The Most Wanted Project Manager Skills

The Most Wanted Project Manager Skills

To be a good Project Manager, following main skills are required: 

1. Leadership:

It is a priority for staff recruiters. They will look for a born leader who can order everyone's work and influence the rest of the employees in a natural way, so that it encourages them to do their best to achieve the goals of the company or organization. According to the Project Management Institute, 66% of interviewers expect to find leadership traits in applicants.

2. Negotiation:

Exceptional leadership skills combined with a strategic, business-oriented mind will put you high on the list of applicants. Knowing how to negotiate is essential both to deal with the people in your charge, as to sell the project or establish business relationships with third parties.

3. Communication:

Successful projects involve clear communication strategies and practices that stimulate dialogue between stakeholders. A high level of oral and written performance is required , as you will direct several people and sometimes act as a link between those involved. Without communication skills to interact with all parties by any means, you will lack a critical component that allows you to establish the viability of a project.

4. Firmness:

Ambiguity, stress and conflict are characteristics present in project management, so staff recruiters will look for managers who are unflappable in times of uncertainty or crisis . The ability to transmit this confidence to the rest of the employees will be particularly valued, especially when times of strikes or discontent occur.

5. Patience:

Leading a team is not an easy task. You must ensure that the group remains cohesive and focused to meet the goals within the stipulated deadlines. Often conflicts arise between the members of a team and it will be your patience that smooths out these rough edges. The serenity that you apply to your meeting power will be decisive to build trust and capture the attention of your group , as well as external agents linked to the project.

6. Technical management:

Possessing technical knowledge is key to developing projects in all areas , since this job position is sought in fields as diverse as props, construction, information services, oil and gas, finance, manufacturing or business industries. Fortunately, technical skills can be acquired during the process - as long as there is a solid background - and are easier to teach than other qualities.

7. Adaptability:

The businesses are in permanent change, which directly affects the projects that support these businesses. Therefore, it is desirable for project managers to accompany changes by making subtle modifications that adjust to new expectations . You will demonstrate that you can cover different alternatives , create new paths and most importantly: solve any problem that arises .

8. Practicality:

Those who carry out the job interview to fill this position will look for a practical person capable of concentrating on the project results without getting involved in politics or agenda conflicts. Show your ability to keep goals clear , discriminate what is important from what is not, and prioritize it. A practical person is someone who facilitates the work of others without losing sight of the main task : achieving excellence in a project leading a high-performance team.

9. Good Listener:

As important as confidence is, the PM must also know when to listen and rely not on their own understanding.  As PMs, we are doomed to fail if we do not listen to others and look to our team and the customer for vital information and feedback as the project progresses.  Too many times we end up working heads-down as we push toward a critical project deadline or milestone and miss some of the critical things going on around us.  Remember, the rest of the project team also has their hand on the pulse of the project and at any given time may have more vital information than the PM to share including wise views on the direction…or re-direction…needed on the project.

10. Integrity:

This word essentially means loyalty and honesty. You should be able to gain the trust of your team, at the same time setting the ethical tone on the projects and showing that you yourself follow the rules you set for others. Projects must be profitable, sure, but that doesn’t mean you’ll need to bend your morality to do so. If you’re project manager material, you’ll be able to come up with various solutions that will serve your ends.

11. Problem solving:

You are the leader of the team, but that doesn’t mean you’ll solve all the problems yourself. Great project managers work with a team of experts or consultants and use their expertise to tackle problems in most efficient ways. No one will expect you to have a ready solution to each and every issue; you must be able to use the knowledge of your team members and even stakeholders to produce a collective response to any problems you experience on your way to delivering a project.

12. Collaboration:

This is crucial—every great project manager knows how important their team is. A grasp of team dynamics is essential if you want your team to work smoothly on your projects. When developing your team, keep this in mind: conflicts and disagreements are bound to happen; as a leader, you’ll need to be able to mediate them and make sure all you team members work toward the same goal. Remember, they’re not friends and they may not interact with each other outside of work—it’s your job to create a sense of unity. Show your respect for the work others perform to help you deliver this project and value all team members for their strengths.

13. Team development:

Delivering projects within the time and budget limit can be quite stressful; it’s your job not to crumble under the pressure and make sure none of your team members do. Good leaders know that problems make up the fabric of life and are to be expected: they will treat problems as events that could possibly influence the project in a new way by providing a different perspective on its future. Even if things get bad, you should never radiate a negative attitude towards your team as you’re the one they depend on to lead them through difficulties. If you’re project manager material, you’ll make it through.