Articles by Tom Elliott

Project portfolio management is a term that is often heard in the world of project management, but what does it actually mean? In short, portfolio management is the centralized management of all the projects your business is involved in. It allows for consideration of the bigger picture and optimizes and priorities based on return on …

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If you’re looking for project management tips, tricks, and how-to guides, you’ve come to the right place. The internet is packed with project management blogs that can teach you everything from the basics of project management to more advanced theories and methodologies. Finding a suitable mentor takes time as people have very different styles of …

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In order to achieve success in any field, one must have a plan. The same is true for internal communications – without a strategy, your organization will flounder and fail to reach its full potential. So, what is an internal communication strategy? In short, it is a blueprint for success that defines your business goals …

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Project documentation is a vital part of any business. It ensures that all employees are on the same page, projects are completed efficiently and effectively, and processes are standardized. Without a good system in place, employees will waste time trying to track down information, projects will be messier than they need to be, and company …

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It seems like somebody is talking about working remotely everywhere you turn these days. And for a good reason – remote teams can have a lot of benefits for both employees and employers. But that doesn’t mean that they’re suitable for every business. From communication issues to cultural differences, there are many potential pitfalls that …

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Working overtime has long been seen as a badge of honor in the business world. If you’re working late, you must be working hard! However, recent research has shown that working overtime may not be as good for business as we thought. Pushing your employees too hard for too long may end up having a …

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When it comes to business, there are a lot of different aspects that need to be considered in order for a company to be successful. Of course, one of the most important is automation. Automating your business processes can offer countless benefits, which is why more and more businesses are turning to this technology, and …

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Many things go into being a good boss. You need to be able to manage your team, give them direction, and set goals. But one of the most important aspects of being a good boss is supporting your employees. This means understanding that they are individuals with their own needs and not just cogs in …

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If you’re a manager, it’s important to be aware of the bad boss characteristics that can hold your team back. A bad boss can create a toxic work environment and increase staff turnover. They can also impede business growth by not trusting their employees or delegating tasks properly. You need to understand how your management …

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Most people think of goals as something that is easily attainable- a stepping stone to what they want to achieve. But what if you set the bar higher? What if you set goals that were a bit out of reach, but still possible? This is what stretch goals are all about. They propel businesses further …

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Struggling to find the right person locally for your vacancy? Or maybe you don’t have the resources to hire another full-time employee. Projects of all sizes can be outsourced to cut costs and ensure you get the best person for the job. Hiring a remote employee works slightly differently from traditional employment, but it isn’t …

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Projects usually have a variety of tasks that need to be completed during development. Some tasks need to be completed in a specific order and one cannot start until the prior has been finalized. If delays start to build up it can prevent the deliverables from arriving on time. Every project has a critical path …

Continue reading “What Float Is in Project Management and Why It Matters”

A sharp increase in remote working means managers will need to transition into new ways of running things. Your responsibilities will largely stay the same but how you go about your duties differs when your employees aren’t in the same office. Although you can’t pop your head out of your office door to touch base, …

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Providing updates on progress is something every manager will need to do. It could be to appease the stakeholders or to make sure everything is staying on track. Whether you need to compile a report or present findings in a meeting, knowing the best measuring project performance techniques is a must-know for every project manager. …

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Investment in team building should have a profound effect on your staff. There should be a deeper connection throughout the department and in return, it should boost productivity and your company’s balance sheet. Stakeholders, managers, and investors should all be happy with the gains and the team will benefit from a more positive work environment. …

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Today’s meetings are frequent, lengthy, and keeping things on track can be hard for anyone to manage. Meetings are key to progress, whether you’re trying to impress a client and win a contract or plan for your business’s future. Without them, decisions don’t get made and viewpoints aren’t heard. Have you ever been in a …

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How to be a manager is the same question as how to improve people management. A manager’s job is just that, to manage, but it’s also to support, cheer, organize, and prioritize. Every manager needs to have good people management skills and those who don’t often get in the way of their own departments’ progress. …

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Delegation is important for businesses to get right. It will play an important role in the business’s day-to-day operation and is key to growth. In fact, good delegation can lead to an uptick in revenue, and who doesn’t want that. Not all delegation is created equal. Some leaders find it hard to let go of …

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Outsourcing can be really beneficial for your business. If you don’t have the manpower in your organization to do everything you need to do, you need to start looking for outside help. Sometimes it will make sense to bring someone else into the fold but if your resources are limited, outsourcing can be a great …

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So you’ve decided to outsource some work to a third party, but how do you make sure you get the results you’re after? You need to find the perfect partner, someone who can follow your design but has the autonomy to work independently. How well they perform will have a direct effect on your business, …

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Float is a useful metric for project managers to effectively look after projects and juggle tasks without causing delays to the overall project. Unfortunately, delays are a part of life and even the most considered plans can experience unexpected issues. A good project manager will be able to manage any delays and keep projects progressing …

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Do you have admin tasks casting a cloud over your business? You know they need to get done but the motivation to start on these repetitive and bulky tasks is nowhere to be found. It’s a problem that’s plagued businesses since the first person decided to set up shop. If your business is profitable enough …

