top 5 skills for project managers

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T O P

5 SKILLS F O R P R O J E C T M A N A G E R S

by Chris Croft

1 | Top 5 Skills for Project Managers | Lynda.com

IntroductionMost project managers slide into the job randomly, learning as they go.

All have strengths and weaknesses. And it can be unforgiving work. Any project manager who’s survived for any significant length of time

is usually pretty good. That said, most project managers can benefit from closing skill gaps and aiming for perfection.

What would the ultimate project manager be like? Can you become that person?

Explore this guide to develop the top five skills every project manager should possess.


03 Skill No. 1: Planning

06 Skill No. 2: Leadership

09 Skill No. 3: Communication

13 Skill No. 4: Assertiveness

16 Skill No. 5: Time management

19 Conclusion

20 Author

21 About Lynda.com

Table of Contents


Planning


SKILL NO. 1

Planning

Planning includes how to estimate time and cost, develop critical paths, control projects with Gantt charts, estimate resources required for one or multiple projects, and prepare for risks.

challenges Project management planning often is taught in ways that over complicate. And some techniques are complicated. But these complex approaches are only necessary for the rare, extremely large project.


solutions For most small to medium-size projects, quick and simple planning methodologies will suffice. First, never use averages for time or cost estimates. Instead, always include contingency figures. Second, do some visual planning. Always create a network diagram before constructing your Gantt chart. I like to use Post-It Notes. This helps ensure you’ve got the correct dependencies and critical path forming the basis for your chart.

For inspiration, check out my Lynda.com course: Project Management Simplified.

benefits Contingency cost estimates make life easier when things go worse than expected. And planning in a visual way helps ensure your goals are achievable and project is on schedule. If they are not, you can start thinking about what needs to change. Visual planning also helps communicate your ideas to your customers, boss, team, or other stakeholders. It helps justify the time and money required, and reinforces that you are a professional. In addition, you may find that Gantt charts make a great sales tool.

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Project-Management-Simplified/175636-2.html


Leadership


SKILL NO. 2

Leadership

Leadership includes managing teams, knowing how and when to delegate, and how to motivate people to do good work. This sometimes means motivating people who don’t report to you. You might be “borrowing” them from another team for your project.

challenges If you’re not someone’s boss, you probably don’t have the power to fire them or control their pay. You’ll have to form a working relationship with them quickly. In addition, they may not want to be part of your project. And you probably have several other responsibilities on your plate.

You might want the people on your team to simply do what they’re told and get on with it. But beware: research shows personal conflicts are the biggest cause of project failures.

ASK YOURSELF:

Can I delegate more?

Am I monitoring enough but not too much?


solutions Delegate as much as you can. In doing so, realize that “I do it” and “You do it” aren’t your only choices.

benefits The more you delegate, the more quickly tasks get done. And the work quite possibly will be better than your own would be. Also, delegating motivates people. They enjoy a challenge and a sense of achievement. A great leader’s team says, “We did it ourselves.”

you can:

• consult your team before making final decisions

• share in making decisions

• coach individuals

• require team members to check with you before acting

• request frequent reports to keep progress on track


Communication


SKILL NO. 3

Communication

Communication includes influencing and persuading, running meetings, negotiating, and managing conflict.

challenges When you focus on project goals, communication sometimes becomes an “extra.” And in a time crunch, good communication often is the first thing to go. This is a shame, because communication is massively important. You may have everything worked out in your head—it all seems so obvious! It feels like a waste of time to explain everything to everyone else. It’s not.


solutions Study simple influencing techniques and negotiation strategies. Apply what you learn, and try to remain consciously aware of your actions. You can:

Give people two options. Research shows they are more likely

to choose one of your options rather than reject both. For example,

ask “Would you rather we spent extra money on this project,

or reduced the specification?” It’s more likely that they will chose the second one, so make that the

one you prefer.

Do someone a favor. They are more likely to do something

you want later. If you get an easy opportunity to help someone

always take it. You never know when you’ll need their help later.

Allow the other side to open with an offer while negotiating.

This can bring unexpected good news. Your client might be

planning to spend more than you expected, or might want the project delivered by a later date

than you were going to offer. Ask first before declaring your position.

Make stakeholders happier by tailoring your message.

