Qualities of a Good Project Manager
Project Management is about “getting things done”. Whenever there is a need for change or transformation, project is the environment created to deliver that change. Behind every change and/or transformation project there is a team of professionals who are either working on getting the design right, sorting out the finances, recruiting the right skills, engaging with the end users etc. But there is also the unsung hero, who ensures that the right organization, planning, communication are taking place in order to ensure smooth delivery of the change object. This unsung hero is the Project Manager.
The saying that leaders are hard to find, but great project managers are rarer still, is so true. The saying has its own worth acknowledging that to find a reliable, and successful project manager in the current era is like finding a true pearl inside the seashell.
Being a Project Manager is a specific kind of leadership position, which requires certain character traits and important qualities. Most people would say that Project Managers are people who deliver projects within the deadline and budget set by the clients, meeting or notwithstanding surpassing the desires of the partners. Whilst that is true to some extent, it is not true in its entirety. Actually, it takes more to become a good and ideal Project Manager to whom someone could admire. Here are a few tips on qualities which good Project Managers must have:
1. They inspire a shared vision
An effective Project Manager is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. A Project Manager is someone who lifts you up, gives you a reason for being, and gives the vision and spirit to change. The visionary Project Managers enable people to feel they have a real stake in the project. Moreover, they empower their teammates to experience the vision of their own and offer others the opportunity to create their own vision within a bigger and more strategic vision. By doing this, they ensure that the desired organizational change is realized.
2. They are good decision makers
Good decision-making skill is particularly important in project management. The good Project Managers are empowered to make countless decisions that will help define the project track and work to the desired goal.
Wrong decisions taken can easily jeopardize the entire project. Thus, a Project Manager needs to be capable of thinking quickly and reacting decisively.
3. They are great problem-solvers
The good Project Managers work with a team of experts or consultants and use their mastery of handling issues in most effective ways.
Nobody will anticipate that you will have a prepared answer for every single issue; but you should have the capacity to utilize the knowledge of your team members and stakeholders to produce a collective response to any problems you experience on your way to delivering a project.
4. They know how to collaborate and work in a team
This is an important trait that should exist within every good Project Manager. A grip of group progression is fundamental on the off chance that you need your group to work easily on your plan and project direction. Teamwork is key, and a good Project Manager must be able to hold the team together, dealing with conflicts and defusing tension.
5. They know how to manage time well.
Project is a temporary environment, created either as an intervention to deliver change and/or transformation or to comply with specific legislation – it has a specified start and end date. Time management is the right allocation of time to the right task in order to make the best possible use of time, so the project can finish as required, and to meet the quality expectations. That does not mean the project cannot slip, but slippage doesn’t have to be due to poor time management.