Chime R.

Costello
PMG 320 | Final

PART ONE
Over the course of the last few weeks, I have developed a much greater understanding of project

management as a whole. There are several aspects of project management that are key and have

been consistent throughout all of the modules, including the need to have a project structure, a

thorough communication plan, documentation, clear and objective expectations and goals, risk

management, and finalization. Some of the other elements that I think are crucial, based on our

readings and what really resonated with me, are the importance of all of the stakeholders, the

importance of understanding the organizational culture and hierarchy, and change management.

Additionally, it is enormously important to have the right project manager, who is able to

navigate all of the nuances and unexpected aspects of working through a project and balance the

needs of the project with the values and expectations of the stakeholders. At the same time, the

project manager needs to be a supportive, calm, and encouraging presence. Trust is one of the

most crucial components of project management, so truly being able to be in relationship with

everyone involved can mean the difference between the success and failure of a project. As an

extension of that, the team that is built to see a project through is everything. I shared my

thoughts about this in an earlier module, the team needs to be committed to not only their tasks

but to the project as a whole. This can be a really challenging balance to strike when there are

multiple priorities and dynamics.

There are two other truths that I think are vital to a project’s success - risk management and

change management. I wish that I had had a better understanding of both before I experienced

this last year. There is so much that I would have handled differently. Because of my experience,
I look at both from an organizational perspective, rather than just a project - even scope creep

and sunk cost traps, which seen from a human rather than task perspective bring so much into

focus for me. I think that as important as these two elements are, they are rarely prioritized when

working through a project. They are the realities within an organization that are most difficult to

quantify, to name. There are no easy metrics for the intangibles that bring so much value, or so

much baggage to a project.

One of my favorite tools that I learned about in the course, that I had never heard of, is the use of

the premortem method in project planning. This is very much how my brain works anyway, and I

think it really allows team members to work through so many of the challenges that they may be

presented with throughout the project. I love that this is also an opportunity for some of the

quieter or more reluctant team members to have a voice in the process. Even if this process leads

to additional tasks and expanding the scope of the project, having that information, in the

beginning, would be incredibly beneficial.

PART TWO
There is so much that I have learned in this course that I am still processing. Much of it I will

need the time and space to put into practice and apply as projects arise. I mentioned in my first

paper that this course was challenging the way I move through projects because so much of what

I do lives in my head. I can make sense of things and prioritize them and understand the tasks,

but it is difficult for me to share what that process looks like or to document it in a meaningful

way. Deepening my understanding of the crucial components of project management (that I

wrote about in part one of this paper) and evaluating how I can bring those elements into my

work, has been very important for me to work through. Aside from the more specific elements

that I’ll write about next, I think the most valuable learning for me has been to approach projects
holistically and to really work through all of the ways that different aspects of project

management should be integrated.

I’m always drawn to the most human elements of a thing. I loved the emphasis placed on

framing project management through a human lens – that fundamentally, for a project to

succeed, you need the commitment and skills of people. Within that, people need to feel seen,

heard, and valued. Regardless of the scope of a project, at its heart, people have to care about it.

We don’t live in a world where we prioritize collaboration and a holistic approach to things, so I

think it is difficult (near impossible for some) to look at work as it relates to the work of others.

That is key in project management. There is organizational culture, but there is also a very real

need to understand the whole. That is definitely something that I will know to focus my energy

on going forward, and an aspect of project management that I will communicate with others as

we attempt to move projects forward together.

Another important lesson that I’ve learned in this course is to really try to not just view a project,

or project management, through my own perspective. My ability to manage projects cannot just

be the sum of my strengths and weaknesses, my biases, and my experiences. I need to learn to be

more objective and discerning, more able to see myself as a steward of something that isn’t about

me.

My two biggest strengths in project management are my relational skills and my ability to think

strategically. I am a really strong advocate for my work and for advancing the projects that will

serve the organization in the best possible way. Thinking strategically allows me to be proactive

in ways that aren’t linear. It’s almost like I am always doing a premortem in my head for the

different projects and tasks that I am responsible for – what are the possible outcomes if I move
this way or that way, how and when will I pivot, what is the path of least resistance and does that

path make sense, what is my highest and best use in this moment?

That skill is so in my bones though, that (as I’ve mentioned before) it is very hard for me to

delegate or trust that I can lean on others when it comes to my work. That is something that I will

continue to work on. In addition to that, there are project management skills that I haven’t spent

time developing at all. One of those skills is documentation. I can clearly see how and why that

is so important, and I will work toward effectively documenting all of the project elements.

Other than a couple of specific projects, I have also never prioritized that final, closing stage of

managing a project. I am always onto the next thing, especially when other projects have been

put on hold to complete the project at hand.

Honestly, the work is relentless. This makes me wonder how effective leaders can be while also

managing projects. Is it possible to wear all of the hats? Does that introduce variables that are by

their very nature also scope creep? Is it fair to expect anyone to be in a role and simultaneously

act as a project manager? And if it isn’t fair, what is the solution? I know that larger companies

are in a position to have project managers on staff, but most businesses/organizations don’t have

the freedom or budget for that. So in addition to the other aspects of project management that

I’ve learned in this course, really looking at how to handle projects while also balancing other

priorities will very much be part of work.