Udacity

A project manager is a key role in any organization. Having a person who is  understanding of project management is crucial for any organization, as it guarantees timely completion, staying within budget and achieving desired results.

However, expertise in project management alone doesn’t guarantee success. Project managers must have specific skills that are vital to their performance.

This article discusses five essential skills every project manager should possess along with their significance and how practicing them can help your team achieve success in each undertaking.

1) Leadership

An effective project manager possesses a number of important skills. Perhaps the most important of these is the ability to lead a team. Without this skill, it would be impossible to complete most projects successfully.

A good leader keeps everyone on the same page and ensures that tasks are completed properly. In addition to staying calm under pressure, project managers must handle problems as they arise. This can be challenging, but it’s essential for keeping projects moving forward.

2) Time management

As a project manager, one of your key responsibilities is to manage the project timeline and ensure that the project is completed on schedule. To do this effectively, you need to have strong time management skills.

You also need to be able to effectively communicate deadlines to your team and hold them accountable. A good project manager needs to be good at keeping track of progress and knowing when things are getting off track so that you can course correct as needed.

3) Communication

Effective communication is a critical skill for project managers. They must convey project goals, objectives, and timeline in a concise manner to their team and stakeholders. 

They also need to be able to listen to feedback and address concerns in a timely manner to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget. Additionally, they must be able to settle conflicts and address any concerns that may arise during the course of the project.

4) Organizational skills

Strong organizational skills are essential for any project manager who wants to be successful.  They need to be able to keep track of deadlines, budget, and resources. Project managers must be able to juggle multiple tasks and priorities. 

They need to have strong time management skills and be able to work well under pressure. By being organized and efficient they can complete projects on time, within budget, and with satisfied team members and stakeholders. 

5) Negotiation

As a project manager, you will often find yourself in situations where you need to negotiate with other people or groups.This involves actively listening to what the other party is saying and trying to understand their point of view. It is also important to be able to communicate effectively, so that you can explain your own position and reach a compromise that is acceptable to all parties.

Having strong negotiation skills will help you to successfully manage projects and achieve positive outcomes for all involved. When negotiating skills are developed, project managers can build stronger relationships with stakeholders, maintain better relationships with clients, and create a more positive working environment.

Learn More Project Manager Skills

By possessing all of these skills, project managers can increase their chances of success significantly.  Project managers play a critical role in the success or failure of any given project, and it’s important to develop the right skill set for this position. 

Get started today with a Project Manager Nanodegree and you will be able to become an effective project manager who can lead projects to successful completion.