To the coordinators out there wondering what is next…
After a few years of learning as a project coordinator (PC), I’ve earned my promotion to PM! In my first six months, I’ve noticed some big changes in my influence and responsibility. However, curiosity is what I keep coming back to as the magic that drives project success.
As a PC, my role was supportive, skill-building, and learning-oriented. I practiced the mechanics of the PM role while observing project events, leadership styles, and project methodologies in action. Stepping into the PM role meant taking all those learnings and applying them. The shift in responsibility was welcome and expected, but came with some anxiety. Suddenly it felt like I was responsible for knowing everything and I didn’t want to let the team down.
Throughout that transition period, I learned to cut out the noise. I focused what the team needed from me instead of becoming a database of dates. I’ve learned the role is less about having all the answers and more about leveraging project knowledge to drive conversations, increase visibility, and strengthen collaboration.
My first PM win was approaching one of our cross-commit teams when I noticed tensions were running high. There had been several instances of confusion and frustration. I asked the team, “How can we improve our collaboration and minimize confusion between our workstreams?” Using a curious-first mindset, I pushed the conversation deeper. “Is there a communication channel missing here?” and “Do we need more structure to these meetings?” After hearing input directly from the team, we were able to problem-solve together. It felt collaborative and customized to what the team needed instead of relying on my own assumptions to create solutions.
Another time I got curious was when the project was undergoing a high volume of scope changes. The team was nervous something would fall through the cracks. I asked, “How can we keep everyone in sync without getting too bogged down in the weeds?” This prompted me to create a blocker dashboard and refine it with the team to drive conversation and surface blockers. I don’t know every blocker that is out there, but I can create communication channels and tools to help every member of the team talk in the same language. Seeing this scenario play out, I’ve started to wonder, what else can I be curious about?
I know I’ve only been in the role for six months, but this shift is exactly what I needed to reignite that spark of curiosity. It’s a mindset that lets me make mistakes and wonder what I can do to improve next time. Becoming more curious is the biggest change I’ve experienced as I evolve into a project leader. So shout out to all the PCs getting ready for their opportunity to lead. Stay curious!
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