What makes a good Project Manager - initial thoughts

Internet findings & thoughts on what makes a good Project Manager - this will feed into the master class

CHECK THROUGH APM COMPETENCIES

https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top-10-qualities-project-manager.php

• Inspires a shared vision
• Good communicator - WHAT MAKES A GOOD COMMUNICATOR
• Integrity
• Enthusiasm
• Empathy
• Competence - APM COMPETENCIES?
• Ability to Delegate Tasks
• Cool Under Pressure
• Team-Building Skills - MORE?
• Problem Solving Skills

http://99u.com/articles/6946/top-10-characteristics-of-great-project-managers

• Command authority naturally
• Possess quick sifting abilities, knowing what to note and what to ignore - PRIORITISATION?
• Set, observe, and re-evaluate project priorities frequently
• Ask good questions and listen to stakeholders - LISTENING SKILLS?
• Do not use information as a weapon or a means of control
• Adhere to predictable communication schedules - COMMUNICATION PLAN EXAMPLES?
• Possess domain expertise in project management as applied to a particular field
• Exercise independent and fair consensus-building skills when conflict arises - CONFLICT RESOLUTION?
• Cultivate and rely on extensive informal networks inside and outside the firm to solve problems that arise - RELATINSHIP BUILDING?
• Look forward to going to work

http://www.cio.com/article/2433916/project-management/six-attributes-of-successful-project-managers.html

• Possess the gift of foresight
• Organised - HOW TO BE ORGANISED?
• Know how to lead - TIPS FOR LEADERSHIP?
• Good communicators - MORE ON COMMUNICATIONS?
• Pragmatic - MORE?
• Empathetic

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140626180040-23030512-10-qualities-of-an-effective-project-manager

• Good communicator
• Effective leadership skills
• Good decision maker
• Set clear vision
• Sound technical knowledge
• Good at team-building
• Thrive under pressure
• Good negotiation skills - NEGOTIATION AND/OR CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS?
• Empathetic
• Enthusiastic

http://2020projectmanagement.com/2013/04/top-10-qualities-of-a-project-manager/

• Vision
• Communication
• Integrity
• Enthusiasm/Passion
• Empathy/Compassion
• Competence
• Delegation
• Composure
• Team building
• Problem Solving - PROBLEM SOLVING TIPS?

https://www.liquidplanner.com/blog/good-great-best-project-manager/

• Deeply involved in building team skills and in tactical execution of strategic vision
• Know that the track will have some unexpected curves and can create real-time solutions
• Know that collaboration, negotiation and problem solving are the keys to a successful outcome
• Highly skilled at problem solving and know the steps to take to achieve a solution
• Understand ‘the art of people’, and know how to utilize each person’s skills the right way at the right time

https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-things-that-make-a-good-project-manager-great/

• Inspire a shared team vision
• Have great communication skills
• Have Integrity
• Are Enthusiastic
• Show empathy, not sympathy
• Viewed as competent in the subject matter of the project
• Are great at delegating tasks
• Stay cool under pressure
• Promote team building
• Know how to solve problems

http://www.proofhq.com/blog-marketing/what-qualities-make-a-good-project-manager-007530/

• Excellent communicator
• Honourable - INSPIRING TRUST?
• Enthusiastic
• Problem Solver
• Cool and Collected
• Delegator
• Competent

http://work.chron.com/7-traits-effective-project-managers-11512.html

• Visionary
• Organized and Efficient
• Honest and Reliable
• Highly skilled communicator
• Leadership Abilities
• Action-oriented
• Experienced and knowledgeable

http://www.clarizen.com/blogs/5-traits-of-great-project-managers.html

• Competence
• Decisiveness
• Vision
• Communication
• Stability

http://www.pmi.org/learning/professional-development/career-central/four-must-have-traits-for-project-managers.aspx

• Show their worth
• Understand business strategy
• Overcome Hurdles
• Improve team performance

http://www.esi-intl.co.uk/blogs/pmoperspectives/index.php/15-skills-project-managers-will-need-2015/

• Leadership
• Negotiation
• Scheduling
• Cost Control
• Risk Management
• Contract Management
• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Project recovery - WHEN THINGS GO WRONG? CRISIS MANAGEMENT?
• Coaching - COACHING/MENTORING?
• Task Management
• Quality Management
• Meetings management - GOOD MEETING PLANNING?
• Business Case writing
• A sense of Humour

https://zapier.com/blog/project-management-skills/

• Manage and please workers from every department
• Sharpening traits like diplomacy, objectivity and affability make for a great project manager when the going gets tough
• Has the ability to maintain a top-level focus and fit everything into a coherent strategy
• Effective Communication is key
• Lead by example

FURTHER RESEARCH

WHAT MAKES A GOOD COMMUNICATOR

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/05/29/7-things-good-communicators-always-do/2/#235b41442ae1

