How to become a small business project manager

Many small business owners don't realize that in essence they are really project managers. A small business owner who is just starting out may most likely be the only employee. This automatically makes you the project manager of everything!However, as your small business grows you will most likely have to become a project manager over many different aspects of your small business. Knowing how to do that effectively will be essential to helping your small business grow and develop. Here is what you need to know about how to become a small business project manager-

- Be a leader-In order to be a successful project manager you will need to know how to lead. Your employees and the others you will work with will want someone who can provide direction for any type of project. Keep in mind that when you are responsible for a project and bring a team together your responsibility doesn't end there. You will need to understand how the scope of the project affects your small business and determine how you can lead the way toward accomplishing the project goals.
- Be a listener-Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking that they should do all the talking. However, in order to be an effective small business project manager you need to know how to listen to your employees. When you watch what your employees do and really listen to what they are saying you will learn a lot about how your small business is really doing and how you should manage any projects that need to be done. You want to be the type of small business project manager that finds ways to not only increase your business' profitability but increase your employees' morale, as well. When you can listen effectively as a small business project manager you will be able to do just that.
- Be a communicator-You should never make the mistake of thinking that talking is communicating. An effective small business project manager will be able to clearly and concisely explain what needs to be done and how to get it done. You need to be able to outline to anyone who is on your team what needs to be done in relation to achieving the goals of the project. If your employees are confused and unsure as to how to proceed with the project then you have not done your job as the manager. In addition, an effective small business project manager will take the time address any concerns and answer questions in order to effectively manage the project.
- Be a planner-Any type of project manager needs to be organized but this is especially essential for anyone who is working in a small business. The reason for this is simple-most small businesses have limited resources so a lack of planning runs the risk of wasting time, money, and other resources that most small businesses cannot afford to waste. An effective small business project manager will take the time to make a plan and set goals for any project that they want to achieve. The project manager will then communicate this to anyone who is working on the project so that the entire team can be focused on achieving the desired goal of the project for the small business.
- Be a troubleshooter-An effective small business project manager will need to know how to quickly solve problems that will come up. Your team will be looking to your for answers to the questions and problems that can occur when a project is underway. You will need to be prepared to deal with these problems or find the resources to help you in order to effectively manage projects within your small business.