11. The End of the Road

We come now to the end of this particular road, and I truly hope that you’re able to see the light at the end of the project management tunnel now. When you’re new to this game it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the amount of information out there and it’s hard to figure out where to start. Throughout this book I’ve preached a basic concept: the quickest way to improve your project management efficiency is to focus on the mechanics of project management. Mastering these foundational processes will absolutely improve your skills and your confidence, resulting in increased effectiveness as a project manager. This does take some focused effort on your part but the return on your time is immediately realized. People are often confused about what it is that makes project management so hard. It’s not the actual work of planning a project, for instance; it’s the soft skills needed to get all of your stakeholders on the same page that’s hard. Once you’ve figured out these foundational processes and how to do them, you’ll have more time to devote to leading your team and managing your stakeholders.