Project management is essential in many industries, so mastering the skills is a must. Here are ten project management skills you should have to succeed.
Did you know it took about 400,000 people across the US to get American astronauts to the moon?
Behind every human achievement, there are a lot of individuals who fulfil disparate tasks. And behind all those people, you need project management to delegate and organise them. All it takes is one project manager who lacks important project management skills to upend the efforts of their subordinates.
No matter what sorts of projects you're doing, there are some core soft skills that you need. But without project management courses, you may not have been introduced to these pillars of managing people.
In this guide, we'll discuss the ten must-have project management skills that you need for any endeavour.
Time is the most precious resource we have, and it's the resource we tend to waste the most. We procrastinate or fail to prioritise tasks in order of importance. Whatever the reason, poor time management leads to missing deadlines and having to cram at the last second.
The key is to evaluate tasks on the basis of the following principles:
Scheduling tasks helps to focus efforts. Avoid making employees pivot from one task to another on a regular basis. Learning these time management skills can result in successful projects completed with time to spare.
Goals are the best way for anyone to visualise the end result--and set a course for it. Goals help to measure your progress along the way. They provide a litmus test for how well the project is going, and how you can improve.
Set SMART goals. These are goals that are:
In most projects, you have different teams working on different assignments. These teams have their own team heads, their own culture, and their own rhythm. Disconnects between teams can stall progress and lead to conflicts among employees.
Collaboration is all about understanding the idiosyncrasies of each team and its members. It's about knowing which communication styles work best, and what sorts of incentives they need to collaborate. A successful project manager has a deep understanding of their employees and knows how to put them together like a puzzle.
There's simply no way to anticipate the roadblocks that will occur during a project's lifetime. All of these roadblocks will provide inconveniences that force team members to take a new approach. But you can't solve problems with just grit and determination alone.
Problem-solving involves:
Conflicts will arise even in teams with the best cohesion. While you can't avoid conflicts, you can learn to mitigate and de-escalate them.
Listen to the concerns of all affected parties. Help all parties to understand that this is a team effort and that compromises may be necessary. Avoid punishment where possible, instead opting for reassignment or other solutions.
There are a lot of leadership styles, but not all of them are effective. Strict, draconian leaders can suck their employees dry of motivation and inspire resentment. Pushover leaders tolerate misbehaviour and lacklustre performance.
Leadership means riding a fine balance between these two things. It means making decisions that will not make everyone happy. A good leader listens and takes subordinate opinions into account, but understands that they will have to bring down the hammer from time to time.
Just as important as time management and delegating tasks is organising yourself and your efforts. It's easy to let things get cluttered, or multi-task between many different apps.
Learn how to streamline your efforts so you can get more done with less. Hire an assistant if necessary to keep your affairs in order.
All it takes is one misheard sentence or one poorly-phrased email to cause miscommunication. Miscommunication means people get the wrong idea and may take offence.
A good manager is clear in their speech and uses simple language to communicate things. They repeat if necessary, and have coordination meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Critical thinking is a skill that sometimes seems like it's going out of fashion. And unfortunately, managers and higher-ups lack it just as often as regular employees.
Critical thinking isn't just a list of skills or a process. It's a mindset you cultivate over time. You remain sceptical of simple answers and ask pertinent questions to dissect issues.
Similar to problem-solving, new situations may arise that change everything. You may have to work with people you detest and be in distracting, loud environments.
Adapting also means making the best of new developments related to the project. You may have to make do with less or accommodate late work and employee absences. You can't control these things, but you can adapt to them when they happen.
Project management skills are often the difference between happy clients and a flagging business. Skills for project management range from adapting to new situations, to solving unique problems. A project manager exhibits good people skills, communicates well, and manages their time for maximum effect.
Advised Skills teaches everything from enterprise architecture to cyber security. Our Project Management courses are second to none and will make you an invaluable asset to any company. Check out our courses today and sign up for the one you need.
Information technology is constantly evolving. Organizations that can stay ahead of the curve are more likely to achieve success. As an IT executive, you are responsible for equipping your team with the necessary knowledge and skills. This will help them navigate their environment and outperform the competition.
NewsMay 31, 2023
According to LinkedIn, 40% of recruiters now utilise skills data when making hiring decisions. How do your business skills match up? Learning the right business administrative skills can make a big difference in how employers view your qualifications. Knowing which specific abilities they look for in job candidates is essential if you want to be successful.
NewsMay 29, 2023
Immerse yourself in this insightful video presentation where we unfold the compelling synergy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and DevOps. This captivating content on AdvisedSkills dives deep into how AI-driven automation can significantly enhance DevOps practices.
NewsMay 25, 2023
Agile Transformation is sweeping across the business world, bringing promise of rapid delivery, heightened productivity, and improved customer satisfaction. Yet, the reality can often be grim. According to an Accenture study, a staggering 70% of Agile Transformations fall short of achieving their objectives.
NewsMay 24, 2023
Are you interested in finding out more about cybersecurity and network security? Click here to find out exactly what network security is and how it works.
NewsMay 23, 2023
We are looking for Instructor who will be responsible for delivering classroom and online live courses. Positive and efficient working environments are key to our trainers' success.
Through our global network of offices, Advised Skills provides organizations around the world with innovative and state-of-the-art education solutions.
Our team is composed of highly experienced consultants and trainers.
Advised Skills is Silver Partner of Scaled Agile, Inc., The Open Group® Gold member, PMI Authorized Training Partner, DevOps Institute Registered Partner, APMG International Accredited Training Organisation and PeopleCert Accredited Training Organisation.
If you would like to receive news and information subscribe to our newsletter!
2023 Advised Skills. All Rights Reserved.