By Marang Marekimane, founder and CEO of Business Process Mechanics
In my past life, as I like to call it, I was a project management consultant, mostly for banks. There’s a lot I miss about that life. For a while after I started my business, I did not want to miss it too much, in case I got sucked back in. I’m over it now.
One cannot deny the influence of the past on the present. Being a project manager taught me skills that have the greatest influence on how I manage the business. I’m convinced that this is what it takes to start working on your business, not in your business.
3 key things project management teaches you to:
Plan ahead
Whether it is a daily to-do list or you use a different tool, planning ahead helps you stay ahead. As long as you know what needs to be done, by whom and by when, you can prioritise your work and save yourself time.
Stop procrastinating
Most of us are hesitant to do anything when we don’t have the full picture. Once you have a plan, you have a picture of what’s in store for you. Meaning, you have no reason to procrastinate.
Adapt or adopt
When things do not go according to plan, you either need to adapt to the new circumstance or adopt a new strategy.
Not only will this approach add value as you grow your business. It is equally important when you do anything for your customers. For those in the services industry, it will be driven by the brief from the client, while delivering products depends on the target market.
From my experience, I’d say it is important for entrepreneurs to have good project management skills. Judging from the responses from previous workshops, people can improve their productivity just by planning ahead, implementing and adapting.
Marang Marekimane is the founder and CEO of Business Process Mechanics. You have a specialty, and she’s a specialist at finding tools to automate the business processes. Your vision and her expertise – there are opportunities to increase access to markets, reduce unemployment and scale your business. Website: bizprocessmechanics.co.za
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