Do this in a style that is best for them: level of detail,

email or face to face, fact-based or feeling-based, etc. They

are more likely to accept your message if it’s in a style that

they find easy to take.

www.lynda.com/Influencing-Others


benefits Effective time management lowers stress because stress is linked to a lack of control. Most causes of everyday stress are time management related. They include unfinished tasks, procrastination, looming deadlines, and multitasking. With effective time management, you’ll get more done because you’ll focus more on important tasks.

For inspiration, check out this Lynda.com course: Influencing Others.

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Influencing-Others/148625-2.html


Assertiveness

Good

project managers TAKE

OWNERSHIP of a project.


SKILL NO. 4

Assertiveness

Assertiveness includes informing stakeholders from the start that they can’t have everything. They can’t have great work in almost no time for hardly any money. Assertiveness also includes preventing scope creep.

Good project managers take ownership of a project. It’s theirs to guard and protect. Sometimes they need to be assertive with all stakeholders, including a boss, the people on their teams, suppliers, and subcontractors.

challenges Assertiveness doesn’t come naturally. We’re programmed for fight or flight, which is basically aggression or submission. Aggression in


particular can be effective in the short term, sometimes leading us to believe it’s effective generally. But it’s not sustainable, and doesn’t motivate teams. Scary project managers, like weak ones, do not succeed in the long term.

solutions Steer a course between aggression and submission. This requires believing that you are an OK person (but not perfect), expressing your opinions and worries, standing up for yourself while respecting others, and taking responsibility for outcomes. As the project manager, everything that happens is on you. Every problem or mistake is your fault: you chose that person, you briefed them, you monitored that job (or not). Blaming other people is not productive.

For more information, check out my Lynda.com course: Learning to Be Assertive.

benefits Being assertive leads to less stress for all concerned, reduces misunderstandings (it’s tough in a political environment where problems aren’t in the open), and provides a strong foundation for leadership. Without an assertive project manager, everything can crumble.

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Learning-Assertive/175640-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Business-Skills-tutorials/Learning-Assertive/175640-2.html


Time Management


SKILL NO. 5

Time Management

Time management can be defined as “controlling the mess.” Project managers must organize themselves, everyone else, and everything else. To stay organized, good time management is vital.

challenges Timetables always seem short. Customers want the maximum output in the minimal amount of time at the least cost—and cost means people, which means time. You’re under pressure from the start, juggling your tasks and team. Technologies including emails and smartphones have created new channels for input and rapidly-changing information that must be found and stored, making time management difficult.


solutions First, write everything down. You can’t store it all in your head. If you try to, your creativity will suffer, as will communications with your boss and team. Create and regularly update a master list of all projects, a daily-jobs-to-do list, a calendar for appointments, and a Gantt chart for every project. You’ll need a weekly or monthly progress meeting for each project and to keep time free each day for whatever crops up. Software helps. I prefer Microsoft Excel over Microsoft Project. I like Evernote for capturing details. I use Google Calendar and Google Sheets so multiple people can access the same, updated plan.

benefits Effective time management lowers stress because stress is linked to a lack of control. Most causes of everyday stress are time management related. They include unfinished tasks, procrastination, looming deadlines, and multitasking. With effective time management, you’ll get more done because you’ll focus more on important tasks.

For more information, check out a wide range of courses on time management from Lynda.com.

http://www.lynda.com/SharedPlaylist/8f103d118997471abc2a8e364706de4b


ConclusionBeing a great project manager isn’t easy. The skill set required is diverse—from

managing tasks, people, and other resources to controlling costs and negotiating. But these are all skills that can be learned, practiced, and mastered. With time

and application, anyone can become a great project manager. You won’t always get thanks for being great. People will probably think your projects were

easy. The good news is project management is a transferrable skill. It’s rarely boring. There’s a great satisfaction in making things happen and

seeing the finished results.


Author

Chris Croft Lynda.com Author, Management Trainer, Speaker

Chris Croft has trained project managers for 20 years. He’s published several books on project management, and is the author of several Lynda.com online video courses on the topic. Subscribe to his free monthly emails at www.free-management-tips.co.uk.


For 20 years, Lynda.com has helped marketing professionals, leaders, IT and design pros, project managers—anyone in any role—build software, creative, and business skills. We work with the best instructors. Our production standards are second to none. And with training that is quick to market, we’ve grown our online video-based content library to include thousands of engaging courses.

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top 5 skills for project managers

Leadership & Management