Top 5 skills for project managers

TOP

5 SKILLS
FOR PROJECT MANAGERS

by Chris Croft

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Introduction
Most 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.

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Table of Contents

03 Skill No. 1: Planning

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Skill No. 5: Time management

06 Skill No. 2: Leadership

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Conclusion

09 Skill No. 3: Communication

20 Author

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Skill No. 4: Assertiveness

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Planning

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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.

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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.
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Leadership

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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.

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

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

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.”

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ASK YOURSELF:

Can I
delegate more?
Am I monitoring
enough but
not too much?


Communication

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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.

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

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.

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.

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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.


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.

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Assertiveness

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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

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Good
project managers

TAKE
OWNERSHIP
of a project.


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.
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Time Management

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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.

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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.

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Conclusion
Being 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.

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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.

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About Lynda.com
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