Every day in the startup world is characterized by various tasks, from finances to client-facing work, building new products to administrative items, and more. There’s a lot of work to be done and a lot of hands in the pot trying to tackle each action item that pops up. Startups have a team-first mentality, where every team member is willing to jump in and play a part to get the job done. That horizontal leadership structure can lead to a lot of camaraderie, but the day-to-day roles and responsibilities related to project ownership and completion can get messy and chaotic. That wasted time can be costly when every minute and dollar spent in the early startup days are precious, especially when nine out of 10 startups fail. But don’t let that statistic make you panic quite yet. Having the right tools in place, such as project management software that keeps the whole team organized and on task, is a critical driver in reducing the risk of failure and achieving that seemingly elusive startup success. Curious? We’ve rounded up some of the fundamental reasons project management should matter to your startup, what to look for in project management software tools, and how to identify and implement the right project management software tool while keeping your (often tight) budget in mind. Why should project management matter to startups? Effective project management is imperative to any business, no matter the size of the organization. According to the latest Pulse of the Profession report by the Project Management Institute (PMI), 57% of respondents saw significant business changes in their operational efficiencies over the past year and another 49% experienced changes in the maturity of their project management. That means that even if project management and efficiencies aren’t top of mind for you as your startup gets off the ground, they should make their way to the top of the list as your company grows. These aspects of a business are important to the success of project completion and business strategy. Sure, a formalized project management tool and processes can seem unnecessary, rigid, and overly burdensome for the flexible, entrepreneurial startup culture. But the reality is that defining project management methodologies and implementing a software tool at the beginning will help your business thrive as it scales. Rest assured that flexibility can coexist alongside process and organization, and a project management software tool can help with the latter. Project management for startups is more than planning, organizing, and executing projects from start to finish. There are several benefits of defined project management practices, specifically when it comes to running a startup. 1. Prioritize limited resources Startups have small teams and a spirit for collaboration, which breeds fluid job roles and responsibilities. A limited number of employees in flexible positions can make it challenging to figure out which tasks and projects rank higher than others — and who exactly is responsible for what. Introducing project management processes and software in the early stages of a startup can help the team better prioritize their work. You have to make the most of your limited resources while executing on your vision and big goals, and project management for startups can help you do just that — without frustration and confusion. 2. Stay on top of deadlines No two days at a startup are the same. Priorities shift, the overall company vision may change, and innovation can lead to new products and services that weren’t even on your radar a couple of months ago. With so many moving parts, staying organized and sticking to a schedule (especially one that clients or customers are counting on) can fall by the wayside. Project management practices help you monitor progress and ensure important deadlines aren’t missed. That structure provides some level of accountability and commitment within your teams — even if your overall culture is still relaxed and flexible. 3. Scale efficiently Startup environments bring about a level of high-growth and constant change. Investing in project management early on will pay dividends when your startup begins to scale. Growth can be remarkable for the business but more challenging for employees if the proper processes and systems aren’t in place to support that evolution and expansion. As you grow, you’ll likely have more goals to meet and projects to deliver, so it’s crucial to build a project management foundation that will allow you to meet these goals. Likewise, standardized processes make it significantly easier for new team members to get onboarded and acclimated as your team grows in size. What features should you look for in startup project management software? There are hundreds of project management software tools out there to choose from. Some are more robust than others and focused on the demands of enterprise companies. Others are more simplistic and better suited for a nimble startup or small business. Not sure what you should keep an eye out for? These are some of the key features you should look for in startup project management software, even if you start out on a plan that doesn’t offer all of these features right away: Team collaboration. As a startup, your team is your most valuable asset, and it’s crucial to foster a collaborative and team-focused environment. The ability to work on projects together simultaneously, break down project tasks, store associated project documents, and share team calendars are project management software components to keep an eye out for. Any functionality that allows your team to collaborate quickly and efficiently is a plus in choosing project management software. After all, that’s the whole point. Organized and streamlined processes. Real-time file sharing and collaboration make it easier and quicker to handle assigning tasks and see them through to completion. With streamlined processes and workflows, you can track project performance, quickly assign tasks and get an instant understanding of project and performance, rather than wasting time requesting frequent status updates. Document storing and sharing. As you build your startup and document processes, projects, and other aspects of the business along the way, you’ll want to ensure you can quickly locate and access documents and files. Using a project management software tool with document storing and sharing capabilities can help prevent you from losing critical information, especially if employees leave. All of your important documentation will