3 Project Mistakes You’re Probably Making (and How to Fix Them)
Whether you’re trying to launch a new program, organize a fundraising campaign, or streamline internal processes, projects can quickly go sideways. In my work with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, I frequently see project managers stumble over the same hurdles. Let’s take a look at three common project management mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Unclear Stakeholder Roles
When I ask project managers to identify their stakeholders, I often hear about a stakeholder’s organizational roles – “She’s the marketing manager,” or “He’ll be a user of the program”. But that’s not the same as their project role.
A stakeholder’s project role clarifies how they should contribute to or engage with the project. Without clear roles, your stakeholders won’t know what’s expected of them, which leads to disengagement, delays, and unwieldy project teams where no one is quite sure who’s responsible for what.
Here are some common project roles you might assign:
Sponsor/Funder: Supports and advocates for the project.
Project Manager: Keeps everything on track (that’s you!).
Advisory Committee: Provides input and feedback.
Project Team Members: Do the bulk of the project work.
Project Contributors: Have specific tasks but aren’t part of the core team.
Subject Matter Experts: Provides specialized input.
Users/Clients: Will use the project’s deliverables.
Informed Stakeholders: Need to be kept in the loop.
As you can see, not all stakeholders need the same level of input. By assigning specific roles, you can engage the right people at the right time and avoid those huge, unmanageable project teams.
2. Lack of Communication Planning
Too often, project managers think that a project management tool is their communication plan. Tools like Asana or Monday are great for internal teams and regular users, but what about external stakeholders or those who rarely use these tools? How will they access the tool? What about meetings, newsletters, social media, and other communication methods?
Effective project communication requires a plan tailored to each stakeholder and their role. A simple way to approach this is to answer this question:
Who needs to know what about your project, and how and when do they need to know it?
The “who” and “what” come directly from your list of stakeholders and their roles. The “how” and “when” involve choosing the right communication methods (email, meetings, reports, etc.) and determining the frequency of communication.
For example, if you’re developing a program for clients (who), you’ll want their feedback. So, you might send out a survey (how) early in the project (when) to gather their needs (what). By mapping out the who, what, how, and when for each stakeholder, you create a plan that ensures everyone gets the information they need to engage effectively with your project. Remember: intentional communication is essential for project success.
3. Tasks Not Tied to Deliverables
When planning a project, it’s easy to dive right into creating a long list of tasks. You might think, “First, we’ll do this, then we’ll do that or maybe that,” and before you know it, you’ve got a complicated mess of overlapping tasks. A long task list also makes it hard for team members to understand the purpose of their work.
Instead, start with your deliverables. Deliverables are the tangible outcomes of your project – what you’re going to create, build, design, produce, or accomplish. Once you know your deliverables, break them down into smaller and smaller elements until you get to specific, assignable tasks.
Let’s say you’re working on a project to create a new employee onboarding experience. Your deliverables might include:
A needs assessment report
A documented program
Program content
An implementation plan
You can then break down each deliverable into tasks. For the needs assessment report, tasks might include:
Gather data
Conduct interviews
Analyze needs
Create a report
These tasks can be further broken down until they’re at a level where you can assign them to someone and track progress.
Connecting tasks to deliverables clarifies the purpose of the work and how it contributes to the overall project goals. It also makes scheduling easier and helps you track progress more effectively. Instead of a jumbled list of tasks, you create clear connections between individual work and project outcomes.
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it: three common project mistakes and how to fix them. Make sure you:
Assign clear stakeholder roles.
Plan for project communication.
Tie your tasks to deliverables.
These strategies will bring clarity to your projects, boost engagement, and increase your chances of success.
