Many PMs like myself have other responsibilitiesthat put us on the road. This week I have some tips for managing projects on the run

#1 - When on the road try to schedule meetings so that you can have an hour at the ebginning or end of the day to check in

#2 - Take advantage of time differences.I live in eastern time so when in the midwest I can call people at 7 AM which is 8 AM back home

#3 - Before leaving for a trip assign project team members to cover various items for you in advance. This helps keep things moving forward

#4 - Set expectations for when the team should handle issues and when they must get a hold of you.

#5 - Don't cancel team or status meetings while you are gone. If you can't run the meeting remotely assign someone to conduct the meeting.

#6 - Let the team know how often you will be able to check voice mail and email so they have an idea of how quickly you can respond

#7 - Smart phones are a great way to get emails and documents on the run. Adding apps such as Docs to Go and evernote can really help.

#8 - Encourage the team to text you if necessary. You can often glance at a text in a meeting which lets you know if you need to call back

#9 - Prepare status reports and update the project plan before you leave. This will make sure the team has the latest ones.

#10 - Use dropbox or a memory stick to keep copies of the project plan and other artifacts with you so you can refer to them on the road