In this episode of Project Mentor Pro, we are thrilled to have Tina Briggs, a seasoned project professional, who shares her journey from an analyst role to becoming a project manager. Tina provides valuable insights into the importance of the project coordination role, key skills needed for transitioning into project management, and how she navigated the challenges in IT project coordination. She offers advice for those looking to break into the industry and reflects on how her experiences prepared her for leadership.

Key Takeaways:

1. Project Coordination Role: Tina started in project coordination in 2021, supporting project managers by handling multiple projects simultaneously and making sure everything ran smoothly.
2. Key Responsibilities: Tina's day-to-day tasks included managing emails, keeping projects on track, preparing documentation, and setting up meetings.
3. Challenges Faced: One of the biggest challenges in her coordinator role was ensuring that tasks were completed on time without having direct authority, knowing when to escalate issues, and managing communications across various stakeholders.
4. Transition to Project Management: Tina transitioned into project management by mastering time management, learning how to influence and motivate others, and improving her leadership skills.
5. Advice for Aspiring Project Managers: Tina emphasizes the importance of transparency, emotional intelligence, and communication. She advises aspiring project managers to speak with professionals already in the field and to recognize that project management is all about orchestrating tasks and people effectively.

Memorable Quotes:

• "My goal was to make the project manager's job as easy as possible."
• "Emotional intelligence is critical because if you're anxious, it flows down to your team."
• "Project management is project management. You don't need to know the details—you just need to know how to push things forward."