9 Characteristics Of An Effective Project Manager
February 10, 2023
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A competent project manager is crucial to the project’s successful implementation.
One of their primary responsibilities is to oversee the development of the entire project. They create timelines to ensure the project will meet its deadline.
However, simply completing a project doesn’t make one a good leader. Team members are motivated to do their best when led by an effective leader. If team members aren’t satisfied with their leader, it might affect the project’s result.
Here Are 9 Prime Characteristics Of An Effective Project Manager
An excellent way someone can be an effective project manager is by enrolling in free project management courses. This way, they can enhance their skills and improve their job performance. Meanwhile, listed below are some characteristics of an effective project manager.
1. Leadership Skills
A project manager’s primary role is to lead the entire team to success. Without good leadership skills, the whole team is bound to fail.
An effective project manager knows how to handle their entire team. They’ll designate tasks to help their team members achieve their potential while improving their weaknesses.
In addition, a project manager should know the next steps and what actions will give the best output for the team and the project. They’ll guide every step and see if it’s the right approach or if they should proceed in a different direction.
2. Communication Skills
Having good communication skills is extremely important for a project manager to have. Since they’ll be handling team members to accomplish a task, they should be able to communicate well what’s needed to do and how they can make it happen. They should be able to tell the team their goals and expectations for the project.
Without proper communication, the team members might have a challenging and confusing time getting the job done. Ideally, everyone should be on the same page with an understanding of the project, goals, and expectations. This includes the team member and clients.
It’s also essential for project managers to know how to give constructive feedback. Doing so will motivate their team members to do their best.
3. Technical Expertise
A project manager who doesn’t know the technicalities of the project will lead a team with a blind eye. They might be speaking to the client without knowing if their requests are possible for the deadline or feasible for the scope and limitations. Hence, a project manager should have enough technical expertise to handle the entire project well.
Instincts improve significantly when combined with technical expertise. So, they shouldn’t just be aware of what is possible and how to make it possible at an expert level. They should know their project’s limitations and guide their team members to success. Also, a good memory would be helpful, as they could immediately plan a solution instead of calling for a technical expert.
4. Negotiation Skills
There’ll come a time when team members might conflict with each other. This can cause chaos and misunderstandings in the team, which can affect the productivity and success of the project. A project manager should possess good negotiation skills to create peace and harmony within the group. They should be able to devise an excellent solution that can benefit both parties.
5. Patient
Being patient is an excellent virtue. There might be instances when a task is highly challenging for some people but is doable for the project manager. An effective project manager should be patient with the process and learners.
It’s best if they don’t rush into things or lose their temper when things don’t go as planned. Ideally, they should discuss the effects as calmly as possible instead. Being able to handle pressure well shows confidence in their abilities.
6. Empathetic
A project manager shouldn’t always tell people what to do. Instead, they should set a good example by showing empathy in non-avoidable scenarios. It helps if they try to understand where each team member is coming from and don’t hold grudges over a mistake. Instead, they should help them sort out their issues to provide better service for the team.
Some things, like getting sick or having an accident, just can’t be helped. In such scenarios, an effective project manager understands the situation rather than shows frustration with how it can harm the project.
7. Organized
The best way each project can be productive is by being organized down to the smallest detail. This way, they can keep themselves on track with what they need to accomplish to avoid delays.
An effective project manager should be able to lay out a thorough and well-detailed timeline for each project’s progress. It helps to include some backlog days in case of errors or adjustments with the current progress.
An effective project manager also knows how to streamline the process. For instance, they can create a list of tasks that need to be done and assign them to the appropriate team members. It’ll serve as a helpful tool for the team to check in on their progress and ensure they’re still on track with their responsibilities.
Related Resource: Why Is Project Management So Important To An Organization?
8. Problem-Solving Skills
A project will include plenty of problems that’ll come along the way. These include difficulty implementing a scenario, conflict among team members, technical delays, or even issues with the client.
A project manager should be able to address every issue and provide the best solution to every problem. They’re the only ones responsible for solving issues, keeping everything on track, and allowing for smooth-flowing progress.
Before providing a solution, a project manager should know the possible best- and worst-case scenarios of each situation. They know that they consult every party involved before making a decision. The last thing they want to happen is to find out that the proposed solution isn’t feasible.
9. Enthusiasm
Everyone should feel good about their project’s progress. However, a team member in a stressful environment might not strive better. They might be too focused on completing the task without enjoying the journey. It might make them resent the progress, forcing them to look for a different opportunity.
While managing a project is stressful, project managers shouldn’t add more pressure. It can affect the morale of their team members. It would be better if they showed more trust in their team members’ abilities. It’ll boost their team members’ confidence to complete the tasks promptly and professionally.
Takeaway
An effective project manager should possess the skills above to achieve successful project implementation. As plenty of skills are needed to get the job done, knowing how to handle responsibility is the most basic. It’ll help them become better leaders by setting an excellent example for others.
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