Necessary Characteristics of a Project Manager (Lessons in Leadership)

Project management isn’t a simple task. In addition to making sure that the final product is completed on time and error-free, it also involves keeping employees with a wide range of skill sets engaged and on-task. Project managers should be good at both networking and business. If you think you have what it takes to be an effective project manager, compare your talents to this list of important traits:

1. Natural Leader

Let’s face it; this one is hard to learn. In many cases, you either have it, or you don’t. A natural leader can motivate their team to work together and meet deadlines without being offensive or bossy.

2. Knowing What’s Important

Most projects are inundated with details. Some are meaningful, but most are not. If you can quickly sift through the many details and new requests to stay on scope and spend the most time on top priorities, your projects have a higher chance of success.

3. Take Advantage of Technology

Project managers should fully leverage technology without being ruled by any one program. Use a variety of software packages like OpenOffice, Zoho, or Acrobat depending on which one best fits the task at hand. Many of these software packages will work together so that you can use the strengths of each one to create a robust project management tool.

4. Set Priorities but Be Flexible

While it’s important to set priorities upfront, a good project manager also knows that he/she must be flexible. Business requirements frequently change, and priorities may need to change, as well.

5. Ask Questions and Actually Listen

Good project managers realize that they don’t have to be the experts. Because they care about the success of the project, they ask relevant questions and listen to the answers. They value the opinions and input of every team member in addition to users and the project sponsor.

7. Share Information

Have you ever worked with someone who holds onto valuable information like it’s the only thing protecting their job? Using information as a means of control is not a good trait in a project manager. To be good at this job, you understand that sharing important information makes your job, and everyone else’s, easier.

8. Regular Communications

Managing a project involves keeping the lines of communication open on many levels. The project manager should meet on a regular basis with their team to make sure that everyone is in the loop and on task. They should also meet with the business unit and management to inform them of the team’s progress or any delays.

9. Promote the Project

The difference between a successful project and a failed one can often be as simple as management buy-in. If management doesn’t agree the project is a priority, it could easily be cancelled as soon as a new crisis occurs or the budget becomes an issue. When campaigning for a sponsor, upper management makes the best target for success.

In addition to these characteristics, one way to develop great project management skills is to be a good team player in the first place!