7 things that differentiate a passionate project manager from others

Is management your passion? Or are you into it just for the money and perks?

Some of you might have an answer to this question. While there will be others who are still trying to figure out what their passion is?

For all such people who are thinking hard to find an answer to this question, wait. Before you answer this question I’m going to share some interesting habits that differentiate a passionate manager from just another person at the job. And, I’m sure this is going help you in getting an answer to the question I asked above.

So, let us take a look -

Leadership and the power to take charge

 The words leadership and management are used in synonymity. They say a good manager must be a good leader and vice versa. But in real life scenario, not all managers are good leaders. You need to gain the trust of both of these parties.

The ability to take the team and stakeholders together, assess the risks, paint a clear picture of expectations from the project and instill confidence in the team comes naturally to the manager who is a good leader as well, and is passionate about his/her job.

Can you strike the right balance between in managing the team and clients? Do you have it in you to win the confidence of your team as well as clients and take them together towards achieving the goal?

Problem solving ability

The one common thing that’s bound to happen in every project is that things will never go as planned. Problems will rise, but how you handle those problems, is what separates a manager from others. A smart thinking and quickly learning project manager knows how to use the resources available in the best possible manner. And, to come up with a solution when the Plan A fails.

In simpler words, a passionate project manager takes charge of the situation to steer the team out of trouble when things are not going planned.

Do you have it in you to lead the team when things are going south? Or you are the first person to hit the panic button and run?

Smart communicator, good negotiator

 “The art of communication is the language of leadership” - James C. Humes.

A passionate manager knows how to strike the right balance of knowledge and communication. Management is not just about giving orders to subordinates and letting them do their work. It is more about communicating effectively within the team, as well as with the clients. You must know how tasks are moving in the project and what needs to be communicated to the clients/stakeholders.

If statistics are to be believed, then poor communication is the reason that projects fail, one third of the times. That explains how important it is for a manager to maintain a seamless flow of communication, and be a good communicator. And, having good negotiation abilities add a lot to your skill set when communicating with the clients.

Does your team think you are a good communicator? How much would you rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 for communication?

An eye for detail

 A project is made up of tiny little details, which when put together successfully complete it. So an eye for detail is something that must come naturally to a project manager. Making sure in the first place that the tiniest of details in the project are carried out smoothly is the job of a project manager. And, in case there is some error in them, then he/she must have the ability to gauge the impact of these details and stay prepared with a plan B.

I’d like to quote a popular example that suits well about the eye to detail thing that a successful manager must possess here. When the first iPod was shown to Steve Jobs, he was simply not happy with its size. According to him, it could be made smaller. But, according to the designers doing that was impossible. So, what he did? He dropped it into the aquarium. As the device settled at the bottom, air bubble started to come out proving Steve’s point that there was still some empty space in the device. And, the rest, as they say, is history.

It was Steve’s eye for detail that made Apple what it is today. And, that’s something which separates the leaders from the followers!

Do you put meticulous efforts to see beyond the picture that’s presented in front of you? Do you have an eye for detail?

Eager to adopt new technology

 The rate at which technology is advancing, there is no wonder you must always be in the thick of things if you want to be on top. No matter what industry you are a part of, if you want to become a manager who is admired by their team then you must stay updated with the latest in technology.

There’s no denying the fact that technology is bringing new things and new tools every day to simplify the way we live. Whether we talk about our household chores or activities at work, we see new machines and software being launched every day in the market. And, that’s where the real test of a manager is. Apart from staying updated with what’s happening at work, a smart manager should be able keep a know-how of the latest trends in technology and how to integrate them at the work so that the life of their team members becomes easy.

When was the last time you updated the tools your team is using? When did you incorporate any new tool for making work-life easy for the team?

Good with numbers and tools

Numbers are crucial when it comes to determining the success or failure of a project. A passionate project manager is always good with numbers. After all, that’s what you are going to present in front of the management when they will be judging your performance.

Running a campaign is a staple in the life of every manager, but maintaining a close eye on the number of those campaigns, presenting them in a meaningful manner in front of the management is a key trait that separates the best in the game from the rest. And, talking about presenting those numbers, it cannot be done unless you have a good know how of the tools that are being used in the market. So if you are not really keen on using the latest tools and good a playing with numbers, then chances are that you are in this industry to join the horde of millions of regular project managers.

How often do you keep yourself updated with the numbers of your projects? Are you confident about knowing the tools your team is using inside out?

Great with people

 Great people skills is what makes great managers. Take a look at any of the successful people in the history, they were able to create great things because they had a great rapport with their teams. They knew how to bring the best out of their team-members. They knew when their team needed support, and they were always there for help.

Unlike the usual scenario, which is pretty common these days, where managers simply put off the failure on the shoulders of the team and take credit of the success, a passionate manager shares success with the team and takes responsibility of the failures. That’s how a leader should be.

When was the last time you shared the credit of success with your team? Or, took the blame for the failure, for that matter?

You might be wondering there are certain questions at the end of each point. But, I haven’t answered anyone of them? Well, they are for you. Just ask these questions from yourself and you will get to know whether you belong to the creed of passionate project managers. Or, you are in this field just for money and perks it brings!

If you are serious about project management, and looking for ways to help you and your team to rise above all and be more productive.