1) Know the strengths and weaknesses of your team. A good way to get started would be to identify each member’s strengths in terms of their communication skills, motivation, adaptability, experience, etc. Then think about the areas where you can better utilize your team members’ strengths. This strategy will ensure maximum efficiency from your team because it gives them free time to focus on other tasks without having to worry about answering phone calls or taking orders.

2) Think through things step by step. The biggest mistake people make when working on projects is thinking ahead of themselves instead of focusing on doing their jobs correctly at every given moment. Think back to our previous tip, and imagine that the customer asks you to solve a problem right now. As much as you’d like to say “yeah, I can fix this” and jump into action…you must actually finish solving the issue first before moving forward. You could also ask yourself: What would happen if I were unable to resolve the problem today? Would my customer still give me another chance to impress him/her tomorrow? How does it feel to lose a future opportunity to work with him/her again?

3) Set deadlines. It’s easy to overlook deadlines; however, many long-term project successes fail simply because the deadline was missed. When setting a deadline, make sure to keep the following points in mind: Understand the length of the deadline—and don’t set it too short! If you wait so long that you miss the deadline, you’ll most likely end up losing money and potentially damaging relationships with the customer. Also, remember that when the deadline is far away from today, it might be tempting for you to push off important decisions until later—but this only makes matters worse. Instead, try to anticipate all possible scenarios in advance and choose an option that leaves room for mistakes.

4) Set a timeline. By setting a timeline, you’ll have something to measure against. Keep in mind that the timeline should not exceed two months, as after that point the likelihood of long-term project success fades significantly. Have milestones for each step of the process.

5) Have a plan B. Long-term projects often last longer than expected. So even though you’re committed to completing a task according to your original schedule, unexpected circumstances may arise during the course of the project. That’s why you always need to have a fallback plan. 

6) Communicate effectively. Effective communication between teammates can increase collaboration and productivity throughout a project. But what happens when you don’t communicate, do conflict resolution poorly, or just plain forget how to effectively convey messages? One of the best ways to avoid these issues is to build strong interpersonal relationships before starting any major project. If you’ve been friends with your teammate for a while, that won’t hurt either.

7) Be ready to deal with setbacks. Every project has its share of obstacles. Sometimes those hurdles are minor, and sometimes they are more significant. Regardless of the type, a setback doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve failed. In fact, most successful projects overcome one or more setbacks along the way. Before launching a new project, you’ll probably discover several things you didn’t know about the job. This is normal, as learning requires trial and error. Simply accept each challenge as a learning opportunity, rather than letting it stop you in your tracks.

8) Identify potential problems early on. In order to prepare for all eventualities, you need to know what’s going to prevent you from being able to successfully complete a particular task. Many times we underestimate these challenges, but missing even small details can lead to disaster. Therefore, it’s highly recommended that you review each aspect of the project thoroughly before beginning. Identify any potential roadblocks that may hinder success—as well as solutions for each problem. And once you identify these pitfalls, create a list of alternative options to ensure that you stay true to your initial idea.

9) Keep track of meetings. No matter how organized you think you are, time slips through your hands without notice. However, keeping track of all scheduled meetings will help you manage time better and focus on the right priorities. Not only that, but meeting notes will let you remember certain details that you may have otherwise forgotten. To ease the pain caused by forgetting meetings, use a digital calendar. The app will remind you about upcoming deadlines and milestones, as well as allow you to easily add important information and edit past entries.

10) Stay positive. As mentioned earlier, attitude plays a huge role in determining whether someone succeeds with a particular project. In other words, if you hope to succeed, then you need to start acting like a winner. A good example would be thinking positively every day, not taking anything personally, and avoiding drama. When you become unhappy or negative, take a step back and try to see your situation objectively. It could be possible that there’s nothing wrong—that you simply have unrealistic expectations. Learn to separate yourself from your emotions so you can remain calm and rational in situations where you feel threatened, angry, disappointed, etc.

Managing a long-term project is not easy. In fact, it is one of the most difficult things that a manager can be tasked with. If you are managing a long-term project, it is vitally important to manage the quality of your deliverables and the communication with your team. By utilizing these tips for long-term projects, you can be sure that your project will be a success.

Good Luck!