What are the top three characteristics of a successful project manager?

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Introduction to Qualities of a Project Manager
Qualities of a Project Manager
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Introduction to Qualities of a Project Manager

The following article provides an outline for Qualities of a Project Manager. What makes a project successful? The answer is the project manager, an effective project manager. All the projects are unique in their own ways and constrained by varying requirements, which often change throughout the project cycle. The need for enhancement in the competitive and challenging scenario and development of the company is projected directly with the success of the number of projects in the organization. The project managers are direct representatives for the growth factor. The performance of the project manager is calculated by the potential competencies they possess. The multidisciplinary nature of project management demands a wide variety of competencies and qualities from the project managers.

The project manager is the driver for the project, and it is his responsibility to lead the project to the success path only. While taking the project, the project manager will deal with different challenges- it can be technical, or human resources, or some conceptual problem, also some unpredictable problem can come up during the project cycle, so project managers should be confident and experienced enough to respond and act for a solution at a time to save delay time for the project. The project manager is responsible for delivering the project to the client within the constraints of cost, schedule, quality, and safety requirements. The overall performance, whether it be quality or productivity, is associated with the management process and business practices.

Qualities of a Project Manager

Here are some of the amazing qualities of a Project manager:

1. Learning and Adapting to Change

Project managers are special individuals who have the vision and strong confidence with a high level of self-motivation towards their work. Project managers are not born with this quality; they train themselves with technical knowledge and develop soft skills while indulging to several activities throughout. They prepare themselves with quality education (can be international education for today’s scenario) and take initial steps with experience in the field over the years; the experience teaches them every single detail related to projects. The project managers are regularly learning to keep themselves updated with the latest technology and new skills demanded in the market, which makes them smarter managers of today’s era. This quality keeps individuals aware of updated technology that they can make use of fast processing.

2. Managing People

The management style has changed over the years from the traditional style, which was more focused on managing things, to the new style, which let managers focus on managing people. This change in management style let the manager focus on management rather than on issues, the human resource (team) can feel more of learning (guidance/ coaching) than control on them by the manager. Control decreases productivity by some percent, but guidance (leadership) will increase productivity. Project management now is working with a different approach; it focuses on managing resources, keeping schedules, and achieving goals.

Maintaining people(team) on track is the biggest achievement for the manager; this process can provide a picture of success or failure for the project. To manage people, good leadership is required; dictatorship (control) may lead to team disturbed and out of interest, which is one of the reasons for the delay or even failure of the project. The human resources management is carried out through different resource planning, integrating new recruitment, selecting the best candidate, job analysis, remuneration, performance assessment, fulfilling personal needs, and importantly, providing training for missing skills. The demand for a competent manager with the necessary skills is higher.

3. Competency

Competency is the must-have success factor today (also for the future). The meaning of competency differs from person to person; it is generated based on the nature of the project. One common meaning of competency as defined is- “ability to mobilize, integrate, and transfer knowledge, skills, and resources to reach or surpass the configured performance in work assignments, adding economic and social value to the organization and the individual”.

The project management competency is the potential of the manager which keep the development within the constraints of cost, schedule, quality, and safety. Competence is the mixture of knowledge, experience, and personal attitude, where knowledge and experience related to the function of the project, and attitude is related to behavior. The competencies are- “the characteristics of a manager, which lead to the demonstration of skills and abilities which result in effective performance within an occupational area”. It combines specific knowledge, skills, abilities, characteristics, and behavior that enhance job performance. Better the competency, better the performance; these are directly dependent terms. The manager must be consistent with the policies throughout the project cycle to attain a better result.

The project manager competency requires a good amount of practice and the potential of the individual, in addition to knowledge(deep) about the project. The manager should have the caliber to maintain the project management cycle from start to end, which can lead him to deliver the project within the deadline and with correct requirements. The project manager can run a check to identify competencies needed in the project, which he can later turn to achieve all the relatable competencies before leading the project.

4. Communication

The manager can solve several issues by making engaging communication and motivation. The manager should clearly communicate with the team about the requirements and deadline of the project. The better the communication, the better is engaging power; if the team can engage with the project and the manager, they can make a good piece of the project.

5. Emotional Intelligence (EI)

is the most factor, which only good leaders talk about. EI is the ability of the manager to understand the emotions and react in a certain way. Normally projects are for humans, and human has emotions so, it is the new thing to work for the real world for once and all. If the manager can understand the EI of the team, he can react that way to individuals in the team and make the maximum use of their strong skills.

6. Risk Factor

The manager must be very clear about what is demanded? When is demanded? And how can he full fill the demand! And should be prepared about the risks coming up to the timeline because active management works well; reactive is just not acceptable for this competitive world. The manager must give up his comfort zone; if he stays, he can never follow/ search for a new method, a risk-taking factor is needed.

7. Leadership

Leadership is not only the quality, but this is also the responsibility of the manager to get the work done by making the right use of its resources. Leadership is defined with the behavioral aspect, which leads to the success of the project for the organization, as well as personal interest plays an important role.

8. Flexibility

Project managers who pass flexibility throughout their leadership style offer good value to the project when compared to strict ones. leadership is not only about being good, but it should be authoritative also while assigning tasks.

9. Influence

Managers who can influence the team are always praised. If the manager has the quality to influence people, that can put up a positive attitude of the people and build trust in the manager; this always results in good and project is successful.

10. Open for Questions

Questions arise after doubts; if the manager can arrange a session for questions before starting the project (preferably during the initial phase), it can add up possibilities of success, everybody will have clarity about what is demanded. Team members can also ask about what style of working will be good for this project; clarity in the process is good to have for a successful project.

11. Soft Skills

Soft skills will help the manager at every stage of the project. The manager can connect at times with the team. A well-spoken and soft reactive person is always in demand. The manager should keep calm in hard situations; that is the only way to keep the team in control.

12. Breakthrough Office Politics

Office politics is something which can not be avoided; if the manager is capable enough to manage this part, he can make maximum out of the employees. The manager must be fair with the work, which will help him to get the best team based on skills, not based on politics. The manager can assign a task based on the best skill one has for the project. The project manager should treat their team in a good way; he should give credit for success to the team also and always stand in front to take responsibility for the failure of the project, which makes him a good leader and a good manager.