be centralized and accessible rather than siloed. Resource management. Since you have limited resources (and you don’t want to burn your team out), you’ll need to make sure you’re balancing workloads as effectively as possible. Project management software tools with simple resource management capabilities can help you better understand the workload and available bandwidth across team members. When you identify a plate that’s too full (it happens!), you can simply reassign tasks to other available team members and keep your project moving forward. Time-tracking capabilities. Hassle-free time-tracking and the ability to distinguish between billable and nonbillable work can help you better understand where your team is spending their time. With this information readily available, you’ll have visibility that will allow you to plan better, boost revenue, and more accurately forecast — so you avoid over-promising and under-delivering. Real-time reporting. Agility and flexibility are common traits of nearly all startups, and making quick decisions is necessary when you’re working in an ever-changing landscape. Project management software tools with real-time reporting empower you to make more informed decisions at the drop of a hat. Maybe you’re pivoting the business’ direction or need to quickly gauge the current status of a project. No matter your need, a tool with real-time reporting can help you get the information you need so you can make decisions and act fast. Budget management. Every dollar counts, right? Managing projects always carries the risk of running over budget. Spend less time worrying about the bottom line by managing budgets directly within project management software. By keeping an eye on total spending, you can spot when your spending starts to creep up and adjust accordingly. The level of complexity and customization you’ll need in a project management software tool depends on your business needs. The features listed above should help you dive in and get started, and grow your tool capabilities and usage as you go. How can project management software for startups help save money? Isn’t project management software going to end up costing your startup more money? Well, technically, yes, depending on the software you choose. But if we put the cost of the tool aside for a moment, the right project management software can actually help your startup save money too — making it more than worth the cost. Here’s how: Organization inevitably leads to time savings, and time is money. Project management software will streamline processes and add another layer of organization to your business. To put it simply, this helps you and your team members save time. And with more time on your hands, you’ll be able to get more work done. Instead of hiring more people or scrambling for more resources because plates are too full, you can use project management software to help your current team better manage their time. Faster, smoother workflows equal more time saved and less money spent due to wasted hours and energy. Project management software can reduce training costs. As your business grows and you add more members to the team, you’ll need them to move quickly to ensure projects stay on track. Having all of your projects and information centralized within one system can reduce the learning curve for your new employees, allowing them to dive in and get their hands dirty right away. Time tracking can save your business money. If you really want to be money-conscious, opt for software with time-tracking capabilities. How does time tracking save money? You’ll save your startup a few bucks by increasing productivity, eliminating inefficiencies, and will be able to manage billable hours more seamlessly. If your startup depends on any amount of billable work, accurate time-tracking is non-negotiable. Improved communication is a huge cost-savings. When hiccups in communication occur, you’re at risk of projects falling out of scope, missing deadlines, and wasting time and effort on work that doesn’t matter. Even further, communication issues could end with you owing money, discounts, or free products and services to your customers. One way to reduce communication issues is to build a solid internal communication channel to boost transparency and ensure your team is always on the same page. Consolidated interactions through a project management software tool can help you save money and keep your clients happy too. How much is project management software for startups? The price of project management software can run the gamut. There are a number of free options out there that may offer limited functionality. There are also a number of robust systems for enterprise corporations that may fall outside of your budget and current needs. With so many different software options and feature capabilities, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind in terms of pricing. These include: Desired features Fee structure Additional costs Let’s talk about each of these in a bit more detail. Desired features For starters, it’s helpful to know what types of features you’re looking for in your project management tool, so you have an idea of what types of plans to consider. Many project management software companies offer free versions of their tools with reduced functionality or a set number of users. These types of solutions may work when getting started, but if you choose a free option, you may want to explore upgraded feature capability in the future. Fee structure Another important aspect of the pricing model is whether you’ll be paying per user or a flat fee. You’ll also want to understand if you’re paying monthly or annual subscription fees. These pricing models play a key role in determining the overall budget available for your project management software and whether or not a tool fits within those restrictions. Additional costs Don’t forget to add in additional costs. Ask about implementation, training, and support fees and how each of those components is factored into pricing. Especially if the tool is new to you and your entire team, you’ll want to make sure you can offer some training led by the experts to help your team members get up and running successfully. While some basic support might be included in the price, determine whether you’ll need advanced support (and what that costs) — even if it’s only for a short period of time during the initial stages of implementation. With these considerations in mind, there’s a large pricing range for project management software for