Characteristics of a Project Manager

Typical Project Manager

Your Results

Based on your response, you may want to work on the following areas.

Communication
Managing a project can be a highly stressful. Good communication skills are
essential in helping you to work effectively, build solid stakeholder relationships,
prevent unnecessary misunderstandings, and navigate day-to-day deadlines.
Successful project management communication is about being supportive,
remaining on top of the day-to-day challenges of the project, being approachable,
and considering various points of view before taking action.

Creative thinking and problem-solving

Creative thinking and problem-solving are key skills for any project manager.
Projects are essentially a set of activities delivered in the future, which means that
they are subject to unknown events not anticipated. Creative thinking is required
to best deal with these unexpected challenges and problems that need to be
solved. Creative thinking requires proper immersion through the use of various
techniques to really think in-depth about problem solving perspectives before
responding to it. Take time to facilitate brainstorming sessions to build creativity
and look at challenges in new ways with a view to finding a range of alternative
solutions that may be more effective than a single (off the shelf) solution approach
you might usually take.

Dealing with uncertainty

Dealing with uncertainty forms part of every project, as projects are delivered in
the future - which means uncertainty of what may, or may not happen. Challenges
and issues will pop up unexpectedly and you will need to be equipped to deal with
such changes. Dealing with uncertainty is in-part about having confidence that you
(and your project team) will be able to manage an issue when it arises. It is about
being comfortable that although you may not be able to foresee (or plan) for every
issue that may arise, you will be able to reduce the impact through a combination
of good planning, an experienced team, and contingency planning.

Planning
Planning is a core activity in the early stages of any project lifecycle. Planning and
organisational skills are essential to being an effective project manager. Taking
time to understand what your project is about, the benefits it should deliver, and
the essential activities that need to be completed is all part and parcel of laying a
solid planning foundation. Thorough analysis and evaluation in selecting the “best
approach” to undertaking and completing project activities will inform overall
project planning, communication, and stakeholder management by clearly
articulating the selected path to successfully achieving project objectives.

!
© The University of Adelaide (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/legals/copyright.html), all rights reserved
References