Projects are naturally difficult to complete. They are expensive, time-consuming, and have numerous variables that might affect their success—many of which are not directly under the organization’s control, such as market sentiment and competitor products.
Regardless of their difficulties, these initiatives must be completed successfully in order to provide value and key results. Projects are becoming increasingly important in the new era of Digital Transformation. Project-related expenses are rising, whereas operations expenses are falling as a percentage of total expenses. Project completion is critical for all organisations.
Project managers must be equipped with the necessary skills to lead their teams and provide results for projects to be successful. These abilities can be useful at all stages of the project, from planning to completion. They are essential for project managers since they allow them to excel at certain duties such as project planning, documentation, and others. These abilities can be taught through practical experience.
- Understanding of Project Management Methodologies
Project managers should be familiar with the numerous project management approaches that are currently employed in various industries. These approaches can assist project teams in structuring their workflow, establishing priorities, organising activities, and carrying out tasks.
There is no “silver bullet” technique in project management because each project has unique requirements; therefore, project managers must understand the numerous project management methodologies and why they are utilised. Understanding these processes enables project managers to use appropriate methods and practices while carrying out projects.
Methodologies of Traditional Project Management
Traditional project management techniques and frameworks, such as Waterfall, Prince2, and PMBOK, place a premium on establishing clearly defined goals at the outset of a project and then following a logical series of stages to attain those goals. Each phase begins immediately after the preceding one concludes.
This methodology is excellent for project managers working on smaller, internal projects with known requirements. It is also the dominant practice in certain industries, such as construction, where business agility is not required.
Agile
Project management entails breaking down projects into smaller portions (rather than a single huge milestone or delivery), gathering client input, and constantly refining the final deliverable. Instead of making plans months in advance, Agile stresses shorter cycles, lasting no more than a few weeks, and collecting feedback.
Many projects require agility, thus project managers must be conversant with the Agile methodology and how it is applied. Furthermore, employing Agile’s core ideals and principles, the project manager may oversee the team.
Scrum
Scrum is an Agile technique that focuses on providing value to customers throughout the project development cycle through communication, transparency, and continual improvement.
Scrum begins with a rough understanding of what the customer wants to be built, and then the team is given a backlog that is prioritised depending on the demands of the customer. The backlog items are subsequently delivered by the team in (usually) 2-4 week cycles known as Sprints.
Agile Hybrid
Hybrid Agile, as the name implies, is a hybrid of the Agile approach with non-Agile methodologies and practices. It is highly adaptable as a methodology because it does not adhere to a single, sacred flow of work. As a result, teams can mix and match Agile and non-Agile approaches as needed to meet the needs and expectations of their customers.
Kanban
While Kanban is not a project management approach, it can assist project managers in tracking the flow of work and delivering outcomes. It is a work visualisation system that may be used by teams to track progress and enhance workflow.
2. Technical Writing
Project managers will find themselves writing a lot of words throughout the course of a project, from crafting a plan to presenting to stakeholders at the end of a Phase or a Sprint. Project managers must be able to develop detailed plans and reports in an understandable manner while also understanding business terms.
Technical writing entails not just creating clear and succinct reports, but also tailoring reports to stakeholders. When writing for readers, project managers should be able to identify and highlight critical milestones and other information.
3. Knowledge of Project Management Software
As the workplace becomes more digital, competency with enterprise software has become an even more important need for not only project managers, but for all workers. Even if 64% of enterprise application functions are rarely or never used, project managers should be aware enough of the software chosen by their organisation to use it successfully.
This is a particularly crucial ability for project managers in hybrid and remote teams, as software programmes may serve as the team’s supplementary or even major means of communication and collaboration.
4. Management of Communication and Expectations
Aside from people management, communication is the most critical ability for a project manager. As the leader and member of a project team, the project manager will be responsible for the majority of communication, both internally with team members and externally with stakeholders.
The ability to communicate effectively is what distinguishes a good project manager from a great one. Internally, a good project manager will clarify expectations, work with the team to achieve them, and respond to any queries that are posed to him. A superb project manager establishes a positive tone for the team, answers all queries, and is overall enjoyable to work with.
5. Team Management and Leadership
Every stage of the project is led by a project manager. He or she is in charge of creating project goals and ensuring that the team meets them.
Individual project managers have their own leadership style, which should not be imposed. Teams may react differently to different leadership styles, or the situation or environment may need a different style. For example, while an authoritarian project manager may be able to meet deadlines more consistently, this may come at the expense of a team’s mental health, which can lead to other concerns such as decreased morale and output quality.
6. Thinking Critically
Project managers should expect problems with answers that aren’t always obvious. Critical thinking is a talent that project managers can use in these scenarios. A project manager with critical thinking skills may devise solutions that not only solve the immediate problem but also address the core cause.
7. Dispute Resolution
During the course of a project, conflict can arise from anywhere. When tackling a problem, two team members may not see eye to eye, or there may be a stakeholder that appears to disapprove of everything the project team does. These are scenarios that project managers will almost certainly encounter at some point.
The work of a project manager is extremely demanding, but the greatest project managers recognise this and equip themselves with the abilities required to help their organisations flourish.
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