You don’t have to be a certified project manager to use project management skills. Leading a project is something everyone who works in process improvement will eventually do.

In this video, Dana Brownlee, an experienced corporate trainer for project management and a keynote speaker, covers 5 project management mistakes she has seen over and over again. These mistakes also will apply to your Six Sigma projects. She discusses what can to be done to avoid them.

Mistake #1

Ignoring the slacker on the team: This will lead to project delays and encourage bad behavior.

Mistake #2

Skipping the initiating phase: Is your project really needed? What process are you using for evaluating projects for project selection?

Mistake #3

Skipping risk analysis: Anticipate the problems that can occur during the project and be ready for them.

Mistake #4

Not being brutally honest with the project sponsor: Tell them what they really need to hear not just what they may want to hear.

Mistake #5

Failing to learn from previous mistakes: Lessons learned is an important part of project closeout.

You can view the video here.

Note: The video concludes with where to learn more about gaining project management skills.