Leading a project from start to finish while ensuring everything goes according to plan is not an easy task. A project manager has countless, demanding responsibilities on their shoulders. However, there are a few characteristics and skills set successful project managers to have apart from unsuccessful ones.
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What Roles Define A Project Manager?
The project manager is essentially the star of the show. The project is dependent entirely on their skills, qualifications, and experiences. While you can never clearly define the complete responsibilities of a project manager, the broader areas include planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling.
What Makes A Successful Project Manager?
Anyone can become a project manager, especially if the brains behind the idea were entirely theirs. However, just assuming the role of project manager does not mean you will succeed at your job. It is one thing to brainstorm and develop a proposal for a project and a whole other thing to go through with it. Once you do become a project manager, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to succeed.
A good project manager like Fahim Moledina focuses on strategic leadership, which is at the core of any successful organization. The same is true for projects. Given the uncertainties of the business environment, a successful project manager should be able to develop strategic plans that overcome challenges while fitting in with the overall, long-term goals of the company.
Additionally, a successful project manager should consider the needs of all stakeholders involved in the project. This includes being at the top of your game at all times, getting defeated by small failures but getting over them, and moving on. In short, a project manager is expected to demonstrate unwavering focus at all times, making them reliable for the rest of the team.
What Breaks A Successful Project Manager?
Failure to successfully perform the primary duties of a project manager, the plan having loopholes in it, or there being flaws in the execution, to name a few.
However, there are other, more subtle ways a project manager can fail at their job—one of the first ones being poor recruitment decisions. Project managers are often responsible for staffing people they see fit for the project. If the project manager fails to spot talent or is blinded by the need to hire pleasers instead of doers, they might be setting themselves up for disaster.
Secondly, arrogance is a prominent stepping stone towards project failure. Believing your plan is immune to setbacks or that you are irreplaceable even for a second can quickly turn into the worst nightmare for your project. Project managers that fail to empower their team by taking their opinions on important matters seldom succeed.
How Can I Be A Successful Project Manager?
Despite the hundreds of different tips and tricks you can read about, there is no set formula for a successful manager, nor are they born overnight. Success is for those who put in the hard work and never give up. A successful project leader is only made out of the experience. Fahim Moledina, an expert project manager, team leader, and consultant, is a living example of this. Check out his profile to learn about his journey.