• Get personal – focus on how your message will impact the other person – this gives them a reason to listen and remember what the marketer has said
• Represent Facts – Inaccurate information is worthless, so if you’re unsure about something you’re saying, either don’t say it or at least admit that you’re not sure about it,
• Be Specific – Good communicators cut to the chase and understand the value of brevity. Good communicators always respect people’s time and choose simple, straightforward words.
• Ask questions – You can confirm that your point has been understood by asking your audience questions.
• Ask for clarification – You need to understand other people’s points.
• Listen – Attentive listening makes the exchange enjoyable for your conversation partner.
• Read body language – By looking for now verbal cues, you can more readily ascertain how someone is receiving your message and then adapt accordingly

http://humanresources.about.com/od/interpersonalcommunicatio1/qt/10-simple-secrets-of-great-communicators.htm

• Build the relationship first – always. Continue to build the relationship in all interactions in any setting over time
• Know what you’re talking about – Obtain the knowledge, insight and forward thinking ability necessary to earn the respect of your colleagues for your industry or subject area expertise.
• Listen more than you speak – great communicators listen more than they speak. When they speak, they are frequently asking questions to draw out the knowledge and opinions of their co-workers.
• Focus on understanding what the other person is saying – ask questions for clarification and to make certain that you thoroughly understand what the other person is communicating. Focus your mind on listening and understanding
• Feedback what you understood the other person to say – Use a feedback loop to check your understanding and to make sure you shared meaning
•  Listen to the nonverbal communication the other person exhibits – the voice tonality, body language and facial expressions speak more loudly than the verbal communication (sending) or the actual words in many communication exchanges.
• Watch for patterns, inconsistencies and consistencies – You can observe a number of factors that can indicate that you co-worker is not stating their true feelings – look for patterns and inconsistencies (is this how they typically react?). Also, look for matching words, message, tone of voice and body language.
• If you are about to say anything critical or controversial, or if you’re angry or emotional, wait 24 hours before you say it, send it, post it to see if you still feel that way.
• Open your mind to new ideas – new idea’s live or die in their first communication to a person who has power in an organisation.

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/commun.htm

Effective communication contains six elements:

• Clear – Ensure that the information is presented clearly
• Concise – Be concise, do not lose the message by being long winded.
• Correct – be accurate, avoid giving misleading information
• Complete – Give all the information and not just part of it
• Courteous – be polite and non-threatening, avoid conflict
• Constructive – Be positive, avoid being critical and negative

APM COMPETENCIES

1. ETHICS, COMPLIANCE AND PROFFESIONALISM

2. TEAM MANAGEMENT

3. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

4. LEADERSHIP

5. PROCUREMENT

6. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

7. REQUIREMENTS MANAGEMENT

8. SOLUTIONS DEVELOPMENT

9. SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT

10. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

11. BUDGETING AND COST CONTROL

12. RISK AND ISSUE MANAGEMENT

13. QUALITY MANAGEMENT

14. CONSOLIDATION PLANNING

15. TRANSITION MANAGEMENT

16. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

17. RESOURCE CAPACITY PLANNING

18. GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

19. STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT

20. FRAMEWORKS AND METHODOLOGIES

21. REVIEWS

22. CHANGE CONTROL

23. INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE

24. BUSINESS CASE

25. ASSET ALLOCATION

26. CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT

27. BENEFITS MANAGEMENT

TEAM BUILDING SKILLS

http://www.time-management-guide.com/team-building.html

• Diversity of skills and personalities – when people use their strengths in full, but can compensate for each other’s weaknesses.
• Directed towards the same clear goals – the team goals! Relies on good communication in the team and harmony in member relationships.
• Problems: different personalities > conflict. No team commitment to group goals, or no consensus on the means of achieving those goals> individuals follow personal opinions and move in conflicting directions.

• Tips:
  • Ensure team goals are totally clear and completely understood and accepted by each team member.
  • Ensure complete clarity in who is responsible for what and avoid overlapping authority.
  • Build trust with team members by spending one-on-one time in an atmosphere of honesty and openness.
  • Allow team members to build trust and openness between each other in team building activities and events.
  • For issues that rely heavily on the team consensus and commitment, try to involve the whole team in the decision making process.
  • Ensure there are no blocked lines of communications and you and your people are kept fully informed.
  • Recognize interpersonal issues early and deal with them in full
  • Don’t miss opportunities to empower your employees. Show appreciation.
  • Don’t limit yourself to negative feedback. Be fare. Whenever there is an opportunity, give positive feedback as well.

