Recently, I’ve transitioned into a director role. This means that most of my job is focused on managing projects, contractors, initiatives, campaigns, and much more. In fact, I would say that over fifty percent of my job is project management.

To succeed in my role, I‘ve learned that I must master the ins-and-outs of project management. Unfortunately, very few people are born with this trait, and I was not one of them. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with some great mentors who were generous enough to teach me everything they know. Here’s a short list of what I’ve learned about project management.

A — Z, and all the letters in-between.

When starting a project, almost anyone can tell you where you are and where you need to go, but very few people can tell you all of the steps in between.

Knowing how to break down a project into actionable steps is key to becoming a great project manager. It’s what let’s you accurately set and meet your deadline — itemizing individual tasks gives you clarity on exactly how long you need to accomplish your project.

How I do it: I’ve found that a Google spreadsheet can rival the best project management software like Asana, Trello, and Basecamp. I first create a macro campaign , then populate the sheet with micro tasks. Each micro task has an owner, task description, due date, status, working notes, and a link to the item, when possible. I also set up a new shared Google Drive folder. This is where all of the project items will go and how we generate links in the itemized list.

These items are then reviewed at the beginning of the day. I talk to team members about the status of the items and any block they might be encountering. I then review the project again at the end of the day, remove completed items, check up on progress made against open items, and make sure that any new team members are aware and included in the project overview meeting in the morning.

Deadlines Are an Art Form

One of the biggest difficulties in project management is learning how to set a deadline. Overestimating can throw off projects that are dependent on your project and underestimating can make you look like a slacker, not to mention add tons of unnecessary pressure to the rest of the project.

Generally, deadlines are set in two ways. First, there are the deadlines set by you. These should almost always be accurate because you’ve already itemized the tasks needed to be accomplished and the time needed to accomplish them.

As a simple rule of thumb, I add a ten percent margin into my deadlines that I set. This is extra important if you are working with individuals who you have no experience with.

Second, there are the deadlines that are imposed on you. These are almost always too short, and always involve unnecessary pressure. Here are a few tips to help you hit that deadline:

Look for tasks in your itemized list that don’t depend on the items in front of them, for example, if you’re launching a new blog, you can begin working with your developers to set up the servers, database and frameworks before you’ve finalized your design. You can also begin building out the site before you’ve finalized the text. The more plates you can spin, the better. Lock down your meetings. Meetings are notoriously a waste of time. By putting five minutes of prep work in before you start your meeting, you can save around thirty. Know exactly what tasks you need and from whom you need them. Communicate clearly and always remember to acknowledge the person as a person.

Dealing with Blockers

Let’s be real. Blockers happen. It’s how you handle them that matters. I’ve found that the solution to blockers is often knowing the right person and acting right away. There’s no way to completely eliminate wasted time, but you can limit the amount of time wasted.

When a blocker falls in your path, figure out exactly what’s happened, why you’re blocked, and what you have done to try and resolve it. Then write a detailed email to the person who can help. As a project manager, you will hit blockers on every project, so make sure that you don’t burn bridges with those who can help, be grateful, and make sure they know you see that they’ve helped you.

Putting Together the Right Team

Everyone knows that a great team leads to a great project outcome. Project managers have to do two things: source the correct talent and earn their respect.

Sourcing talent is easy, and becoming even more accessible every day with services like 99designs, UpWork and Gigster. I’ve found that working in the same timezone, knowing what you want, and knowing what you need is key to success. But, there’s another factor to working with your team, one that few master and many fail at: leading your team.

I’ve worked with multiple types of leaders and have found that there’s no universally correct way to do it. However, there are ways that just don’t work. Everyone has met the tyrant leader, the guy who tears you down to try and inspire you, the guy who never says thank you or good job, the guy who pushes people with fear.

Bullying people with threats is empty. They will do the work you want, usually, but it’s really dependent on how much they need your money. The problem is that top talent tends to not need your money.

Real leaders pull the best out of their team by earning their respect and making them conscious of the fact that they are playing a key role in the project’s success. You can spot these leaders because their team shows up with a smile on their face the day after pulling an all nighter to hit that deadline. The overall team energy level stays high and they are almost always pushing the limits and succeeding.

Walking Away

Projects have a start date and must have an end date. The worst thing you can do for your company is not know when to move on. The simple truth is that you can spend you whole career working on perfecting one item and never accomplish it. Things are always changing, new technology is released, and industry trends evolve daily.

Obsess over your project while working on it, but know when to let it go and walk away. I’ve found that most of the obsessive changes made after projects are completed are simply preference and second guessing. They throw a wrench in your team’s momentum and communicate a strong message to your peers that you can’t execute. Don’t be that kind of project manager.

In Conclusion

The most important thing to keep in mind while trying to become a great project manager is that there is no right way to do it. Everyone has their own style, tools, and techniques that help to get the job done. At the end of the day, a completed project is the goal.