startups. As we mentioned, many service providers offer free plans with limited functionality or for a set number of users. Certain software programs may cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands per month depending on per-user or flat fee costs. Wrike offers a mix of free and premium paid plans to help you meet your project management needs. With the free plan, you can invite unlimited users and all core elements of project management are included: file sharing, task management, real-time activity, and different views. You get 2 GB of storage space, basic integrations, and Cloud storage integrations. This is a great plan option if your startup team is just starting to dive into project management with the potential to upgrade later. Additionally, Wrike offers plan paid options, with increased functionality for larger teams and enterprises. What is the best project management tool for startups? The best project management tool for startups will vary depending on your specific needs, but Wrike is a great option for any startup who wants to lay an effective project management foundation — and then grow from there. Wrike offers many plans to choose from, which gives you the option to choose something more budget-friendly at the beginning and move on to a plan with more functionality and capabilities as your startup grows and needs more project management support. We think Wrike is the best project management software for startups and offers the following features (and more) to help your startup succeed: Company-wide communication that eliminates silos and suits your business’ needs Better collaboration through file sharing, task management, and instant reporting capabilities Increased visibility through customizable dashboards Resource management functionality that promotes better-balanced workloads across the team Flexibility to grow alongside your startup as it grows Templates to allow you to communicate and collaborate with ease 400+ app integrations so you can keep working with the tools you already know and love Remember that project management within your startup doesn’t have to be overly complex and burdensome. The right tool will allow you to make the smartest use of your limited resources, help you stay on top of deadlines to keep your customers and team happy, and give you the tools and processes needed to see projects through to success. Ready to take project management within your startup to the next level? Sign up for a free trial of Wrike and set your projects, team, and startup up for success.
Keeping your team and projects on track can be difficult without the proper tools to make sure your workflow is streamlined and moving along. Check out our list of quality problem-solving tools and techniques that'll address some common team roadblocks and increase productivity in your business.
Conflict is a reality of the working world. You deal with different people every day, people with varying perspectives, opinions, and convictions. When contrasting opinions and dynamic personalities collide, expect conflict and disagreements. As with anything in a professional setting, a little politeness goes a long way to help diffuse the situation.
In the world of freelancing, every day is different. When you’re working on several projects with a number of clients at once, it can be easy to lose track of your notes and client information. There are many responsibilities to juggle as a freelancer, such as client work and projects, contracts, invoices, emails, and other administrative tasks. How can you juggle all of these things (and more) without dropping a ball or two? Project management tools can help you successfully manage your freelance business. With the right software in place, you can focus on the things that matter most, like staying organized and efficient, meeting deadlines, and delivering high-quality work for your clients. Benefits of project management tools for freelancers Why should you use project management tools as a freelancer? The right software offers a number of advantages, including: Automated organization: Working with many clients is hard. You’ll quickly lose important information if you don't have a system for managing and storing it in a way that’s quickly accessible and makes sense to you. Streamlined workflows: If you’ve ever walked through an overly complicated process, you know just how valuable streamlined workflows can be. Not only do they save you time, allow you to work more efficiently, and eliminate unnecessary work, developing solid processes can also make you look impressive to your clients. More manageable workload: With freelance project management software, you don't miss the forest for the trees and can see everything you're working on, rather than individual projects for one client at a time. Having a bird’s-eye view of your workload can allow you to better forecast availability and will give you insight into whether you need to clear your plate. Boosted earnings: Time is money, and project management software can save you time. Your earnings depend on your ability to get your work done and send high-quality deliverables to your clients. When you save time, you’re creating the opportunity to earn more. More consistency: If you present your own processes and tools to your clients, it can prevent you from having to work in their tools. With your project management software in place, you can onboard clients the way you want to, often without having to learn the ins and outs of a brand new, unfamiliar system. Features to look for in project management software for freelancers Project management for freelancers can look different from more traditional team-centric project management. Your freelance project management software needs to work best for you as the primary user. What should you look for in a project management software tool for your freelance business? Add these items to your must-have list: Collaboration and client access capabilities. One of the main benefits of using a project management app for freelancers is that you can centralize information and avoid bouncing between your inbox and other tools. To maximize this benefit, look for a tool that allows you to grant access to your clients so they can quickly and easily access shared documents and information on their end. Integrations with tools you’re already using in your business. What’s the second-best way to reduce the number of tools and software programs you’re using? Making sure they can integrate for ease of use across multiple products. Consider