In today’s dynamic workplace, project managers and leaders are becoming increasingly important.
According to the Project Management Institute, there were nearly 17,000 students enrolled in Global Accreditation Center (GAC) programs in 2014; with 5,200 new graduates from the GAC program. With this trajectory, there’s no shortage of training to help project leaders learn and meet certification standards.
One often overlooked, but vital component of this training, however, is teaching project leaders how to meet the needs of their teams. Peter Drucker, educator and author, said, “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.”
A project leader can complete tasks by the book, but if they don’t have the full support of a functioning team, the project is unlikely to be successfully completed. There are three main things a successful project manager needs to bring to their team: good listening skills, clear communication, and a willingness to serve as an escalation point.
Listen
When project managers assume they have all the answers, it can lead to great frustration for the entire team. Individual team members have been selected based on their expertise, past performance, and unique abilities and strengths to contribute to the project. They are the ones responsible for delivering the project and it’s critical to listen to them and be open to the feedback your team is providing. The Harvard Business Review suggests several tips to help improve intentional listening with your team.
- Make it a priority to develop your listening skills
- Remove distractions when listening (your cell phone can wait)
- Look for non-verbal cues that your employees may be using to communicate
- Validate and confirm your understanding
By taking the time to actively listen to your team, you’ll not only gain their trust and respect, but will also be able to gain new ideas and receive constructive criticism to become a better project manager and get projects completed.
Communication
Once project leaders have mastered the art of listening, it’s important they learn to communicate effectively with their team, managers, and executives. Project managers are required to think in deliverables, milestones, and action items. It’s not intuitive for all members of the team to do the same.
If there are specific deadlines to meet, a particular format for updates, or other important administrative tasks that must be completed, your project team relies on you to tell them. Remember, their primary deliverables are doing the work, and they often fit in the documentation and reporting as time allows. The more clearly you communicate your expectations, the better your team will be able to deliver on their tasks and meet the project objectives.
Escalation
The final need project managers must fill for their teams is serving as an escalation point. Someone has to be the bad guy sometimes, and often team members must preserve an ongoing working relationship with those whom they depend on for deliverables.
When timelines aren’t being met or milestones have been flagged as high risk, team members need someone who can rally the troops, secure additional resources, or remove roadblocks as necessary. That job belongs to the project manager and is critical for the team to succeed.
In an environment that increasingly depends on project teams and their leaders, ongoing development and learning is vital to your overall success. This learning is not only geared toward the logistics of project management or executive expectations, but that it also acknowledges those needs that employees have for a good leader.
If you’re looking for ways on how to become a project manager, remember that education, as well as some personality skills will help you get there. Check out tips and ideas from places like Workfront that can give you an edge as you get started in this part of your career.
What do you look for in a project leader? Tell us in the comments below.
Photo: Maryland GovPics / Flickr
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