In my introductory article last week, I stated that I did not think project management could really be all that difficult. Well, now that I’ve begun to take my first steps on the road to becoming a project management expert, I think I might’ve jumped the gun – just a little bit – when I said that. Baby steps, but I guess you have to start somewhere.

After sitting back and assessing the exercise, I realize that the first step for me, and any other project manager who is just beginning, should be to figure out what is project management – and what it means to be a project manager. Where do I begin? How much structure will I need? How much is too much? What will I do when something goes wrong? And the list goes on. It’s not until you put yourself into the project management shoes that you realize in order to be a successful project manager, you will certainly have to work at it. Some people will take to project management like a duck takes to water, but I’m going to guess that is the exception and not the rule. You can’t expect to pick up a basketball and instantly be the next Michael Jordan, so why would project management be any different? Being a good project manager is something you have to work at and learn. Experience will be the real key, but I will need a strong foundation to start with.

There are several approaches that can teach you the principles of project management, from long (boring) textbooks to training courses that are often expensive and time consuming. I don’t have this luxury. Remember, as an “accidental” project manager, one does not usually have the time or the budget to get formal training. I need to get up to speed, and I need to do it quickly. There is an eBook available which I think is an incredibly useful resource for PMBA’s. The neat thing about this particular guide is that it describes the typical stages of a project, and the different aspects that may be involved in each step, in a simple and practical way. The best part is that the guide doesn’t give you a strict “one-size-fits-all” approach to project management. The process described in the guide is a high-level approach that can be adapted to fit any project and leadership style.

Next time I will share my thoughts on the project management approach outlined in the eBook, and tell you what I’ve learned and what I think are the major takeaways. You can find this guide to Collaborative Project Management here. You should definitely check it out for yourself, and be sure to let me know what you think.