Project Management Skills can be a combination of both hard and soft skills. A project manager is not born with these project management skills that allow them to successfully do their job.
Yes, some project managers do have the natural talent for leadership roles or finding solutions with their out-of-the-box thinking. However, many successful project managers have acquired some essential project management skills over the years through training or by gaining experience working in the project management industry.
In this article, we will discuss these project management skills that every project manager should aim to achieve to become a successful project manager.
10 essential project management skills to acquire in 2022
Project Management Methodologies Knowledge
Project Managers are responsible for the successful completion of projects for their organizations. These projects will have specific requirements and objectives according to the nature and goals of a particular organization.
Thus, every project manager needs to be familiar with the project management methodologies like Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Lean, and PRINCE2 that are suitable for their projects and the environment they work in.
Knowledge of Project Management Tools and Techniques
Just like knowledge of project management methodologies, a project manager needs to be knowledgeable about the various tools and techniques associated with the project management methodology that they need to implement whilst managing projects for their organization.
Project Managers can develop these project management knowledge and skills by working in the project management industry or by attending project management training courses provided through professional training.
Effective Project Planning and Strategic Thinking
A project manager’s primary role is project planning. Project Managers need to think ahead and plan for projects by considering all possible events and obstacles. They are strategic thinkers and know the importance of effective project planning on the outcome of the project.
A project manager develops the strategies to organize and prioritize tasks, monitor the implementation of the project plan, and mitigate the obstacles that cause disruption in the execution of the project plan.
Efficient Time Management and Scheduling
The time management skills of project managers help them in project scheduling. They ensure that the project goals are met by following the project schedule and encourage the project management teams to do the same.
A project manager uses several tools and techniques to monitor the progress of the project and manage the project schedule. These time management tools assist project managers in tracking progress, setting reminders, and visualizing as well as prioritizing tasks.
Excellent Communication and Team Management
Project Managers have excellent communication skills which help them in team management. Without proper communication skills, project managers cannot communicate the objectives and requirements of the project to the project management teams.
Since a project manager is the leader of the project that they are managing for their organization, they need to have these defining traits of a good leader. As project managers, they need to lead by example and motivate the project management team by communicating with them about their needs and objectives.
This also means having a sound emotional intelligence to value the essential requirements of each member of the project management team. This in return inspires the project management team to follow their leader and attain the project objectives.
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Expert in Negotiation and Problem-Solving
Communicating the goals and needs of the project with the stakeholders of the project can be challenging sometimes. Therefore, a project manager should be an expert at negotiating and problem-solving. Their leadership qualities are essential for effective project communication with external units or third-party vendors and suppliers as well.
Understanding what each stakeholder and external party brings to the project while managing their expectations through negotiation is a skill that every project manager must possess. These skills are required to assist them in completing the projects on schedule and successfully meeting the project objectives.
Task Management and Delegation
Project Managers have the necessary knowledge and skills to do all the tasks that need to be finished to achieve a successful project delivery, however, they cannot possibly do them on their own. They need to delegate and assign each task to the right professional in the project management team.
This will ensure that the tasks are completed efficiently, and the project goals are met as well.
Risk Management and Mitigation
Even with a well-planned project, risks are inevitable. Project Managers need to plan for these project risks with effective risk management and risk mitigation strategies. This requires identification and evaluation of all possible risks that may or may not affect the successful delivery of the project.
Some new opportunities may arise due to certain risk factors, and project managers can develop strategies to capitalize on them to benefit the organization.
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Versatility
Project Managers should be ready for anything at any stage of the project. Just like a risk management plan, they need to be flexible and use critical thinking for solving unforeseen problems. Project Managers must also be able to make quick decisions that support the organization’s objectives.
Forbearance
This soft skill is mentioned at the very end of our project management skills list; however, it can be the most important one for a project manager to have in their arsenal. Having patience is a virtue that all human beings must possess, the same goes for a project manager.
Rushing through projects and getting frustrated with the results will lead to project failure. So, a project manager must show forbearance and patiently wait for the outcome.
Conclusion
These ten project management skills can help aspiring project managers in their path to become successful project managers in 2022.
Project Managers can acquire hard skills like knowledge of project management methodologies, planning, scheduling, and budgeting through training. And, they can gain the experience in using these knowledge in practice by working in the project management industry.
However, project managers can develop project management soft skills through practice. A successful project manager is one who acquires knowledge and expertise through professional PMP Training and constantly strives to update them no matter how knowledgeable and experienced they are in the project management methodology.
