Must-Have Leadership Qualities for Successful Project Management

Every successful project manager has a few key characteristics that are either intrinsic or developed over time. Usually, it’s a combination of both. These characteristics are critical as they make him an effective leader of others. Let’s take a look at the 5 most important qualities for successful project management.

5 Leadership Qualities for Successful Project Management

Communication Is Essential For Successful Project Delivery

Successful project delivery is contingent upon sharing one’s vision and pertinent information with teammates. The best project managers over-communicate. It never hurts to reinforce key messages to those assigned to a project. Most employees crave clear communication. They want to know exactly what their duties are, when those duties are expected to be completed and what the overall goals for the project are. Project managers who share this information with their team are more likely to adhere to a timetable, retain human capital over the long haul and please clients. Simply put, everyone needs to be on the same page for a unified workforce with a clear mission.

A Contagious Spirit

Part of being a team leader is establishing a positive environment. Successful project managers are part psychologists in the sense that they must maintain a level headed workforce that doesn’t get too low or too high. People are more willing to follow someone who is confident, enthusiastic and outwardly fearless. Nobody will feel good about going to work if they picture their project manager to be nervous, hesitant and downtrodden. Project managers must lead by example. Their words, actions and even non-verbal cues shape the attitudes of their teammates.

A Clear Vision

Those who succeed as project managers have the ability to prognosticate a variety of future scenarios. They are proactive and develop a clear vision for the track that a project should take. This takes a bit of clairvoyance and some sociology. Elite project managers understand that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. They make it a habit to study their team. Leaders should be able to assign specific roles to team members based on their potential for success when charged with specific responsibilities.

Delegation Of Labor For Full Participation

No project will be completed in an efficient manner if the brunt of the work is hogged by a few leaders. The proper delegation of responsibilities facilitates efficiency and builds the confidence of team members. Yet even the delegation of work to the appropriate personnel is oftentimes not enough for successful project delivery. It can become too monotonous and lead to a stale work environment. Over time, project managers should present growth opportunities to their team members by offering heightened responsibilities that will challenge them to expand their knowledge bases.

Grace Under Fire

Perhaps the most critical characteristic of successful project managers is composure. Level headed leaders don’t panic when things go wrong. The best actually plan for crises and develop response plans ahead of time to ensure that projects are successfully delivered. This way, they won’t show fear or exasperation in front of their team. Part of the reason why project managers have made it to positions of authority is because they have the ability to solve problems when pressured. They want to show that they can rise to the occasion and overcome adversity.

Elite project managers are individuals who have a wealth of personal qualities and experiences to draw upon to lead a team towards a successful project delivery. They thrive on challenges and look forward to bringing people together into a cohesive team unit that works for the greater good of the organization.

Key Takeaways

• Project managers must involve the entire team to successfully manage the work load.
• Over time, project managers should expand the duties of team members in order to allow them to grow as professionals.
• Leaders embrace problems and look forward to solving them in an artful manner.
• Project management requires fluid communication. Lucidity and quantity always trump brevity.
• Successful project delivery is dependent on an enthusiastic leader who is concerned not only with the present but also with with posterity.

Focusing on the leadership of your project management is a key element to enhanced and continued success. It is important to support the technical elements of any project with a staff of project managers skilled with vision, communication and the tactical abilities to achieve your organizational goals. There are several project management software options, like  Oracle Primavera, that will also help you reach your project management goals.