5 Traits of an Awesome Project Manager
Written By:
Paul Connolly
Executing a project successfully is not easy.
So, what are the key traits of an awesome project manager?
1. Long-term focus
Any project manager (PM) can learn to do a Gantt chart, hold forth knowledgeably about Prince2 or throw together a jazzy PowerPoint presentation, but a killer PM knows these things are merely fancy tools.
PMs have to focus on the business outcomes, not the project management process.
That's the difference between a PM and a project administration officer. They assess everything in the project to ensure it aligns with the desired business outcomes.
2. Communication skills of a titan
Having the gift of the gab is rarely a bad thing but a good project manager is not just all mouth and trousers.
They need a flexible communication style that can build rapport in the C-suite and win the trust of their colleagues.
Politically astute, best-of-breed PMs can influence stakeholders who sit above them in the hierarchy.
3. Skills of a helicopter pilot
"What happens if we hit a technical problem, miss a key deadline, can't get the contract staff we need till next month or find out they're going to cost more than we thought?"
Good PMs have already thought about these things because they know their role is to anticipate and mitigate risks to their project. These circumstances have already, to a degree at least, been discounted.
Risk mitigation can include rejecting suggestions to change course midstream, even if these requests come from senior staff, or being able to clearly point out the dangers of doing so if they're insisted upon.
They need to be outcome-focused and be able to say "no" if something threatens to jeopardize the project.
Essentially, good project managers must satisfy the stakeholders without allowing them to take over the management of the project.
4. An eye for the devil in the detail
Keeping both eyes on the end-goal is vital but a top PM also has eyes in the back of his or her head. They know exactly what's going on in the trenches while they're sorting out the big issues and reassuring the C-suite.
You need attention to detail. PMs don't have to perform the small tasks themselves – but they do need to make sure they get done. It's good to have an overview but you also need to be very granular when it comes to large projects. Problems arise when small things are overlooked.
5. A good BS-o-meter
It's always nice to be told by the team that things are on track – but a top PM doesn't just check things off the list without checking for themselves.
They need a good filter to be able to work out when the work is complete and when someone is bluffing. They need to be able to detect even the lowest levels of BS. You can get into all sorts of trouble if everything is taken at face value. You need to be able to test claims.