looking for a tool that will integrate with your email platform, instant messaging tools, and any other products you can’t live without. Different views. Maybe you want to see your entire workload at once using a calendar view, or perhaps you’re diving into a project in greater detail and prefer to use a Gantt chart for this one. Having the ability to change your view based on your needs can allow you to work quicker and digest the information you need in a way that resonates with you best. Time-tracking capabilities. If you aren’t integrating a time-tracking tool you’re already using, it’s beneficial to look for a tool that comes with a time tracker so you can keep an eye on how you’re spending your time. This tool will particularly come in handy if you’re charging hourly rates. But even if not, you need to get a handle on your time as a freelancer so you can get the best bang for your buck. How to organize your freelance projects with Wrike Wrike makes it easy to organize and manage all of your freelance projects and clients. It’s as simple as creating projects for every client or assignment you take on and then adding necessary tasks and due dates to keep yourself on track. Once you have those building blocks, these other features can help you level up your freelance business: Set up projects using client project templates and best practices. This pre-built professional services template allows you to plan projects from initiation through closeout, mapping tasks across an interactive timeline. Integrate your current tools. Wrike integrates with 400+ tools which means you don’t have to leave the current apps you love in the dust. Instead, you can integrate your favorite tools with Wrike and boost your productivity at the same time. Track and manage your time for each project. Increase visibility into how you’re spending your time so you can streamline your forecasting, communicate hours remaining to clients, or sync your tracked time to financial systems for easy invoicing purposes. Use the “my to-do” smart folder to manage your daily to-do list. Centralize your to-dos in one place. This list will contain all tasks and subtasks assigned to you and tasks that you manually add. It’s the perfect place to capture those sudden midday thoughts when you remember you forgot to respond to an email or need to finalize a deliverable by the end of the week. Why is Wrike the best project management tool for freelancers? With a robust feature list to meet your business needs, time tracking functionality, and an unrivaled integration list, Wrike is the best project management software for freelancers who want to get more done in less time. Time is money when you’re a freelancer, so don’t waste any more of it. Dive in and boost your productivity by signing up for a free trial of Wrike today.
Being an effective project manager isn’t only about coordinating the details. You also need to know how to manage and motivate the people on your project team. That requires some pretty effective leadership skills. These five tactics can show you how to improve your leadership skills.
Even if you’re not on a soccer field, your team needs to be able to quickly and effectively “pass the ball” to one another (just like Tiki-Taka!)—without things falling apart in the process. That latter part is where things can get a little sticky. So, let’s dive into some tips to make those project handoffs a little more streamlined.
As a project manager, you oversee projects from beginning to end. You walk the project through its entire lifecycle, from initiation to closure. It’s a big job, and there are various skills and tasks involved that help you get there. Sure, you’ve got a toolbox full of hard skills (also known as technical skills) in your back pocket — things like risk management, budgeting, and project planning, to name a few. But those competencies aren’t enough. You need soft skills, otherwise known as interpersonal skills, to help you successfully cross the finish line. Here, we’ll break down what soft skills are, why every project manager needs them, and provide some of the top project manager soft skills you’ll need to be the best project manager you can be. Let’s dive in. What are soft skills? What exactly are soft skills? Soft skills are the interpersonal behavior skills that allow you to work well with other people and do your job successfully. These skills are often transferable, meaning they apply and add value no matter what role or industry you’re in. While hard skills help you do your specific job (in this case, project management), soft skills help you address the people side of things. You might hear soft skills referred to as interpersonal skills, non-technical skills, or transferable skills. Frequently mentioned soft skills include communication, leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity. Many job postings include a handful of soft skills in the requirements, and so should your resume. According to recent research by Monster, the four top skills that employers are looking for in 2021 are actually all soft skills: dependability, teamwork/collaboration, problem-solving, and flexibility. While technical skills are necessary and important for managing projects, soft skills are crucial too — especially when you’ll be collaborating and communicating with so many different people on a project team. What are hard skills for project managers? Hard skills, or technical skills, are the aspects of your role as a project manager that often include tangible deliverables that can be quantified. Hard skills in project management speak to the tools, techniques, and methodologies you can apply in your work. One way to demonstrate your hard skills as a project manager is through certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) or the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). Other hard skills include mastering project management methodologies like Agile, Kanban, and Scrum. Hard skills for project managers also include project planning, budgeting, risk management, documentation development, and project control, to name a few. Without these skills, it would be challenging to fulfill your role as a project manager, right? But pair these with your soft skills and you will not only lead a project from start to finish — you’ll do it successfully. Can a soft skill become a hard skill? Soft skills and hard skills are different by nature. Remember that soft skills are transferable, interpersonal, and allow you to work well with other people. Hard skills are developed through