I have just recently embarked on independent consulting gigs. I'm not new to project management. I've been managing projects for about 15 years on the United States West coast. But, launching as a brand new consultant, I suddenly feel insufficient. I know how to manage projects and have done so successfully for years, but today I was approached by a government agency, potentially the biggest project I have taken on. How do you get past this feeling that you aren't enough? Saving Changes...
Sort By:
Shalamar LawrenceOwner| Shalamar SolutionsRaleigh, Nc, United States
Your validity as a PM shouldn't come from your feelings or emotions.
Your confidence should always be rooted in your knowledge of yourself and your capabilities. The questions to ask yourself, is not am I good enough or do I deserve this but rather can I deliver what is required of me concerning the requirements of my client or sponsor. If the answer is "Yes", then confidently do what you know you can, wich is to render an acceptable deliverable. Get out of your head and go get em!
...
1 reply by Sarmad Azhar
Oct 08, 2022 9:47 AM
Sarmad Azhar
...
Well if you don't believe that you are enough then how will you ever believe? Belief, Faith, and Hope are all inanimate items that can not be taken away from you unless you allow them to. You are ALWAYS enough!
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
You have to anchor yourself down. Sometimes a to-do list is sufficient to stop worrying about the totality and to give you something to focus your concentration.
...
1 reply by Sarmad Azhar
Oct 08, 2022 9:49 AM
Sarmad Azhar
...
The first part of your project is your mind being prepared to accomplish the goal. You would not be in a position to complete a project if you couldn't do it.
Accept the feeling, and then prove it wrong. Worrying about it will only make it worse. If you think it's "potentially the biggest project I have taken on", I'm guessing there are some unknowns you still need to figure out. Unknowns can be overwhelming and make us question our abilities. You already know how to figure out unknowns. Quantify them. Understand the source of what you're feeling and make a plan for how to address it.
Becoming a consultant is something I've thought about - probably in about three years. I'd love to hear more about your journey into consulting. Saving Changes...
My advice is: Learn to become comfortable being uncomfortable.
Early in my career, I was assigned to become our resident expert in a subject where I had no experience and shared your feelings. When I explained my lack of knowledge to my manager, I was told nobody in org had experience either so I had to become the closest thing to a SME we had.
My solution was to dive in, learn the subject, listen and ask questions and build my knowledge on the job. Before long I was able to obtain good results, even if I wasn't highly proficient in the knowledge area. At that point, the anxiety greatly decreased.
Over time I've been thrown into the deep end on many types of problems. I can still get anxious, but employing emotional intelligence I know why and that I can get through it by trusting my problem solving ability and ability at getting up to speed quickly on new subjects. I now literally have patents involving things I can't even spell, but could understand well enough at the time to explain to the patent attorneys.
Good luck in the new venture! Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
If you're fully comfortable with what is required of you you are probably under-employed. Whether in sports, personal or professional advancement you need to be challenged to succeed, you need to stretch to reach. You should have a process by now - accept, listen, watch, research, learn, do, measure, analyse, improve. Believe in the cycle of continuous improvement, apply it to yourself. Saving Changes...
Your validity as a PM shouldn't come from your feelings or emotions.
Your confidence should always be rooted in your knowledge of yourself and your capabilities. The questions to ask yourself, is not am I good enough or do I deserve this but rather can I deliver what is required of me concerning the requirements of my client or sponsor. If the answer is "Yes", then confidently do what you know you can, wich is to render an acceptable deliverable. Get out of your head and go get em!
Well if you don't believe that you are enough then how will you ever believe? Belief, Faith, and Hope are all inanimate items that can not be taken away from you unless you allow them to. You are ALWAYS enough! Saving Changes...
You have to anchor yourself down. Sometimes a to-do list is sufficient to stop worrying about the totality and to give you something to focus your concentration.
The first part of your project is your mind being prepared to accomplish the goal. You would not be in a position to complete a project if you couldn't do it. Saving Changes...
Community Champion
