What Makes A Project Manager Competent?

As a project manager your thoughts have been turning to what you should be doing for your professional development in the months ahead… and there’s a lot of choice.

“I don’t have the time (or the requirement) to take a certification course, but I’m always prepared to develop the project management competencies I need to succeed. “

If you feel the same, what should you be focusing on?

In this article we’ll talk about the top competencies for project managers and how you can develop your skills.

Communication

Effective communication is top of my list because it’s core to what we are trying to do as project managers: effect change.

One in five projects is unsuccessful due to ineffective communication, according to research by PMI (The Essential Role of Communications, 2013).

A project manager’s primary responsibility is to complete the project’s objectives with the resources provided within the agreed budget and schedule.

A communication plan is typically developed to successfully achieve that. That plan outlines the type and frequency of project communication, and any actions expected from various team members and stakeholders as information is distributed.

Leadership

A project manager typically lacks formal authority over the resources on a project. In other words, the project team doesn’t report to you directly. They all have line managers of their own, and that can create some tension between their ‘home’ team and the project team in terms of responsibility and where their focus lies.

Regardless, the ability to inspire a team to action is a hallmark trait of a great project manager. They can take a diverse group of individuals, form a high performing team, and get them dedicated to achieving a common goal.

Self-awareness

We all have limits. A successful project manager will recognize their own limits and shortcomings. They don’t need to “do” all of the things, but they should know their strengths and those of others.

This lets them assign tasks to the best person for the job to achieve best outcomes. This also means they recognize where they may need to develop professionally and take proactive action to improve their own performance.

Self-awareness is one of the social competencies that help you operate effectively within the socio-political constraints of your organization.

Confidence

Project managers often find themselves in situations where they don’t have all of the information to make a decision or provide answers.

They must believe in themselves, be willing to take risks, and rely on their expert judgement. Having confidence is key, not only to ensure good outcomes, but to give others the general assurance that a project is under control.

Resilience

A project manager is a high visibility role. Most will experience success and the occasional setback very publicly, more so if you are in a public sector role.

The ability to take everything in stride is of great importance because a team will often take their cues from you as their project lead. Having the ability to remain calm and bounce back after a challenge goes a long way and inspires confidence in their ability.

Teamwork

By default, a project manager works with teams of people – it is practically unavoidable. That’s why the best project managers are willing to share the successes but also accept responsibility for setbacks on a project. They are also willing to work with others and help the team when needed to accomplish a goal.

Lack of collaboration is one of the top roadblocks for projects so think about how you can create a culture where working together is the norm.

Tip: Think about the team structure you have set up. Is it conducive to collaborative working? If not, how could you improve it?

What next…

While these skills may seem like a lot to manage, they are not something that you develop – or have to develop – overnight. While skills gaps may exist, they can be addressed methodically.

Enroll for a project management short course that will help you acquire practical project management skills and grow in your career!