💡 Whether you're a beginner or have years of experience, take stock regularly to strengthen your current qualities or develop new ones!
We interviewed 3 experts: Myriam, an independent project manager for 10 years; Debbie, founder of Devotion Events; and Vincent, director of Capdel.
Discover their advice and the qualities that seem essential to this profession. Enjoy the read! 🏆
Being a project manager is good, being a good project manager is better!
Competition among project managers is fierce. Perseverance and endurance are essential to make a place for yourself in this world. 💪
- Interpersonal skills: don't neglect your network, and take care of your contacts!
As you've probably guessed, the events world is fairly small, and contacts are very often the key to successful event design and organization. Listening skills and negotiation skills are also major elements for quality, lasting relationships. - Organization and anticipation: the key to managing your stress
A sense of organization and priorities is essential for managing both small and large events, but also for anticipating anything unexpected that might come up. Your stress management will thank you for it! Every new assignment is a new way to develop your organizational skills. Always aim to be better prepared than for your last event, and anticipate a little more each time. - Innovation, originality, creativity: think outside the box!
In the events industry, competition is fierce and every event is a new challenge to innovate and step outside your comfort zone. The variety of assignments allows for plenty of creative freedom, so don't hesitate, go for it and take risks! - Passion, yes, but watch the line between work and personal life!
Project manager is a job driven by passion that requires a lot of commitment and availability, sometimes to the point of blurring into your personal life. Learn to say stop sometimes and take breaks to protect your mental and physical health. - A leadership mindset: unite and motivate your team
As a project manager, you work in collaboration with various partners, but you're also the main point of contact between the client and the different teams responsible for delivering the event, so your leadership is essential for bringing motivation, positivity, and team cohesion! As a good leader, you guide the group toward a shared goal. A successful event is, above all, a united and dynamic team. - Be curious: always on the lookout for new trends!
Being curious and responsive to current events will help you quickly stand out from your competitors. Don't hesitate to keep a regular watch to stay up to date with the latest trends, and offer your clients modern and unique services. According to Vincent, "Your ability to bring ideas and your new skills will be real assets!" - Be yourself: your personality is a strength
Add your personal touch to your events! No one is you, no one is like you. But above all, no one knows you better than yourself, with your strengths and your weaknesses. For Debbie, your project reflects your personality: "Know how to be genuine and stay true to yourself from start to finish, while finding the right balance between self-confidence and humility.". - Choose your partnerships carefully: their quality is your responsibility
You're the main point of contact for your clients. They rely on you to choose reliable, high-quality, and honest partners! Take the time to discover and test services suited to your clients' needs before launching any project. Nothing is better received than your ability to recommend providers with impeccable service. Win-win partnerships guaranteed! - Trust is the foundation of every relationship: be reliable!
Your clients trust you and count on you in every situation to handle even the smallest details. Positive and thoughtful, you know how to adapt and reassure your clients whatever is at stake. Myriam's tip: "Commit 200% to your projects, even if that sometimes means taking on less rewarding tasks. Rest assured your clients will recommend you and stay loyal!" - Paperwork, budget: be comfortable with every task!
Estimating costs, evaluating prices, optimizing and tracking budgets and allowances, comparing providers' value for money, but also drafting or checking a contract's compliance, are all tasks the project manager needs to be comfortable with. A respected budget and contract are essential marks of professionalism. So go on, stop being afraid of numbers and administrative tasks!
Conclusion
As #EventProfs, you already know the events world, so you have a real head start on the new generations! 🌟
The event project manager profession evolves over the years and moves away from its old codes and conventions. Open to the world, to modernity and new trends, a whole range of possibilities is opening up for this role.
💪 So go for it, be yourselves and innovate!
