What do I need to do to keep control over a project, stay updated at all times and get a cross-functional team to cooperate?

As an overloaded key staff member with too many cats to corral, you have been tasked as the champion for a crucial project. Not only do you have other responsibilities, but you have to manage all the tasks, coordinate a diverse team and streamline the process to get the project completed on time.

I take pride in my work, how can I do this project plus all the other work I have on my plate without losing quality?

As a highly skilled specialist, you deliver excellent work but always have a large stack of new work to do and don't have time to learn new software. In addition, by focusing on your area of expertise, you don't always know the big picture. You would like to see what others are working on and where you fit into the project puzzle.

Does my staff have what they need to succeed? Will we be on time and on budget?

The meat in the sandwich, you instill confidence and motivate your team to achieve excellence while providing your VP with solutions, status and summary progress reports. After kicking off a project, you are not involved in the day-to-day activities yet you advise the team and need to be able to immediately access data and project status to stay on top of performance, timelines and budget.

I am responsible for increased revenue, do I have all the information I need to report the status of an important project?

The positive ROI expected from a project rests on your shoulders. You have a two-sided role; assure the executive team that all is going well and insure that your project results are successful and map to the objectives. In order to do that, you need easy-to-read summary reports that provide the most up-to-date information and data regarding key project status.

I’ve spent a great deal of time creating a system that works for me, why should I share it with anyone?

You are a pro at organization and administration and are the department go-to person. You have your own system for getting projects done and are used to getting things done without collaboration. However, you have to juggle a lot of tasks everyday and don’t have a lot of time to learn something or show someone how to use the tracking documents you created.

Can I stay organized, appear professional to my customers and still effectively manage company growth?

You are a small business owner managing multiple clients, budgets and projects. Your business is growing and you need to stay involved with clients while at the same time, making sure your staff has the flexible and adaptive tools they need to keep your company on top of things.

I have to keep the behind-the-scenes technology running without a hitch. How do I incorporate new software without impacting my budget or the company productivity goals?

You are the key person responsible for making sure the company’s technical infrastructure runs smoothly and cost effectively. At the same time, you need to make sure the employees have the tools they need to deliver their work. You have to balance four major requirements: system security, software expense, employee needs and software integration – a challenge even at the best of times.