Project management books and articles typically talk about how a Project Manager can lead projects from initiation to closure, but rarely do they describe how to take over an existing project and what steps to take to ensure success. If you’re a Project Manager that has been hired into a new organization and assigned to take over a failing project, the last thing you want to do is panic because part of the reason they had faith in you is due to your potential to hopefully turn the project around and successfully deliver it.
Some of the main reasons why projects change Project Managers in mid-flight projects are because:
- the previous Project Manager moved to a different department, got promoted to a new role, or left the organization
- the current Project Manager is underperforming, and the project is suffering as a result
- a new Project Manager’s skillset may be better aligned with the demands of a project
Given such scenario, what are some of the things that a Project Manager can do to get themselves up to speed once they have taken over an existing project? Let us review them below.
Perform Your Research on the Project
Once assigned to an existing project, the Project Manager needs to perform their own research on the project by:
- going through all project documentation (if they exist)
- reviewing the project charter and scope documents
- analyzing project plans to see what tasks have been completed and what is remaining
- assessing the risk register and issues log
- analyzing stakeholders and the roles they play on the project
- reviewing the overall project timeline in relation to pending tasks
- evaluating the budget allocated to the project and the current run rate
- examining the resources assigned to work on the project tasks
Identify and Meet with the Primary Stakeholders on the Project
One of the first thing to do is to identify who are the primary stakeholders on the project. This could be obtained from existing project documentation such as the stakeholder register or simply by asking your new teammates. This would be followed up by scheduling a meeting with them to discuss answers to some of the questions the Project Manager documented following the conclusion of their project research.
In this meeting, the Project Manager needs to communicate the outstanding risks and issues they identified, and mitigation plans to address them. Findings from a root cause analysis can also be presented to ensure they are not repeated. The Project Manager will also discuss the next critical tasks that will be prioritized to salvage the project, and then relay a new meeting cadence so that all the required participants have no other conflicts preventing them from attending project meetings. All these measures will help establish clarity on the project and allow the Project Manager to start building relationships with the stakeholders, which consequently empowers them to effectively lead the project.
Conduct Daily Standup Meetings
Daily standup meetings help keep all project team members on the same page and provides a forum where any major risks and issues can be proactively identified and addressed appropriately before they bear any impact on the project. From a Project Manager’s perspective, it allows them to keep their finger on the pulse of the project so that unwanted surprises don’t spring up and derail the project. Teams that work fully remote can still do a virtual form of a standup by either having team members dial in from their phones or through online collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
Be Confident
As a Project Manager, your confidence should be based on knowing where your project management skills lie, and how you can use them to bring out the best in your own performance and those of your teammates. More importantly, it enables the stakeholders to see that you are in full control of the project and gives them trust that you are the right person to successfully get the job done. Be confident in your own abilities to deliver on a project and use all the resources at your disposal to ensure you do everything in your power to make the project succeed.
At PM Imperative, we cover the latest trends in Project Management and Product Management. As PM practitioners, we understand the value the Project Managers and Product Managers bring to each organization and that’s why we focus on the most practical strategies that Project and Product Managers can implement immediately. If you found this post useful, be sure to check out our latest book: The PM Imperative – Guide for Leading & Managing Projects, People & Delivering Value. https://pmimperative.com/shop/
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