After more than 25 years as a project manager in the field of IT, many people have asked me what skills make a good project manager. I once joked to a friend that to be a good PM you have to be able to thrive in chaos, but I wasn’t really kidding.

When you are looking to hire someone to fill the project manager role, it’s important to know that their personality is just as important as their experience, education and training. That’s because the qualities that make a good project manager can’t always be taught. They can be developed, or adopted, but if you’re lucky, they come naturally within the confines of your own personality.

Here is my personal list of eight very important qualities that make a good project manager. Look for them in that person you appoint to lead the implementation of your next project!

The Big “5”

I tell people there is five words to describe the best personality for being a good Project Manager:

Bold – You are willing to take risks and you fearlessly motivate others to get things done.  When someone is underperforming and holding up the rest of the staff, you’re not afraid to tell them they better get going!

Intense – You need to be passionate about the project you are leading. You are focused and determined to get it all done.

Tenacious – You need to have a Go-Getter personality and a taste for progress. When you hit a wall, you climb over or knock it down, and keep on going.

Confident – You  need to be able to let people know that you are in charge and be able to command a room…which is different than throwing around your weight.

Humble – You should be confident, but not arrogant.  You will not obtain cooperation from your team if you are arrogant. You won’t know everything all the time, but you can find out!

I’m sure you get the picture!

But seriously, I’ve never met a “meek” project manager.  I can only imagine they would have trouble in a PM role.

Other than these personality traits, project managers must have many skills that will help them be successful in their engagements.

Organized.

A no brainer, right? PMs must be organized to do their job.  But I mean from soup to nuts.  The manager should be prepared for everything planned (like a meeting) as well as everything unplanned (like emergencies or unexpected malfunctions and failures).  They should have access to everything they need and run a meeting efficiently with an agenda, meeting minutes, etc. An organized PM saves everyone’s time, and therefore, money. Their communication channels should also be organized so they know who to talk to and when to do it.

Quick.

In the world of IT, things happen quickly because they have to. Nobody wants to be without their optimal system a minute longer than necessary. PMs need the stamina to keep moving at a fast pace in order to activate others throughout the project. The ability to keep up with  changes, the progress of the project and any new direction needed is what makes a good project manager.

Customer-Service Focused.

PMs work with internal and external resources of various levels.  PMs need to know how to talk to the CIO as well as the vendor resource that comes to install some equipment.  They need to understand what is important to both, and why. When two requests come in at the same time–one from the systems analyst and one from the CIO—a good PM will know which one to answer first. Believe it or not, is  not always the CIO.  Sometimes the analyst must be addressed first because he/she might be in a crisis that will require immediate escalation.  The good PM knows how to respond to everyone in a way that will guide the team to the successful completion of a project. .  Which brings us to…

Good at Prioritizing.

This is one of the PM’s chief jobs during engagement and as the team responds, priorities may change from day to day or even within the same day.. Setting priorities involves using checklists and staying focused on the task most critical to progress when ten other people are asking for your attention to tangential matters. What makes a good project manager is being able to stay on task and get the right things done in the right order.

Flexible.

The best PM in the world will hit snags, glitches and the unexpected as they begin implementing their plan. What makes a good project manager is his/her ability to change course, have “plan B” ready and get everyone on board to go full force with it.  Flexibility is the PM’s best friend!

Understanding of the Project Manager Role.

As a PM, my job is to implement the project. Ask me my opinion and I gladly give it,, but my job is not to sway my client to do something a certain way. Over the years I have learned that my role is to listen and advise only when asked. A good PM neither steps on the toes of the CIO nor changes direction of the project without approval, but you sure need to provide your perspective as a project manager since you  are involved on the day to  day activities.

And finally, last but not at all least….

Integrity.

Perhaps the most important quality for a project manager. PMs should never forget who they are working for. Everything the PM does must be done to represent the CUSTOMER. In most project management engagements, I have found that there are usually quite a few “cooks in the kitchen” pushing you to do things their way. You must stand strong and always, always act on behalf of your customer.  Represent yourself in the values you take to work. Represent your customer in how you carry out that work. If you find yourself in a position where your company does not agree with your beliefs, I highly suggest you move on to work either

What makes a good project manager varies a little from industry to industry, but these special personality traits are universally helpful to the job. Make sure your next IT PM has all of these in their tool chest for a successful project. And if Lurdez Consulting Group can ever be of assistance to you for your next IT implementation, don’t be afraid to reach out at 630.749-4810.