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How do you make sure your company is the one that beats the competition? No one starts a business with the idea of folding in a few months. You want to be the one that gets a significant portion of the market and create something that lasts. Maybe you want to create a legacy or …

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A lack of resources in project management doesn’t need to spell disaster. In fact, a key part of a project manager’s role is finding a way to make things work without exceeding the budget with the resources they have available. Resources can be anything from material to equipment to staff power. Good project managers will …

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Project managers need to prepare a baseline budget for approval early on during the process. It’s an essential document that helps monitor projected and actual costs incurred during a project. Due to the focus on money, creating a baseline budget can be a daunting task but they are a great reference point at every stage …

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The schedule is the beating heart of every project. All project managers know how to make one but sometimes you need to do things quicker without reducing the scope of the project. It’s a good idea for PMs to know some schedule compression techniques. You and your team may be able to shave off days, …

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The allure of creating a paperless environment in the workplace is too hard to resist. Relying on paper is outdated and has a negative impact on operations as well as contributing to deforestation and global warming. Companies need to adapt to digital to stay competitive and agile. Its effects can be felt throughout the business …

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Making strategic business decisions can be a hard job for just one person. Sometimes it’s necessary to get the viewpoints of other people to ensure you’re making the right choices for your business. That’s the key principle behind consultative decision making. Ultimately, one person will retain the final say but before any decisions are reached, …

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Staying productive can be hard. There are good days and there are bad days. A lot of great productivity tips and hacks go unnoticed by most people. Without a solid mentor, it can be hard to figure out how to organize yourself to maximum efficiency. This is where productivity blogs come in handy. Let someone …

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Being in charge of a project can be as exciting as it is challenging. If you’re brand new to taking ownership of a project you may be wondering how to even start. Or maybe you’re looking to expand your skillset and get certified in project management so you’ll be first in line for a promotion. …

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Collaboration is easier and more effective than it’s ever been. Advances in technology means we can keep in contact and work together online instantaneously. Someone in America can work in tandem with their colleague in Germany in real time so projects can progress smoothly. If you want to take advantage of modern technologies so your …

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Cooperative multitasking is a technique where two or more software applications will share the same resources of a common host processor. This method will queue tasks and attempt to allocate resources between them periodically. Only one task can run at a time and the program must yield control before the next task can run. This …

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Have you been thinking about creating your own thing? A business with you at its head so you can finally be your own boss. For many people, this is just a dream but if you’re laser-focused on making it a reality, this article is for you. Deciding you want to be the boss isn’t enough …

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Nobody enjoys manual work. Teams would rather be working on high-value tasks instead of busywork. Things like data collection, data entry, and scrolling through emails can take up a lot of time and drain your employee’s motivation. A good team leader will want to look for ways to reduce time spent on manual work to …

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Starting out on your own as an entrepreneur or creating your first business can be confusing and a little scary. Luckily there are thousands of resources available online to help you sail the ship. Finding the right information can be tough, particularly when there are millions of blog posts being uploaded to the internet every …

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Team leaders need to be prepared to deal with all manner of crises and changing circumstances. This could include the total upheaval of your operations and a transition to remote working. Leaders need to develop a business continuity plan in case they need to rely on remote work collaboration. While some businesses have been offering …

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Striking out on your own as an entrepreneur or building your own business is stressful. It’s a work in progress and always will be. To make the most out of your growth, you’ll need to implement an effective daily work management protocol. Daily work management is the process where business leaders break down their management …

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Is your business set up for maximum productivity and free of anything that could cause you stress or anxiety? If you can honestly answer yes, then this article isn’t for you. However, if you’re answer is no, that’s okay. There are plenty of things you can do to help organize your business for success. Disorganization …

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You need a graphic designer for just about everything. Branding, marketing, and communications all need designs to connect with customers. Depending on the size and scope of your projects, you may need new designs made regularly so it’s crucial to know how to find great designers. A graphic designer needs to understand your brand strategy …

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Meetings that don’t have a proper agenda can be a big waste of time. People forget things and valuable company time is wasted when you’re trying to recall what you wanted to talk about. A meeting agenda removes all the pressure of trying to think of something on the spot. What’s even better is that …

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Looking for a freelancer online can be a difficult task. Especially if you haven’t required remote workers before, you might not know where to start. Plenty of job boards can help businesses to find the right person and one of the most popular is Upwork. In fact, it’s one of the oldest boards around but …

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Highly effective leaders read highly effective books, right? Even natural-born leaders need help and guidance to get maximum results from themselves and their team. Have you ever had a bad boss? Someone whose so out of synchronicity with the members of the team. Or a boss who can’t separate themselves from the situation in order …

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No one looked forward to presentations at school. It was embarrassing standing in front of the class trying to explain something you barely understood. The teacher’s eyes laser focussed on you, sweat dripping down your face while you pray for it to be over. Team presentations were even worse. There’s always that one person who …

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Meetings are an important way for teams to share necessary information. It’s the backbone of project management and helps to keep things progressing smoothly. Scrum meetings are considered to be a great way to collect information and gain feedback from development, management, and stakeholders. These types of meetings are held often and are face-to-face meetings …

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