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Your Project Manager...What Skills To Look For

By Kathy Dobson

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 15Dec2010 Word count: 703 Viewed: 300 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

If you are looking for a project manager, then you should be on the look out for certain qualities that stand out from your potential candidates. Below is a rundown of the things you should look for in a project manager to help you oversee your projects from start to finish.

A project manager should have a vision. This vision must be of where he sees the project going and he must be able to articulate it. A project manager who is a visionary will be able to anticipate changes as they come and be very flexible about it. Also, he will be able to make everyone in his team feel important and recognize each one's valuable contribution to the project. He will be able to empower his team members so that they see the same vision as he does in their own personal way.

A project manager must be an excellent communicator. An effective project manager must be able to communicate to different types of people at various levels. In order for a project to be successful, everyone must be on with the game plan and be informed about the team's goals and their respective responsibilities. Apart from working with his team members, he must also be able to negotiate with the higher ups in a direct and open way. Preparing guidelines for the team to follow for the success of the project as well as the career advancements for his team members is another essential quality any project manager should have.

A project manager should have integrity and enthusiasm. An ideal project manager must note that his actions are more important than his words. Ethics play an important role if he is to be a good example to his team members. By practicing ethical behavior, he is raising the bar high. Some project managers have their self-interests as priority and this should not be the case. Consistent good behavior will solicit trust from other team members and higher ups as well. Having a good behavior includes being positive about things. Negativity brings down the entire mood of the team and can translate to bad results. Therefore, it is essential that a project manager must exude confidence and enthusiasm.

A project manager must know how to empathize. Empathy is very much different from sympathy such that the latter focuses on one's feelings alone when projected to the situation and is detached from the reality and actuality. Empathy, on the other hand, realizes that the people involved in the situation have their own feelings and the decision must be made by taking these feelings into consideration.

A project manager must be competent. This is a very important quality a project manager must have. Even if you have an excellent project manager in terms of leadership skills, you still won't get the best results if he doesn't know anything about the project you are undertaking. For instance, would you ask an accountant to come up with plans and specifications for a building project? Of course not… You need someone who has the know-how aside from having leadership qualities to lead the team.

A project manager must be a team builder. A team builder is someone who is the 'glue' in keeping the team together. He must be able to make each team member see the common goal they have so that they can act as a single cohesive unit. He must also know how to bring out the best in each individual in his team so that he can properly delegate tasks as needed.

A project manager must be a problem solver. Problems are inevitable in any project, therefore it is very important for a project manager to be able to work around a problem. He must be very open-minded about suggestions from his team members and must be cool under pressure when the situation demands it.

These are the qualities you should look for in a potential project manager for your team. By ensuring that they have these qualities, you can rest your mind knowing that your projects are in safe hands.

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