5 Essential Project Management Skills

With project management methodology in increasing demand, employers are actively searching for individuals who can lead project teams and deliver quality products in suitable timeframes. While these leaders are expected to have strong management and technical skills, utilizing the soft skills of project management can help projects run smoothly. Every project manager can benefit from developing these five key project management skills.

1. Essential Communication Skills

One of the most important skills for project management skills is communication. Great communication and effective leadership typically go hand-in-hand. Project management involves leading teams from different departments who may not be used to working together. Members may have different skills and may be expected to bring something unique to the table. A communicator who can provide clear instructions and expectations for their teams may increase work productivity and efficiency.

Another key to communication is awareness of word choice, tone, and body language. Project managers aim for clarity and sensitivity and have the ability to speak clearly and concisely with all team members.

2. Essential Time Management Skills

The ability to manage time and prioritize tasks is an essential characteristic of efficient project managers. Workers may respond better to managers who are able to stay on task, avoid procrastination, and complete work on time. In addition to personal time management, project managers must be able to maximize productivity and minimize distractions in several key project areas.

It’s also important for project managers to avoid the temptation of managing too much. Good managers can adapt to changes in the project, and develop trust between team members, rather than micromanage.

3. Project Management Organizational Awareness

There are several different types of organizational structure in project management and all have an impact on management style. In businesses with a functional organizational structure, a traditional business hierarchy tasks senior executives with overall project quality. In a project-based organizational structure, project teams are given a degree of autonomy to manage projects as they see fit, ultimately placing project managers in positions of overall responsibility.

Awareness of how an organization is structured and how project teams are formed is very important for project management professionals. Managers must have a clear sense of the current chain of command and whether they or senior executives will bear responsibility for final deliverables.

4. Essential Problem-Solving Skills

Project management tends to follow a specific problem-solving framework. While each of these points can certainly be discussed in further detail, successful project managers generally have at the very least a basic understanding of the following problem-solving approach.

• Be proactive in finding new, potential problems rather than waiting to see if anything goes wrong.
• Clearly define the problem and what you are trying to solve to help provide a clear set of objectives and a pathway to success.
• Analyze the problem in detail to uncover any variables that may help identify the root of the issue.
• Develop an awareness of all possible solutions to the problem and their respective pros and cons.
• Choose the best solution from each of the options in the previous step.
• Oversee the implementation of the solution and adjust to meet any complications.
• Pause to reflect on your problem-solving attempt to determine its strengths and weaknesses.

5. Essential Leadership Skills

It may seem obvious, but strong leadership skills are crucial for project managers. This trait combines strong communication skills with a calm temperament and a positive, can-do approach to problem-solving. Leaders must also be able to form and manage teams and communicate with stakeholders. Effective project managers tend to be excellent decision-makers and are able to delegate responsibilities to the team members most equipped to handle them.

How to Improve Project Management Skills

Many project managers will naturally develop these key project management skills over the course of their careers. However, education and training can help professionals improve the soft skills of project management.

In Villanova University’s Certificate in Applied Project Management program, students learn practical management principles, people-based project management approaches and other project management skills that are critical for success in this field.