• Approach to Team Building: (http://www.brefigroup.co.uk/training/team_building.html)
  • Understand team processes
  • Forming, storming, norming and performing
  • Communication
  • Goal Setting
  • Developing a team identity
  • Develop shared vision, mission and values
  • Understand team roles
  • Discover and interpret personal profiles
  • Setting well-formed outcomes
  • Negotiation
  • Decision Making
  • Giving and receiving feedback.

PRIORITISATION SKILLS

http://www.cimaglobal.com/Thought-leadership/Newsletters/Insight-e-magazine/Insight-2012/Insight-October-2012/First-things-first-prioritising-tasks-for-better-time-management/

• Concentrate on results, not on being busy. Many people spend their days in a frenzy of activity, but achieve very little because they are not concentrating on the right things.
• ’80:20 rule’ = 80% of your outcomes come from 20% of your inputs. Remember that in your life there are certain activities you do (20%) that account for the majority (80%) of your happiness and outputs
• Write down your long-term goals. Use the SMART formula = specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic and time-bound.
• Divide your tasks into A, B and C priorities. Always start with a high priority ‘A’ task, even if you can only accomplish a small part of it.
• Block off time for activities that are important. Make an appointment with yourself, and don’t let anyone schedule anything for the time you’ve put aside
• Stop spending time on trivia – don’t spend hours writing an email when a good conversation will suffice. Stop fussing over routine administrative tasks: delegate or automate them
• Have the courage to say no. Don’t try to please others all the time. Create personal boundaries that make it easy to say no and stick to your plan.
• Always start meetings on time. Don’t punish those who show up on time and reward those who are late. Do something however minor, but get started.
• Slow down. Productivitiy isn’t about going fast. It’s about doing the right things. Stop rushing around, driving too fast and getting upset at things you can’t control/ A couple of minutes gained aren’t worth the added stress.
• Avoid procrastination by completing unpleasant tasks first. The tough stuff ususally turns out to be not so bad. Break complex tasks into easy pieces and give yourself a reward for getting something done.
• Don’t be a slave to email!
• Create time for balance in your life. Set aside time for family, fitness, social, educational and spiritual needs. Plan for balance the way you plan for work.

http://www.time-management-guide.com/prioritizing.html

• With good prioritizing skills, you finish as soon as possible all the important urgent tasks, the ones that would get you into a crisis or trouble otherwise. Then, you focus your attention and try to give more and more time to those most important, but not urgent tasks, the ones that are most rewarding in the long run.
• Mark with A,B or C. The B tasks should be done only after you are finished with all the most important A tasks, the ones that just must be done. If you have the time after you are finished with the B tasks, you can move on to the C ones.

LISTENING SKILLS

http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/11/09/10-steps-to-effective-listening/#5bba64cd26fb

• Face the speaker and maintain eye contact
• Be attentive, but relaxed – you can look away now and then! Mentally screen out distractions, like background activity and noise.
• Keep an open mind – listen without judging the other person or mentally criticising the things they tell you. As soon as you indulge in judgemental bemusements, you’ve compromised your effectiveness as a listener.
• Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying – allow your mind to create a model of the information being communicated.
• Don’t interrupt and don’t impose you ‘solutions’ – When listening to someone talk about a problem, refrain from suggesting solutions. Most of us prefer to figure out our own solutions – we need you to listen and help us do that.
• Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions.
• Ask questions only to ensure understanding – Often our questions lead people in directions that have nothing to do with where they thought they were going. When you notice that your question has led the speaker astray, take responsibility for getting the conversation back on track.
• Try to feel what the speaker is feeling – Convey your feelings through your facial expressions and words. To experience empathy, you have to put yourself in the other person’s place and allow yourself to feel what it is like to be them at that moment.
• Give the speaker regular feedback – Show that you understand where the speaker is coming from by reflecting the speaker’s feelings…for example: ‘you must be thrilled’.
• Pay attention to what ISN’T said, to non-verbal cues

COMMUNICATION PLAN EXAMPLES

https://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationsPlanning.htm

• Market your message - Good corporate communications is very much like good marketing. You have a message (product) that you need to ‘sell’ to your audience (customers). If they are going to ‘buy it’, you must package the message so that they can understand it and pay attention to it. You must make sure the value and benefit outweigh any downsides (the ‘price’ you are asking them to pay). And you must reach the audience through the right communication channels. Then, following the communications (promotion), you must be able to measure the effectiveness and how well the message is ‘bought’.
• Understand your objectives:

• Channels include – email, newsletter, teleconference, notice boards, CEO briefing, Posters, lunchtime meetings, intranet article, launch event, team meeting, podcast on intranet (remember to use existing channels)
• Also ask: what does the audience need and want to know? When do we need to communicate? What is the regular or preferred channel for reaching this audience? For this specific audience and message, what is the most effective way to get your message across.
• Finally, ask for feedback on the communications you have planned and implemented. Check they understand the messages you need them to hear.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION