Being
a project manager can be a very challenging and rewarding job, actually it can
be a number of challenging jobs all rolled into one. This is because there are many
facets to the project, such as initiation, planning execution, controlling and
the project closure. Even more difficult, at times, the project manager
may have a team delegated and is not afforded the opportunity to choose who
should be included.
There are a number of skills a
project manager needs to portray in order to be successful, there are the obvious
ones such as technical, business and management skills, but there are also soft
skills which are required. Project managers don’t only deal with governance,
processes and systems but there is the human factor to consider. It can be said
that to be a successful project manager, building and maintaining strong
relationships across the organisation is a requirement.
There are many other aspects
necessary in the project manager’s arsenal to ensure they keep on top of the
daily challenge and are successful in their careers. In short there are a
number of necessary skills a project manager must have in order to be
successful; the following are just a few.
Leadership
As a project manager you’re
responsible not only for seeing the project through to a successful completion,
but you’re leading a team to achieve that goal. This requires you to motivate
and mediate when necessary. Remember that project leadership comes
in different styles, one of which will suit your personality. It’s more than
managing tasks; it’s managing people.
Communication
Effective leadership can only
work if points can be articulated well, that is being able to communicate with
the team for task allocation. To achieve this clear communication with vendors,
contractors to stakeholders and customers is needed. This can be achieved through reporting
tools, collaboration via chat, file sharing, and other means to tag discussions
at the task level, both systems should be in place to facilitate
communications. These tools also help connect people one-to-one and in group
settings, such as meetings and presentations.
Scheduling
It is
essential for a project manager to understand, create and interpret project
schedules. The only way to achieve the milestones of the project within the timeframe
that has been decided is to breakdown those milestones into tasks on a
timeline. That’s scheduling, and it’s the heart of what a project manager does:
setting up a realistic schedule and then managing the resources to keep on
track so the project can be successfully concluded on time. There are many
tools that can help with this process, the main one being Gantt Charts which
provides a visual of the schedule with tasks, duration, dependencies, resource
allocation and milestones.
Risk Management
Planning a
project, regardless of size has an associated element of risk. It’s part of the
job to see those issues before they become problems. Therefore, before
executing the project, its identification, access and control must be
considered. The more a risk can be managed, the more likely the project is
going to succeed. During the life of a project unexpected risks can eventuate,
this is normal, to alleviate the impact of the risk a process should be in
place to handle those when they come up.
Cost Management
Financials
is a very important part of any project, as nothing can be delivered without an
allocated budget. Ensure the budget is realistic and can meet the financial
needs of the project, and, secondly, controlling those costs through the
execution of the project. There are normally constraints applied to any
project, understanding how to squeeze out every cent of those funds is a great
skill to have.
Negotiating
The ability to negotiate, considered part of
communication, hence why being able to communicate on all levels is a must have
skill. Regardless negotiating has its own place; it is more than just trying to
obtain the best price from a vendor or contractor. Negotiating the scope,
timeframe and budget from the stakeholder is just as important. To some degree
the need for diplomacy is also needed, so all parties involved have a sense of
satisfaction on the outcome. Having strong negotiating skills can resolve disputes before they blow up and
threaten the project.
Critical Thinking
Avoid being
reactive should an issue arise, critical thinking is being as objective as possible
when analysing and evaluating an issue or situation. Forming an unbiased
judgement, avoiding acting on emotions or from perceived knowledge. Problems
can occur from anywhere at any time when working on a project, understanding
how to be impartial during decision making can only assist with the project.
Task Management
A project is
made up of many different tasks, which need creation, resource assignment and
managing, this goes hand in hand with scheduling. Mismanagement of this process
can severely impact a projects success. Composing a to-do list is normally
beneficial, where complexity can be added as tasks are identified. Using tools
to manage these tasks more efficiently features in your task management
tool that foster team collaboration, help with prioritization and provides instant status updates when tasks have been completed or
are running behind.
Quality Management
Quality
Management shouldn’t be overlooked, as it relates to the ability to oversee
activities and tasks. Which are required to deliver a product or service as
indicated in the project scope. Staying on schedule is important, but that
schedule is pointless if it produces something that is subpar.
Ability to smile
Project
management can be a stressful profession, the ability to take a breath and
smile provides a different perspective on the job, people and issues. It can
relieve stress and tension, when lifted can enable smarter actions, ideas and
lift morale. Avoiding a stifling environment can get the best from the delivery
team. As the leader, the project manager can set or at least influence the
culture of the workplace, a lighter mood can remove tension from the work
place.
Having the
right tools available can enhance skillset and make the project team more
efficient and productive. Projectmanagmentcompanion.com has tools available
which help schedule, manage tasks, budgets and team collaboration. Try one of
the tools for yourself by taking a free 30 day trial.
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