Tips for Conducting Tech Project Status Updates

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

Project managers, your stakeholder's time is your budget Every email. Every slide deck. Every meeting invite. It all costs them attention. And just like money, attention is limited. If you flood them with noise, you dilute your influence. If you curate with intention, you build trust. Protect your stakeholders' attention while maximizing your impact. Here's how: ✅ Cut the fluff Status updates should not be a novel. Get to the point in the first sentence. What's changed, what's next, what's needed. Give more detail below if they want to get more context (optional). ✅ Match the medium to the message Not every update needs a meeting. Not every decision needs a 20-slide deck. Right-size your communication to boost value. ✅ Give them the headline, not the transcript Execs don't have time to sift through details. Give them the distilled version that helps them act. Tip: tailor your communication to each leader based on what they need to know. ✅ Use their language Translate team jargon into terms they care about. Risk, cost, value, timeline, next steps. ✅ End with clarity Every touchpoint should answer: "what do you need from me?" If nothing, say that too (and cancel the touchpoint). Protect your stakeholders' attention. So that you can earn more of it. 🤙

🚀 Too Many Programs to Track and Too Little Time: Efficiently Managing Multiple Technical Projects! 📈 As a Technical Program Manager, juggling numerous programs simultaneously is a challenging yet exciting part of our role. However, with so much on our plate, efficiently gathering status updates, tracking progress, and effectively communicating with stakeholders can become daunting. Here are key tips to master these tasks and drive success in your technical projects! 💼💻 1. Gathering Status Updates: 📊 1️⃣ Automate Reporting: Utilize project management tools to automate status reporting with dynamic dashboards and real-time notifications. 🔄 2️⃣ Standardize Reporting Templates: Implement standardized templates for status updates to ensure consistency across programs. 📝 3️⃣ Establish Clear Reporting Cadence: Set up regular status update meetings with team leads for timely communication. 🗓️ 2. Tracking Progress: 🎯 1️⃣ Use Project Management Tools: Invest in robust software offering comprehensive tracking capabilities, such as Gantt charts and Kanban boards. 🛠️ 2️⃣ Set Milestones and Deadlines: Break projects into smaller milestones with clear deadlines to monitor progress and identify potential bottlenecks. 🏁 3️⃣ Regularly Assess Risks and Mitigations: Stay proactive in risk management by regularly evaluating potential risks and developing mitigation plans. 🔎 3. Communicating to Stakeholders: 🗣️ 1️⃣ Adapt Your Message: Tailor your communication style for different stakeholders, providing executive summaries for leadership and technical details for development teams. 📜 2️⃣ Use Visuals: Harness the power of data visualization with charts, graphs, and infographics to convey complex information concisely. 📊📈 3️⃣ Be Transparent and Honest: Foster trust with stakeholders by keeping them informed about progress, challenges, and potential risks. 🔍💬 4️⃣ Schedule Regular Updates: Set up regular meetings or emails to keep stakeholders in the loop with consistent communication. Remember, Not everyone requires daily updates, but most can't wait for a quarterly update! 🗓️📨 Embrace these strategies to optimize your approach to gathering updates, tracking progress, and communicating effectively. You've got this! 🌟🚀 #TechnicalProgramManager #ProjectManagement #Efficiency #StakeholderCommunication #ProgramTracking #Leadership

The Project Status Report That Saves Time (And Your Sanity) Ever spent more time writing a project status report than actually managing the project? Yeah, me too. Until I found the 15/5 Rule—a simple approach that changed how I communicate project updates. ✅ 15 Minutes to Write ✅ 5 Minutes to Read That’s it. No fluff, no endless paragraphs—just clear, actionable updates that stakeholders actually read. Here’s How It Works: 1️⃣ Start with the Big Picture → What’s the project’s current status? (On track, at risk, or off track?) 2️⃣ Highlight Key Updates → What changed since the last update? What’s completed, in progress, or delayed? 3️⃣ Call Out the Risks → What’s keeping you up at night? What needs attention before it becomes a bigger issue? 4️⃣ List Next Steps → What’s happening next, and who needs to take action? Why It Works: 🔹 Respects everyone’s time—concise, to the point, and actionable. 🔹 Builds trust—stakeholders don’t feel lost in unnecessary details. 🔹 Keeps YOU focused—no more over-explaining, just leading. A well-structured status report shouldn’t feel like another project in itself. Try the 15/5 approach. Your future self (and your stakeholders) will thank you. Do you have a go-to structure for project reporting? Drop it in the comments! 👇 🔔 Follow Craig for an exploration of project management and more. ♻️ Repost to help others.

As a Chief of Staff, status updates are part of the job—but making them clear, concise, and actionable is easier said than done. That’s why I love the 3️⃣𝗣𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀. It’s a framework shared with me by a former Chief of Staff at Lyft, and it’s become my go-to for delivering updates that cut through the noise and keep everyone aligned. ✨ 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟯𝗣𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: 1️⃣ Keep it concise: 5 bullets max per P, with no more than 3 lines per bullet. 2️⃣ Make it contextual: Provide enough detail, but avoid jargon or acronyms. 3️⃣ Clickable links: Ensure permissions are set and links work. 4️⃣ Customer-focused: Frame updates in terms of your end-user or goal. 5️⃣ Be constructive: For problems, include actionable next steps. Using the 3Ps ensures that stakeholders get exactly what they need—without getting bogged down by unnecessary details. 📹 Check out the video for a full breakdown of how to implement the 3Ps effectively. If you want more templates like this, join our Ask a Chief of Staff community! 👋 Hi, I’m Clara, and I post daily about the Chief of Staff role. 🔔Follow me for more tips and tricks!