Book excerpt: The fast and easy way to perfect your project management skills Whatever your profession, effective project management skills are crucial to developing a successful business career. In Project Management Essentials For Dummies, you'll find all the information and guidance you need to plan your projects with confidence and deliver them on time. This comprehensive resource will help you unlock the keys to project management success, gain the know-how to assess your strengths and weaknesses to maximise your project management potential, find proven ways to motivate your project team, and so much more. In today's challenging business environment, professionals are increasingly working within tight timeframes and constricted budgets, and striving to deliver projects under a range of high-pressure scenarios. Thankfully, Project Management Essentials For Dummies shows you how to put out the fires igniting your workspace and explains how easy it is to organise, estimate and schedule projects more efficiently. In no time, you'll be managing deliverables, assessing risks, maintaining communications, making the most of your resources and utilising time-saving technologies like a project management ninja! Understand how to develop your plans around a sturdy structure — from start to finish Discover how to select the right people and get the very best from your team Recognise ways to take control and steer your projects to success Get up to speed on mastering the basics of project management If you're a business professional looking to take your project management skills to new heights — but don't want to get bogged down with forehead-scratching jargon and complex methodologies — Project Management Essentials For Dummies has everything you need to get up and running fast.