Dr:what It Takes Tobe a Good Project Manager

Title: DR:What it takes tobe a good project manager

Question 1: What primary characteristic distinguishes the very successful project managers from the more mediocre project managers?

Answer: 

    Successful project managers are usually describes as having good problem solving ability. Whenever a problem comes up, these people have the ability to solve it quickly and effectively, before it can have a significant effect on the goal of the project.  But the best project managers are those who have the ability to find problems, not just solve them when they come up. These people, because of their exceptional communication skills, goal clarity and planning, can find potential problems and then come up with ways to avoid them before they even become real problems. As such, the best project managers can predict and avert problems, as opposed to the mediocre project managers who solve problems after they come up.

Question 2: In Table 3, match the rankings between skills and problems.

Why aren’t the top skills matched to the main problems?

Answer:

1-Communication-Resources inadequate
2-Organizational-Meeting (“unrealistic”) deadlines
3-Team Building- Unclear goals/Direction
4-Leadership- Team members uncommitted
5-Coping-Insufficient Planning
6-Technological- Breakdown in communications

The problems faced by project managers are as wide-ranging as the job. As such, the project manager has to have a medley of skills to ensure the success of the project. Some problems are more widespread than others (Table 1 indicates that inadequacy of resources is the most widespread problem), and similarly some skills are more in demand than others (Table 2 indicates that communication is the most sought after skill in a project manager).  However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the most widespread problem requires the most sought after skill. In this instance, inadequacy of resources is a problem that can come up before a project manager is even assigned to the job.  So, the project manager’s skills don’t have a significant effect on this problem, a problem that has to be resolved at a higher level. Secondly, as effective communication is a skill highly looked for in potential project managers, it is safe to assume that most project managers have strong communications skills. Due to this ability being so widespread, the problem associated with it – breakdowns in communication – is not quite so widespread because most project managers know how to deal with it. Thirdly, the one on one matching table 3 provides is an oversimplification of the dynamic nature of project management. There are many complex connections and webs between the skills and the problems, which itself is a reason for the top ranked problems not being matched to the top ranked skills.