These 5 tips will give you a head start:
Be honest
Always be totally honest and upfront with your customer right from the start. Tell them if their project is not feasible or if you don't have all of the resource, money and time needed to deliver it successfully from the outset. Set their expectations by telling them what you will deliver and by when. And if it eventuates that you can't deliver on your promises, then tell them about it immediately. By having an "open book" policy, you'll gain your customer's trust. If you involve them early enough, they will be more supportive for your project.
Manage through delegation
Managers often fall into the trap of believing that they can do things more efficiently than staff. Of course in many cases they might be right, but the problem is that they don't have the time to do everything themselves. So a smart manager always tries to delegate as much as possible to staff. It gives them the time needed to monitor the project and support their team. It's a tough ask, but even if you know you can do a task more efficiently than others, delegate whenever you can anyway.
Expect the unexpected
Always expect things to change and be ready for it when it occurs. People have ideas, your customer may want changes and the industry and technology change over time as well. It's not the change that's important, it's how you react to the change that counts. Always embrace change, but be wary of it. Question every change request and only when you're certain it's for the best, then implement it.
Become a great leader
When you save time by delegating your tasks, you have free time for leading and motivating your team. Do this by regularly communicating the project vision to your team, rewarding them for progress and recognizing their achievements. Gain their respect by showing them you care. Build team spirit by taking them to lunch regularly and talking about what they achieved together.
Work smart, not hard
Never start from scratch.
