There are a lot of ways to go about getting project management training, but what is the best way? I've had experience with both on-line and on-site coursework, but I think the best way is to obtain an online course.
You see, it's very easy to get into the field, and very hard work to stay on the job. Everyone has heard the saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and it certainly holds true here. While one great idea might help a little, you should never feel like you have to turn up every single day to attend a training session.
The best way to stay focused is to have one main goal - to continue to do your best and keep up on-going training. In addition, you should always be setting goals for yourself and your team, and then actually achieving them.
An excellent example of the effectiveness of project management training comes from a customer that was suffering in a series of down market quarters. Due to the fact that the company had recently cut costs, some core department positions were lost, the budget to hire new employees was eliminated, and most of the available staff members were laid off. This all happened in just a few short months.
Since this was a successful small business, the need for another person in the same capacity had to be discovered. The new employee was presented with a contract, and for the past few months, he or she had been working closely with the current crew, performing various tasks related to the production process.
This new employee is one of the people who learned about project management training, as they were one of the initial participants in the program. He or she had been able to quickly get the hang of the software package, and he or she started to manage their own time and their own projects.
Since their learning about project management training, their team has begun to see a substantial drop in their paperwork and daily tasks. This is because each person is assigned their own specific task, instead of being expected to juggle a multitude of smaller ones. After a short while, the team has begun to work more efficiently, and a bit more profit is being generated than they ever expected.
It's this type of experience, which can only come from observing and learning on an individual level. It's this personal interaction which makes every project, every hour, one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have.
Now, imagine having the confidence and knowledge to become a great project manager, with years of experience under your belt. I'm talking about being able to deal with people in their entirety - no matter how upset they get, regardless of their faults or shortcomings.
Now, while this might sound like the basic way to go about getting project management training, remember that no training can teach you how to be a team player. This requires a certain amount of self-control, to the point where you will be disciplined enough to recognize when someone isn't doing their job properly.
However, if you would simply ask the hard-working employee to do what's necessary to the project, and just wait patiently until the next time, and then reward them for their efforts, they'll begin to appreciate what they're doing, and the work they're doing. It's the one thing that they'll be able to count on throughout the course of the project, without anyone reminding them to do a certain amount of paperwork.
Project management training is important, but it must never take precedence over being a team player. That is the key to achieving success in the long run.