What You Need To Be a Great Project Manager

Some of the key elements in the overall success or failure of every type of project in any industry or field are the personality and the leadership skills of the project manager. The personal attributes of the most successful project managers tend to be very similar and all contribute to producing a great leader who can overcome difficulties and ensure projects are delivered consistently successfully. Below are 5 different skills and abilities that are amongst the most important for any project manager hoping to succeed in this increasingly competitive career –:

PERSUASIVENESS – The powers of persuasion of any leader or manager need to be sharpened as there will be numerous occasions throughout a project where persuasion may be the only way forward. Initially some of the project team members may need to be persuaded of the validity of the project to get them on board. People affected by the changes the project will bring may be reluctant to give their honest input but if the project manager is able to persuade them of the real advantages of the project at a personal level then you could gain real support.

MOTIVATION – the ability to motivate a team or an individual, when necessary, so that they give their all to the project and work hard to meet deadlines, is an essential leadership skill. A motivated team will always produce better work than those who are just going through the motions and not giving that little bit extra. Motivation is a major factor in the quality of the final product and so the success of a project.

BEING STRONG-WILLED - the ability to resist pressure from clients or other stakeholders to alter the project plan through change requests, changing deadlines or a reduction in budget, staff or other resources. Of course, there will always be circumstances beyond your control but where you can influence decisions you should have the will to do so.

DEALING WITH PREJUDICE – If a Project Manager has been assigned from outside the department responsible for the project deliverables or even the organisation itself then he/she can often experience prejudice from the project team. Knowing how to moderate such prejudices is necessary to avoid creating a "them" and "us" situation where the project team do not have faith in the project manager's abilities; such a situation is guaranteed to result in project failure.

PROBLEM-SOLVING – every project will have issues of some kind so the way in which a project manager deals with problems and issues is critical to the project's success. One of the most effective ways of doing so is to avoid apportioning blame and instead simply getting the team to looking for the best solutionAvoiding a blame culture is always a good place to start.

Of course, a professional project manager will have real-world experience on a range of different projects in a variety of environments and will also have acquired relevant project management certification but personal attributes will contribute significantly to the success of his/her projects. You might also be interested in reading about 10 Things Every Project Manager Should Know