Why, as project managers, do we think that what worked on our last project will work on our current one? If the definition of a project revolves around it being unique, why do we try to standardize our approach so much? Checklists, templates, a PMO mantra of “this is how you should do project management” isn’t necessarily well received, especially during the early stages of product development.
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When people think of spring cleaning, they usually think about cleaning their house from top to bottom and clearing out clutter, but spring cleaning can also refer to cleaning up your finances.

I’m talking about cleaning up your company’s finances. Maybe you’ve been ignoring the books lately because business has been busy since the first quarter, but Q1 is up and it’s time to take a look at the results and figure out where to go from here.
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Perhaps one of the most important abilities a good project manager has is being able communicate effectively. Project managers need to know when to communicate, when not to communicate, and how to do it effectively. Having good communication skills means knowing the the right format – should I email this person, call her, or schedule a meeting in person?
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1. Communication. Clearly communicate what you do and for who. Otherwise known as your pitch, getting really clear on WHAT you are offering and WHO it offers value to is vital. Learning how to articulate what you do helps other people hire you. Take time to develop your ‘elevator pitch’ make sure you can explain in under a minute how what you do is of value to the people you do it for. Practice your pitch until it flows, until you sound clear and confident.
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Small business owners, if you’re not engaging your customers through social media and taking the time to learn the best social media marketing tactics, it's time to start! People use the Internet to meet their future spouses, apply for jobs, research different subjects, and evaluate and compare different products and services. If you're not using social media to your advantage, you're missing a valuable opportunity to engage with current and potential customers.
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Back in the age when the Romans ruled much of the world, there was a special place, located in what we now collectively call the Middle East, where three major roads met: the road leading northwest to Europe, the road leading south to Africa, and the road leading east to Asia. At the meeting place of these three roads was, so the story goes, a giant pole, upon which passers-by would post messages to other passers-by, in the hope and expectation that the private messages would be delivered to their destinations and that the public notices would be read and acted upon.
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Project managers are often mystified by the amount of “paperwork” that the average project requires. Even if handled on computer without a single sheet of actual paper being touched, there seems to be an inordinate amount of writing standing between a project manager and the perceived reality of actually doing things. The temptation is great to bypass all of this bureaucratic writing, or at least put it off to the end of the project, but such thoughts are very dangerous.
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A balanced life is what each of us wants to achieve. Unfortunately, it is something that may seem so hard to achieve with piles of crazy schedules, work commitments, relationship problems, and financial situations we're facing today. But don't fret: having a balanced life is definitely a long-term, attainable goal.
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New entrepreneurs might feel overwhelmed by online jargon. Learning about SEO, ComLuv, Wordpress and a whole host of new concepts seems too much to handle for a green newbie to the online world. Take a deep breath. Any veteran entrepreneur knows the feeling well.
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