It is well-known that role of project managers goes way beyond meeting budgets and deadlines. Most importantly, being a PM is about leading a team to success, ensuring their motivation, and commitment to the project. The fact is, if the team fails on their tasks, the project outcome will probably reflect that.
In this article we point out some of the qualities shared by successful Project Managers.
A positive attitude
A positive attitude is half way to success. A PM needs to be optimistic to overcome challenges, or at least to avoid freaking out on every obstacle! If they do that, the team will be able to focus on resolving the issues and the other stakeholders can trust that the situation is under control.
Listening and communicating skills of project managers
In order to understand the project requirements and expectations, PM’s must be good listeners. They are the bridge between the team and the organization, so they have to communicate clearly about goals, responsibility, performance, expectations, and feedback. They must be honest and persuasive to both the stakeholders and the project team so they can complete the projects on time.
Delegator
Project managers have to show they are trustable and they trust their team. They do it to get to know the team’s personal strengths and abilities so they can bring out the best of them. A good sense of delegation is connected to an understanding of value delivery and helps to maintain its focus on the overall project and its performance.
Being a Cool-headed project manager
Project management is demanding work and project managers need to be able to keep calm when there is much work to do in little time. Instead of wanting to solve anything at once, it’s important to focus on one step at a time.
Problem solver and decision-maker
The secret behind every manager’s success is the ability to make quick and right decisions. No one will expect them to always have a ready-made solution to a problem; they must acknowledge the value of their team members and trust them when trying to find solutions.
The project managers: Multi-taskers
Project managers need to be organized people to be able to manage multiple tasks or projects in a limited time. Being well-organized helps to stay focused on the big picture and to prioritize responsibilities. To deal with organizational issues, the use of management software is recommended.
Team builder
A team builder is a strong person who provides the substance that holds the team together in common purpose toward a common goal. Project managers should understand how to get people working together, collaborating, and sharing ideas. After all, the project stakeholders will either fail together or succeed together.
Sometimes, project managers don’t naturally have the qualities mentioned above. Although these characteristics are critical to the success of a project, they can be developed and trained. It’s important they evaluate their own performance and have the will to improve.
