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The all-encompassing position of
projects director can seem like a stressful position from outside the
automotive industry. Indeed, the number of tasks performed on a daily basis
by project directors may seem insurmountable. Projects directors need to
attend meetings with designers, plant professionals, and others in the
automotive industry to plan out various projects. As well, these directors
need to speak with executives and others in high level management to stay
accountable on new vehicle lines and other projects. Finally, projects
directors need to oversee a number of tasks from concept to completion,
which requires a laser-like focus.
As such, projects directors need to be able to organise themselves
effectively. However, simply organising the desktop and cleaning out
computer file folders frequently won’t get it done. Projects directors need
to maintain a strong organisational structure and an updated schedule in
order to exceed expectations in the automotive field.
There are a few
ways in which projects directors can manage their time in order to achieve
success.
The first step towards managing time is to keep appointments short. Projects
directors should not be fooled by the usual half hour slots that computer
scheduling software allows. Automotive directors benefit in several ways
from cutting their meeting times in half or in thirds. Projects managers,
designers, and engineers need to keep their proposals and issues concise,
disallowing any filler or wasted time. As well, more appointments can be fit
in around longer meetings, making the daily schedule more flexible.
In addition to cutting down appointment times, projects directors also need
to establish quick huddles with their managers and professionals. These
huddles, in lieu of regular sit down meetings, allow the projects management
staff to get together quickly and go over any daily issues that may arise.
As well, board rooms and long conference tables make it difficult to
establish a rapport between directors and their subordinates. Impromptu
forums for projects staff mean an opportunity to catch up a bit and develop
stronger communications.
Finally, projects directors need to learn how to prioritise their various
tasks effectively. The simple way of prioritising projects is to look at the
due dates or “drop dead” dates on a project. However, several projects may
be required immediately, which means that these projects may need to be done
simultaneously. Delegation of projects management to their subordinates can
help directors on some level. However, projects directors need to look at
the overall profitability of a project in order to determine its priority
level.
About
the Author: Richard
Taylor Edwards is the Managing Director of Talisman Executive, a specialist
recruitment agency for
construction careers and
construction jobs in the UK and Europe. |
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