Qualities a Successful Project Manager Needs to Have

 Being a successful project manager takes an investment in your own skills and a dedication to getting the job done, but there are other qualities you must have in order to have a stellar career as a project manager. One of the leaders in Project Management training, ESI International, conducted a poll of industry leaders in project management to ask them what qualities they look for in an effective project manager. Here are some of the responses.

Clear Vision

A successful project manager must be able to have a clear vision of how they want a project to proceed. Not only must they have this vision, they have to be able to articulate it to others and inspire team members to share their vision. When team members can really see the project manager’s vision as if it was their own, they feel invested in the project.

The Ability to Delegate

Micro-managing a project is no way to be an effective leader because it destroys team members’ trust in their project manager. In order to be the best project manager you can be, you have to trust your team members to follow your guidelines and help you achieve your vision for a project. Being able to effectively delegate tasks shows your team members that you have trust in their competence and skills.

Communication Skills

Project managers use communication skills in every aspect of their job. Project managers need to be able to communicate their goals and guidelines to team members as well as inspire them to meet deadlines and complete work, but project managers also communicate with professionals outside of their team. The project manager is the link between the team and the company as a whole, so they need to be able to communicate effectively with business leaders in the company.

Problem Solving Skills

Project managers need to think on their feet and come up with innovative solutions to problems that arise at a moment’s notice. To be an effective project manager, you will have to hone your problem solving skills in order to handle whatever comes your way. Seeing problems as opportunities instead of obstacles can help you in your career as a project manager.

Leadership Competence

To be an effective project manager, your team must have confidence that you can guide them to your goal, and they can do this if you show leadership competence. Leadership skills like the ability to inspire others, model best practices and encourage team members are invaluable as a project manager. Being a competent leader also involves having a proven record of success because your team members must know that you are capable.