How To Become The Ultimate Project Manager

Truly great project managers are some of the most highly desirable assets to any company or client, talented individuals able to manage disparate teams effectively and harmoniously whilst retaining a clear sense of the project's aims and objectives. They will have a cool head and the ability to detect and deal with issues and risks that arise throughout the course of the project. And they can make a lot of money both for their clients and for themselves.

But what are the quantifiable qualities that a successful PM must possess? Recent studies by the premier project management trainers ESI International has resulted in a shortlist of the most important skills that make up a great project manager. Adherence to these tenets can set even a comparative novice on the road to being among the elite of their profession.

Chief among the qualities outlined by ESI is that of inspiring a vision in team-mates and colleagues. It is the PM's responsibility to articulate the goals of the project in a way that inspires and energises their team so that everybody involved in the project will both have a clear understanding of what it is that they are working towards as well as the desire to try their hardest to achieve it.

Good communication is another vital skill that a great PM must possess. Managing a team is challenging at the best of times especially when tasks start to multiply and sub-teams and sub-strategies are put into place. The Project Manager must be able to get across to all team members what is required of them at any given time, and to do this in a way that is both clear and direct. Effective communication with the client is also a necessity so that there is no dispute over what goal is being pursued.

And a great project manager should always lead by example. This means setting an ethical example to the rest of their team and behaving with integrity at all times. There will always be the cliche of the self-serving, amoral businessman but those professionals who rise to the top do so through talent and hard work rather than Machiavellian machinations.

Enthusiasm ranks highly in ESI's research and, whilst it may appear obvious that a Project Manager with a can-do attitude is desirable, the volume of negative PMs out there implies that a lot of people don't take this simple fact on board. Positivity breeds positivity and makes the arduous work in any project infinitely more bearable. By the same token an ability to empathise with their team members makes that team so much more likely to work hard for their PM.

There are a number of other findings present in ESI's research that are instructive reading for any project manager regardless of experience. And whilst it is easy to presuppose that it is all just common sense and you know it all already it is worthwhile asking yourself how many of these skills you display on a regular basis in your professional life.