8 SOFT SKILLS A PROJECT MANAGER SHOULD HAVE

Communication

A project manager is the person who connects everyone who is working on a project, and their ability to share important information with everyone involved is crucial to the success of the project.

A good communicator will be able to get people on board with their vision, be able to come to a common understanding, and know the best way to share any given piece of information.

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Leadership

Leading a team is one of the most important parts of a project manager’s job, but not everyone has this soft skill. A strong leader can win over people’s trust, motivate workers, get buy-in, make good decisions, and take responsibility for both the team’s successes and failures.

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Motivation

Motivating a group of people over a long period of time is such an important part of being a leadership that it needs its own section. A project manager needs to be able to motivate their team members to do their best work even when deadlines are tight and projects are hard.

You’re doing motivation right if your team members care about the project and do their best to help it succeed because they want to, not because they’re afraid of what might happen if they don’t.

Conflict management

People who work together will always have disagreements. It’s normal and doesn’t cause any problems, but a good project manager knows how to handle it.

A successful conflict manager will know how to keep tempers in check and deal with problems as they come up, so that the team can move forward and keep working toward their goals without hurt feelings or big blow-outs. They also know not to avoid conflict, but to face it straight on.

Adaptability

No matter how good a planner you are, there will always be things that don’t go as planned. A good project manager is flexible and agile, and they know how to deal with problems as they come up and make the necessary changes to keep moving forward.

If you and your team can quickly adjust when the deadline, a project detail, or something else changes, you’re doing this one right.

Resourcefulness

You won’t always be given everything you need to finish a project, but that shouldn’t stop you. Strong project managers know how to solve problems by being crafty and smart.

You’ll know you’re resourceful if you don’t give up when you run into a problem you don’t know how to deal with. Instead, you’ll be determined to find a way out, even if it takes a little bit of work.

Teamwork

A good project manager doesn’t just lead the team; they also work with the team. This means working together, being easy to work with and talk to, and being fair to other people. This job has no room for pride.

This one is easy to figure out if you’re doing it right or not. Does your team get along well? Do they trust each other enough to tell the truth, disagree, and ask for help? If they do, that means you’re doing a good job.

Influence

A great project manager should also be able to get a group of people to work toward a soft goal, even if they are not under their direct skill. In order to have influence, you need to be able to build trust, encourage cooperation, and get people to work together. The first step is to listen.

Do you have the right idea? Do people answer your messages, show up to your meetings, and give you feedback? Do they talk to the team about possible problems and make suggestions as the project goes on, instead of spreading doubt or complaining about the project? When you use influence well, people help you when you ask for help and work with you to move forward.

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