experience and education and are generally more technical. So no, soft skills can’t necessarily become hard skills, but they do work well together. For example, documentation development is a hard skill that you may want to improve. This includes drafting project briefs, task templates, communication plans, checklists — you name it. Proper documentation requires that you know how much to share without missing information or adding too many details. What’s the soft skill that can help you improve your documentation development? You guessed it: communication. While communication skills are a key component of documentation development, the hard skill goes beyond merely knowing how to communicate. See? Those skills work well together but aren’t one and the same. What is the importance of soft skills in project management? Project management is never just about getting the project done. Human interaction and communication are the core to effective project management. Think of a project manager as a symphony conductor or the maestro leading an orchestra. To get the symphony to play beautifully, a combination of leading, mentoring, communicating, and musical planning is needed. It wouldn’t be enough for the symphony to simply know how to make music on their own. This analogy speaks to the importance of soft skills in project management. As the leader, these soft skills — even when they take place behind the scenes — help steer the team toward effective execution. Leading others and guiding them through the project lifecycle comes with a level of responsibility that requires soft skills. If you can’t effectively communicate with your team, you may put the project at risk. Without problem-solving skills, the project timeline may be impacted negatively. In short, without soft skills, your project is at risk of failing. Top soft skills for project managers So, what soft skills matter most? Here are just a few of the soft skills required for a project manager. Add these must-learn project manager soft skills to your list: 1. Leadership As a project manager, you are the one in the driver’s seat. You need to have a clear vision and the ability to influence the project team. Effective leadership skills will inspire your team members to trust you as an authority and buy into your ideas for each project. It’s important to understand that leadership and management are different. Being a leader isn’t merely getting people to listen to you and do what you want. Leadership is about empowering others, being viewed as a strong source of authority and knowledge, and guiding and teaching others along the way. 2. Communication Communication skills, both written and verbal, are crucial in every role, but particularly for project managers. Would you be able to manage a project from start to finish without any communication? Not a chance. Solid communication skills help your project team do their best work, ensure stakeholders are adequately informed, and help you keep all parties on the same page. Email updates, project documentation, and stakeholder presentations are all areas you can hone your communication to become a more effective project manager. 3. Problem-solving Every project has a level of risk associated with it — whether scope creep occurs, you go over budget, or you miss a deadline. Eliminating risks entirely isn’t necessary; knowing how to problem solve and mitigate them is. As a project manager, you need to be quick on your feet and solve any problem that might arise throughout the project lifecycle. The truth is, every project will bring its own challenges. You need to have the problem-solving skills necessary to address and solve those challenges to keep things moving. 4. Teamwork The success of the project doesn’t depend on the project manager alone. Rather, the success of the project is driven by the project team. That means teamwork and being able to steer many toward a common goal and output is critical. When you facilitate teamwork as a project manager, you’ll contribute to the project being completed on time, individual team members feeling more satisfied, and maintaining a positive work environment with high morale. 5. Conflict resolution As a project manager, you will routinely deal with conflict. Whether it’s a conflict amongst your project team, with key stakeholders, or with other external sources, knowing how to address and handle conflict is crucial for your role. With varying personalities, perspectives, goals, and values, conflict is often unavoidable, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to resolving those issues. Fortunately, there are a number of resolution strategies that can be deployed to effectively manage conflict within the project environment. What soft skills are needed for project management, even if you’re not a project manager? Maybe you aren’t an official project manager, but engage and participate in some level of project management in your role. In addition to the soft skills mentioned above, some additional soft skills needed for project management worth focusing on are active listening and time management. Working with other team members with different working styles and personalities warrants strong active listening skills. Active listening is an important project management soft skill because it requires focusing on what the speaker is saying to fully understand their message. No matter what member of the project team you are or what type of project you’re running, active listening is essential. Being able to assess and manage your time, prioritize tasks by order of importance to the project, and meet deadlines are all key components of success in project management. Time management is all about working efficiently, saving time, and managing your workload to deliver quality results at the end of the project. How Wrike can help project managers Effective project management is no easy task, but having the right soft skills can help you run projects with more strategy and less stress. Dive into the list of skills we provided and take your role as a project manager to the next level. Want to put your communication and teamwork skills to use? Start your free trial of Wrike to see how it can help you centralize communication and work collaboratively with your project team.
Creativity is important. But not easy, particularly when you’re expected to exercise your creative genius day after day. Is it even possible to achieve a consistent level of creativity, while producing at a high volume? And if so, how? Here’s what you need to know.
