Do I Just Follow Up with People for a Living?

I read a Reddit post this week from a project manager who’s frustrated by spending half their time trying to get their teams to make updates in project management software, only to end up having to get most of the information from these people in meetings and make the updates in the software themselves anyway. They hate that they feel like a “professional nagger.”

I totally get this. I spend plenty of time on similar activities. I often joke that I follow up with people for a living. But after almost 9 years managing projects, it doesn’t bother me so much anymore. Here’s why:

1. I pride myself in doing whatever it takes to get project goals met.

Project management takes such a wide variety of skills and competencies—solving problems, deconstructing goals, asking probing questions, paying attention to many details, navigating software, persuading executives, navigating conflicts, and much more. It’s because we can do all these things that we’re good at shepherding any big, important project goal into reality. It’s my favorite superpower.

Sometimes we can best shepherd project goals into reality by doing menial tasks. While the task may not be fun, the ability to choose and use the right tool at the right time feels like an advanced skill, even if the task (like following up) is simple. And either the project goal itself, or my ability to puzzle-solve my way to making it happen, gives a menial task greater meaning for me.

This doesn’t mean I do anything to meet a project goal—I won’t break laws, I won’t tolerate extended disrespect or toxic work environments, I won’t take advantage of coworkers, etc. But any legal and healthy pathway to achieving a project goal is potentially a solution I can creatively harness.

2. If they don’t prioritize using standard company software, a lot of that is on their boss, not me.

Everyone faces many demands and requests at work, and they have to sort them into priorities and noise. At the end of the day, people tend to focus on what their boss tells them is important. If they aren’t getting the message from their boss—in words, by example, whatever—that engaging with project software matters, I’ll always be at a disadvantage in trying to get a coworker to do so.

This doesn’t make my job easier, but it at least keeps me from blaming myself for the problem. If I can’t convince a person to engage with a process or with software, it might not mean I’m doing something wrong.

3. I do have the ability to influence them to use the software by showing them the value of doing so.

Most companies who have project software have it for a good reason. It is meant to achieve one or more goals—streamline project communication, store information in a central location, achieve more projects with less staff time, etc.

While I can’t replace the messaging from a person’s boss, I can appeal to these goals—which generally have direct benefits for staff. If I can help people see how using project software makes their job easier (ideally) or other people’s jobs easier (if needed), that’s the opportunity for me to build traction on their usage.

Often this involves an empathetic conversation about why they aren’t using the software, what the obstacles are, etc. And often I can find a way to reduce their obstacles. If not, at least they feel heard, and I can point back to how their use of the software helps the company or a coworker.

I would never minimize a project manager’s feelings about having to follow up with people so much, or about having to do something that should be the responsibility of others. But for me, keeping the above ideas in mind certainly takes the edge off.

P.S.: If you’re struggling to get any project information at all from your teams, check out my blog “Can’t Get Project Status Updates?”