Project Management Skills
Effective Project Leaders bring to bear a range of skills, some learned and some innate. Moreover, they possess the ability to integrate and apply their knowledge and experience when and where they are needed – especially when the stakes are high and conditions are subject to rapid change.
Logical
The importance of being able to apply reason to multiple and
widely varying inputs cannot be understated. In addition, Project Leaders
need to be able to filter out the emotion inherent to each input and
collate the data into a meaningful output.
Intuitive
A talent for anticipating events before they occur is crucial
to success. The Project Leader must always ask what could go wrong and
determine what will be done about it. At the same time, he or she must
quickly assess the quality of input provided by the people on whom success
hinges. Are they trustworthy? Are they telling you everything you need
to know? What is motivating them?
Excellent Judgment
Maturity, common sense, and compassion in decision making -
a Project Leader must exhibit all of these qualities. Equally important
is the ability to understand interrelationships within a body of data
and among groups of people. Life experiences and how the individual has handled them are perhaps the best
indicators of judgment, as past behavior is a reliable predictor of future action.
Decisive
Decision-making ability appears almost effortless to observers,
but few people have the combination of skills necessary to take decisive
action under trying circumstances. A skilled Project leader posses the logic required
to sort through available options, the intuition one needs in
the absence of an ideal amount of information; and the confidence to
overcome the fear of making the wrong decision.
Questioning
True Project Leaders recognize what they don't know and aren’t
afraid to ask for help. Frequently they will staff a right-hand position
with someone who balances their skill set, and in all cases they will question
team members about status, assumptions, strategy, and related matters. If
they don’t get the information they need, they won’t hesitate
to keep asking questions, even if it means posing the same query multiple
times to many people.
Excellent Communicator
Just as important as the ability to gather and process data
is the ability to distill information and tailor it appropriately to
any audience. Communication is the currency of leadership.
Confident
To overcome obstacles and maintain project momentum, it’s
vital to possess – and project – confidence in one’s ability
to lead. Moreover, confidence is contagious; it motivates team members and
increases performance across the board.
Learns Quickly
The best Project Leaders can work far outside their areas of expertise.
They’re able to absorb information and new technologies quickly, even
when the project differs significantly from their base of experience. Just
as important, they have the ability to recognize what they don’t know
and compensate for knowledge gaps.
Process-Oriented
Where others may see only chaos, true Project Leaders discern
the natural order of things. Whether through instinct or experience, they
possess a keen understanding of the purpose and importance of the process
as well as the ability to determine whether every step is required for
a particular project. By appreciating the value of a defined process and
being willing to challenge it, they can achieve their objectives with maximum
efficiency.
Anticipates and Manages Risk
Professional Project Leaders do everything possible to make projects
predictable and risk-free, but they’re also prepared to act when
things go wrong. They know how to transition seamlessly from Plan A to
Plan B, to quickly assess new information, and make the decisions necessary
to keep a project on track. It is in situations like this that true Project
Leaders distinguish themselves.
Sees Big Picture
Effective Project Leaders never lose sight of the big picture.
They are keenly aware of the interrelationships of various tasks, and as
a result are able to prioritize issues quickly to keep a project moving
forward.
Detail-Oriented
If the devil is in the details, so is success. This is why leaders
need to keep track of all aspects of a project. They need to know the project’s
milestones and who is responsible for meeting them. In situations where it’s
impossible for the leader to monitor all relevant details, he or she must
be able to staff the team with people who can.
Negotiator
From disputes over resource allocation to requested changes of
objectives, every project demands negotiation. Effective Project Leaders
know how to seek resolution, quickly and equitably, to ensure their project’s ultimate
success.
Mentor & Coach
Few Project Leaders remain in their position permanently. Thus,
they have a responsibility not just to lead a project, but to provide for
their succession. To do this, they must be skilled at cultivating the confidence,
skills and competency in future project managers and team members who will
need to function – and succeed – on their own.
Team Builder
It’s not enough just to recognize, cultivate or install individual
performers. Project Leaders have to be able to unite people as a team. As
facilitators, they need the ability to identify and coordinate team members’ various
strengths in order to achieve optimal results.
100% Responsible
A project leader is
completely committed to the project and assumes responsibility for failure.
Alternatively, success is a result of the team.
Excellent Sense of Humor
This is mandatory – not because you want people to think you’re
funny, but because work is more fun, more fulfilling, and more likely to
yield the desired results when you have a perspective that allows you to
see the lighter side of things.