things early in the game can help bring clarity to value you bring and your team will see it too!
Supporting template: Simplified Project Folder (ClickUp Template)