Being a Project Manager: 4 Lessons
Hey you! Welcome to the month of July! Can you believe we are already in the second half of 2020? Whew! It’s been such a year!
If you are on my mailing list (if you are not, I wonder why) or you follow me on Instagram, you must have seen my emails or posts talking about a project I took on. It’s been an exciting one and I have learned lessons from this project. It’s only right that I share these with you so you can learn a thing or two. But first, a backstory.
In May 2020, I got a DM on Instagram from a vendor I have been patronizing for a while asking that I refer an email marketing expert and videographer. Easy peasy. I immediately reached out to Chinedu — my plug for human resources. He always knows someone or someone who knows someone. The first part of this request later changed from email marketing alone to a project/course manager and, wait for it, a request that I handle these myself. I thought about it and asked for the job description. Whew! When I saw what my proposed roles will be, I blanked out. It looked like a lot.
Now, this wasn't because I didn’t know what to do. I did. She wanted me to co-ordinate an online course that she was teaching. Meaning, I wouldn’t only interface with her but her students as well. It also meant the smooth running of this course was largely dependent on me. All that responsibility! I had never done anything like this before so I panicked. I kept telling myself things like “I don’t want to mess this up for her”. During our conversations, I always reminded her that I had never done it before. I don’t know why but I just lacked the confidence. She, on the other hand, was sure I could handle it. I think her confidence gave me confidence.
To top it all off, shortly before I was to begin in June, I lost someone very dear to me (2nd person this year after losing someone extremely dear in March). So add that to the fear of taking up a new project and guess what I did? I almost passed this on to someone.
I had already reached out to the lady I was going to engage as a Project Manager and even told my client about her. But I wasn’t satisfied with something she did and because it was my name on the line, I decided at the last minute to manage it myself. Guess what? I am not doing badly AT ALL. There have been no complaints. Instead, I have gotten compliments (and prayers) from my client and her students. With this project, I am gradually expanding my portfolio and bank of experience. So my first lesson is Stay Open to Challenges.
The second lesson is No Skill is a Waste. I know we have heard and read this a lot but it is true. Late last year, I resigned from my 9–5 with the intention of getting another job. I know HR professionals and coaches say you shouldn’t leave a job without another on the table or a backup but I really couldn’t help it. I was also sure I’ll get another almost immediately. However, that didn’t happen for months (something I am now grateful for) and that left me with so much time on my hands. What did I do with that time? I was on Google and YouTube reading and watching all manner of things that interested me. I also started learning to create and edit pictures, audio and video content.
Remember I said I was asked to refer a videographer? Well, we didn’t go ahead with a videographer. Why? We decided to shoot and edit ourselves and if we didn’t like the outcome, engage a videographer I had already booked. But we didn’t need to engage one! (Dear videographer, if I reached out to you and didn’t go ahead, I am sorry but I took your money.) My video editing skill made me earn more than I could have on this project.
So I had finally accepted to handle this project myself. What next? I drew up and sent a plan to my client and attached my bill. Did I get paid what I asked for? No. So why did I accept the job? It’s simple. As I already said above, this project is an Online Course. Most people who teach online courses do not teach one and close shop. Depending on the success of the maiden edition, there are usually requests for a repeat of that course or a follow-up to the course. I saw an opportunity for growth. I decided, even before presenting my bill to my client, that firstly, I wouldn’t go below a certain fee and secondly, I will make her fall in love with me so that she will either request for my services for the next course or refer me to someone looking for similar services.
Will this work? I strongly believe it will. But it’s not cast in stone so what if it doesn’t happen the way I have imagined? It’s fine. I lose nothing. But you know what? Conversations have already started around a second course. (Oh let me add that if you are in the healthy food and drink business and looking to scale or plan to start one, you should follow Mowee’s Juice Bar on Instagram. Let me go a step further and link one of her posts so you can read some testimonials — in the carousel and the comments section — from those in the class here.) So what’s lesson 3? Build relationships. The money will come in.
The fourth lesson is very important and really is why I can write this post. No matter what you do, deliver great service all the time. This is closely related to my third lesson because this is how you build relationships. Great service delivery is what will make your client retain your services and/or refer you to others. I devoted so much time to this project and it is paying off! I have no regrets at all.
Execute all projects like they are yours. My lingo when working on any project is typically “we” and “our” instead of “you” and “your” because I make myself a part of that team/project. Put your best foot forward. You do not know who is watching. But most importantly, do it for your own fulfilment.
And that’s it! I hope you have learned a thing or 2 and will apply to your next project.
Stay safe, everyone!
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