Did you know you may already have the essential skills needed to be a Project Manager. You don’t necessarily need a degree or a certification to be a Project Manager. For the most part, there are skills we “Project Managers” are born with that you just can’t teach in a classroom.
When I first realized I wanted to be a project manager, I had already been doing alot of the responsibilities and just didn’t know it aligned with project management.
Personal habits or traits that align with Project Management skills
- Determination: I’ve always been a take charge type of person and driven to succeed. This started at a young age. When I set out to find my first job at 16, I was determined to not work fast food and I didn’t want to work weekends. My parents laughed and said good luck to you. Guess what, I came home with a part time job making sales calls for the local cable company. No weekends, no fast food.
- Organized: I am organized to the point of ridiculousness, just very detail oriented. But this comes in handy when I’m the only one in our group of friends that likes to plan things. Of course then I get stuck planning birthday celebrations, summer get togethers, Thirsty Thursdays, etc. you get the idea. Ha!
- Good Listener: I’ve always been the person that people feel comfortable opening up about their lives and troubles. It’s not that I know how to fix anything or that I’ve experienced similar situations, but I listen to understand their perspectives and show them empathy and support.
- Sense of Urgency: I have a high sense of urgency for getting things done. This also drives my husband crazy. Have you seen the Tiktok of the woman who asks her husband to do something and 5 minutes later she’s doing it herself? I could totally relate!
- Multi-tasker: I can prioritize tasks in my head and multitask with ease. I mean seriously, I have multiple IM conversations while I’m meeting about different topic with different stakeholders.. Someone says we need to follow up with so and so, I’m already on it and got the answer before the end of the meeting.
- Inquisitive: I love love love to problem solve! I’m always asking “why” to get to the root cause of a problem. Some would say “don’t you sound like a toddler always asking why,” but no, the more why’s you ask the deeper the conversation goes and the closer you get to a real issue. (check out Six Sigma ‘5 Why’s’)
- Communication: I’m a people person and getting them to collaborate comes naturally. I used to tell my boys that my job was to get people to talk to each other.
- Negotiation / Influencer: My friends always tell me I’m good at making people do things. It’s not that I force anyone to do anything, but I sell the ideas and influence their participation.
- Risk Management: My husband gets mad at me for this one, but I always look at the worst case scenario when problem solving. It’s just ingrained in me to think about all the risks, the what if’s and think about how I would handle it if it did happen or how to stop it from happening all together. This could also be my high anxiety though kicking in.
I’m hoping if you are still reading, that you can totally relate to some of the skills/habits I shared above.
Now let’s review 10 essential skills you may already possess to be a project manager.
10 Essential Skills to be a project manager
- Communication: Project Managers need to be great verbal and written communicators. They have to be able to tell everyone what the project is all about, what needs to get done, and any changes that come up. Plus, they should be good listeners so they can understand what everyone else wants and needs.
- Leadership: Project Managers know how to get their teams pumped up and motivated to achieve project goals. They give clear direction, offer support, and keep things positive and friendly in the workplace.
- Time Management: Project Managers need to be on top of their game when it comes to juggling tasks, setting timelines, and making sure deadlines are met. They have to prioritize tasks and know how to make the most of their resources.
- Organizational Skills: Project managers need to make sure everything is organized and in order when juggling multiple tasks. They must be able to maintain accurate documentation, track progress, and address any issues that arise promptly.
- Problem-Solving: Project managers are always running into roadblocks and hiccups during projects. They have to be good at spotting problems, figuring out why they’re happening, and coming up with smart solutions to keep things moving forward.
- Risk Management: Dealing with risks is a big deal in project management. Project managers need to be able to see what might go wrong, come up with plans to handle those risks, and take action to lessen their impact on the project.
- Negotiation: In project management, there’s a lot of back-and-forth negotiating with different stakeholders, team members, vendors, and others. Being good at negotiation is key for working out conflicts, getting the resources you need, and reaching agreements that work for everyone.
- Budgeting: Managing project budgets, allocating resources efficiently, and controlling costs are all part of a project manager’s job. It’s important to make sure projects stay within budget!
- Adaptability: Project managers must be adaptable and flexible in response to changing project requirements, priorities, and circumstances. They should be able to adjust plans and strategies as needed to accommodate evolving needs and objectives.
- Technical Competence: Knowing a bit about the industry, tech, or subject of your project can help you talk to your team and stakeholders better. It also helps you get what’s going on with the project.
With these skills in your toolbox, you’ll be able to lead your team like a pro and deliver projects that blow stakeholders away.
Summary
