Top 9 Skills For A Project Manager
If you are looking to make waves in the corporate world, there is a definite set of skills that you need to possess in order for you to be successful in your chosen field. For those who are interested in project management, it’s important to always maintain a “big picture” perspective. Yes, it’s good to always pay attention to the details, but you can’t let that compromise your view of the grander scheme of things. You have to be able to balance good oversight and perceptive attention to detail.
Now while it may seem like a very daunting endeavor to become a skilled project manager, it doesn’t have to be. You just have to take a systematic approach to developing your skills. If you need a guide on some specific skills to work on, then read on to find out the essential skill sets for effective project management.
Strategic Thinking
Project managers must always be calculated with their actions. They must always know that every single action has significant implications for the project’s success. They should never underestimate the impact of their decisions. That’s why project managers don’t have the luxuries of being impulsive. Thorough analysis and assessment must always be undertaken prior to the execution of an action.
Risk Analysis and Control
In any aspect of life or business, one must always be willing to take risks in order to succeed. Those who play it safe all the time will never know what it feels to win big. Those who are too reckless will eventually spiral out of control. An effective project manager can accurately assess risks, pick their spots well, and create effective contingency plans.
Conflict Management
When it comes to managing a huge group of people, conflict is inevitable. It can be tough to deal with conflicting perspectives, ideas, and worldviews. But the best project managers always know that it’s not about suppressing conflict, it’s about managing it well. Conflict is inevitable, but it can always be managed into something productive and beneficial.
Time Management
It’s all about being able to manage time effectively in order to produce maximum output. The best project managers are those who don’t bite off more than they can chew. They understand the constraints that time can have on a project, but they can still effectively squeeze out as much productivity from their teams despite these constraints.
Resource Allocation Management
Good project managers don’t constrain their thinking to a box. There are no limits to their creativity. So, whenever it’s necessary to tap into non-traditional resources to bring a project to fruition, these managers aren’t afraid to do so.
Task Organization
A project manager always has to bear the burden of juggling multiple tasks. When it comes to handling multiple personalities or departments in a team, an effective manager always emphasizes the importance of task organization. They know how to prioritize certain tasks above others and when to allocate more resources toward a specific task.
Leadership Savvy
Project managers are leaders. They are the people who are steering the ship. Should the ship spiral out of control, it’s their responsibility. That’s why the best project managers also have to be the best leaders. They have to be able to bring the best out of their crew members and teammates. Effective project managers know how to tap into the potential of every single person on their team to ensure a smooth sail.
Effective Communication
You should never have to worry about something getting lost in translation if there is an effective project manager on the team. Having efficient and open lines of communication within a team is absolutely essential in making a project work. It’s the only way that deadlines can be met on time. Communication is the oil that keeps your corporate machine running smoothly.
Technical Literacy
Lastly, a project manager should always have a level of technical know-how relative to the project at hand. One can’t expect a project manager of an accounting-related project to not understand how a balance sheet works. Understanding the technical aspects of a project is essential to managing it effectively.
The worst project managers don’t have these skills. Mediocre project managers have some of these skills.. The effective project managers have these skills embedded into the core of their beings. But the best of the best are those who possess all these skills and can make use of tools that maximize their abilities. An example of such a tool would be the Zillable app. No other productivity tool on the market is as effective, organized, and easy to use as Zillable. Project managers and teams can make use of Zillable’s various tools that allow for seamless collaboration, communication, ideation, and project management. This is a go-to app for the world’s leading project managers and it should be in your own personal toolbox for success as well.
About Zillable
Zillable? is the world’s first team collaboration network for innovation-on-demand. We’re where teams can make work and innovation happen. As a secured communication and collaboration hub, Zillable provides an awesome, intelligent network that bridges minds and workflows by putting all the right tools in one place for teams of any size. With Zillable, you can chat, get more done and remember everything. For more information, please visit www.Zillable.com. Try it for Free.