Here’s Exactly What Makes a Good Project Manager

If you’re second-guessing yourself about becoming a project manager, you’re probably right to do so!

Project management is one of the most challenging career paths you can take. To excel in this line of work, you need a wide range of skills and aptitudes — and some of them might surprise you.

Want to find out more about what’s expected from you and what qualities you need to succeed in this career? Read on for a closer look at what it takes to be a good project manager!

What are the most important qualities of a good project manager?

A project manager needs to have several key qualities. These are partly innate and partly developed through training and experience, and they’re all equally vital if you want to succeed in this field.

So, what are the most important characteristics of a project manager? 

Good communication skills

It’s impossible to overstate how important communication is in project management, especially for remote teams. And that importance is doubled for project managers, for a number of reasons.

Put simply, a manager has to be accurate and efficient in their communication, regardless of the medium. On top of that, they need to know which medium they should use in which situation, and how to use it effectively. 

Poor communication skills can result in inefficient use of time, or — in the worst case — costly mistakes due to miscommunication. And if vital communication is spread out across multiple channels, these issues become even more problematic.

Reliable leadership

Much like with communication, more goes into quality leadership than some might think. 

A leader isn’t someone who just issues orders from a position of authority. They also empathize, build rapport, delegate effectively, and motivate their team to work together toward a project’s success.

Moreover, a good project manager has to lead by example and embody all the qualities they want to see in their team. Demonstrating accountability and trust goes a long way if you want to see them in your team members.

Top-notch organizational skills

If things always went according to plan, project management would probably be one of the easiest career paths out there. 

But, since this is rarely the case, organizational skills remain the cornerstone of every successful project manager’s skill set. 

Essentially, an effective project manager needs to be able to:

• Prioritize well, 
• Create a project timeframe, 
• Allocate resources, 
• Manage workloads, 
• Set up contingencies to mitigate project risks, and more. 

Most importantly — they need to be able to adapt to changing circumstances and unforeseen complications. 

Creative problem-solving skills

Whenever organizational mishaps or complications pop up, the project manager needs to be able to come up with a solution quickly to keep the project on track. Creativity plays a big role here, as project managers always work within certain project constraints. 

Strong problem-solving skills help project managers adapt to changing situations efficiently, resolve conflicts, and even develop new and innovative ways to handle similar issues in the future. 

Dedication and responsibility

The project manager is responsible for a project’s ultimate outcome, so it goes without saying that it’s a high-responsibility role. Their work doesn’t just reflect on them but on the company’s bottom line, its reputation, and its employees.

As such, there is no room for jobs half-done. 

A project manager needs to be dedicated and always working toward the best outcome. They give their utmost, take responsibility for their mistakes, and do their best to correct them when they happen.

Ability to handle pressure

Finally, remember that even though not all projects are inherently stressful, there will always be some degree of pressure to contend with. Every project will have a schedule, unforeseen complications, and financial stakeholders who expect a good return on their investment.

As such, a project manager needs to know how to manage stress and work under pressure. They need to be able to stay focused and thrive in critical situations, and they need to represent a stable anchor for the project team.

How to be a good project manager 101: Top 3 things to work on

And yet — simply having the right traits and characteristics is only half the deal. 

An exceptional project manager should always be looking to improve their skill set and optimize their performance. So, here are some things you can do on that front.

Get certified

Not all project managers need to be certified (in fact, most aren’t!). However, there are major benefits to getting certified in project management.

First, preparing for the exam will let you gain new knowledge and skills that you might lack, especially if you’re just starting out. 

Second, being certified will open up more job opportunities. Some high-end jobs will require a certification — and even if they don’t, it will help you stand out from other candidates.

Finally, according to PMI, certified project managers are usually paid more than their non-certified counterparts. The difference usually ranges from 16% to 32%, which isn’t exactly pocket change.

Reflect on your performance

No matter how prepared or experienced you are, you will make mistakes along the way. The key here is to make those mistakes productive by learning from them. 

Even if you were able to successfully complete a project with no major mistakes, there are always lessons to be learned.

By reflecting on the performance of the project and on your own performance as a manager, you stand to:

• Expand your skills, 
• Minimize mistakes, 
• Increase efficiency, 
• Improve your project success rates, and more.

Use the right tools

As technology is advancing rapidly, project managers need to stay ahead of the curve. A crucial part of this is identifying and picking the best tools to maintain efficiency — and potentially make their jobs easier.

For example, many workplaces still use spreadsheets to manage projects and email as the primary means of communication, which is a bad idea for many reasons. 

Among other things, spreadsheets are prone to mistakes and have limited collaboration features. Meanwhile, email makes it rather easy for important documents to get lost.

In contrast, specialized project management software like Plaky provides an antidote to all these issues. It unifies task tracking, scheduling, and communication features in one platform, making organization much easier and faster — not to mention more user-friendly for everyone.

Create a free Plaky account

FAQ

What makes you stand out as a project manager?

Project managers who stand out are usually the ones who embody everything an ideal project manager should be. This includes things such as:

• Superb organization skills, 
• Excellent leadership, 
• Creative problem-solving skills, and 
• The willingness to go above and beyond to deliver optimal results. 

What are the 3 most important things for a project manager?

The most important things for a project manager are: 

• Communication skills, 
• Leadership skills, and 
• The ability to organize and plan effectively. 

Can you become a project manager without certification?

Yes, you can become a project manager without a certification. However, certified project managers usually enjoy higher salaries and have an edge in the selection process. 

Besides that, some employers might be unwilling to consider candidates without a certification. 

Need to elevate your performance? Try Plaky

While project management is challenging, you can use technology to simplify it.

A cloud-based project management tool such as Plaky is easy to adopt and use by the whole team — and it provides a variety of useful features that conventional planning tools might lack, such as:

• Seamless collaboration and communication through a unified platform,
• Effortless and accurate scheduling with the help of Gantt charts,
• Convenient project setup with various pre-made project management templates,
• Easier accountability with a fully transparent activity log, and much more.

Essentially, Plaky can greatly help with all manners of project management struggles, as it lets you:

• Have a comprehensive and dynamic overview of your projects,
• Organize tasks easily and accurately, and
• Communicate effortlessly with your team — anytime and anywhere.

Ready to try project management on easy mode and improve your performance? Create a free Plaky account today!