Good project managers do not take anything for granted. They are proactive and positively sceptical. They are constantly looking to improve the way the project operates and how they can add value to the client by challenging the status quo. The more quality questions you ask on a continual basis, the bigger the likelihood that you will steer your project in the right direction.
To improve your success rate, ask yourself the below questions and take action to address any gaps you identify:
1. How can I become more certain that the products and features we are developing are what the users really want and need?
2. How can I, and my team, get to understand my clients business so well that we are able to actively challenge the requirements and the project’s vision?
3. How can I improve my relationship with my customers and more frequently ask into their feedback about the project?
4. How can I get better at identifying and mitigating the project’s risks?
5. How can my team start to focus more on product quality?
6. What could get in our way of achieving the end project goal? What have we not yet thought of?
7. How can I better motivate and utilize the strengths of my team members?
8. How can I better inspire my team to contribute to the project’s end goal?
And here are some more questions that will really help you to improve your performance and add value to your client:
9. What is my unique contribution to the project and how can I focus more on it?
10. How can I instantly start to add more value to my client?
11. What are the 20% of actions that I do on a daily or weekly basis that contribute to 80% of my results? How can I amplify those 20%?
12. How can I spend my time more proactively?
13. Which bad decisions have I made that need to be reverted?
14. Which important tasks and activities have I been putting off or procrastinating on?
15. Who can I start to delegate to, so that I free myself up to focus on the activities that really matter to the success of the project?
16. What are the most important business benefits for my client, that I can help them track and deliver?
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