Every organization invariably has some great – and some not so great – project managers. The great ones are trusted by stakeholders and respected by their teams. You may know them as the PMs who somehow balance not only a greater number of projects than their less-than-stellar peers, but tougher, higher profile projects to boot. We can’t all be great, yet, when asked, the vast majority of PMs rate themselves as “above average”. Where’s the disconnect here? Great project managers will be in high demand as long as organizations have problems to solve. The not-so-greats? Not so much. So what are the differentiating factors that cause some PMs to rise to the top of their field – and how can you be sure you’re one of them?
I have worked with numerous project teams over the years and found the best project managers share the following five characteristics. Each of them are:
- Drivers
- Organized
- Consistent
- Challengers
- Learners
Let’s take a look at each.
Great Project Managers are Drivers
Far and away, the differentiating characteristic of a great project manager is drive. I don’t mean being driven in your career or having a Type “A” personality, rather, having a simple focus on driving the project forward. The job of a project manager is to preempt the issues no one else can see, to look into the future and steer the ship, and to make sure everything possible is done to deliver a successful project
What you will never hear a great project manager say is, “I’ve sent them a few emails, and they never got back to me.” A great project manager will chase people down and make sure things get done. They take accountability when others won’t, and in turn, religiously hold others accountable to their commitments. The best PMs are impatient, with themselves and others. They report bad news quickly and don’t let it fester.
Though they may not be the individual responsible for doing the work, the best project managers never forget they are accountable for making sure the work gets done well and on time. After all, their name is on this project. They do not wait until the last minute, and they do not give excuses for why something is late. They get ahead of it, and they drive it to completion.
Things never go as planned, and great project managers know this. When things go wrong (as they often do), they keep a level head and get to the root of the problem. They are seemingly natural problem solvers and don’t get emotional or blame others. Rather, they work to get the issue resolved. They ask lots of questions, get everyone together, facilitate open and honest communication, and come to resolution quickly. They pull roadblocks out of their team’s way then let them do the work needed to get the job done. All of this results in Driver PMs consistently having the most successful projects.
So, how do you strengthen your Driver skills? Here are some activities that will bring out the Driver in you:
- Regularly ask your team what their biggest roadblocks or challenges are and look for ways to resolve them.
- Start thinking more proactively and begin tasks as soon as possible. For example, start planning next week’s meetings this week.
- When discussing general work that needs to get done or decisions to be made, write them down and assign an owner and due date. Write action items in “verb + noun” format, so everyone is clear as to what is needed. Document commitments in meeting minutes, communicate them to everyone, and hold people accountable. When you have a date and someone’s name attached to a task, it becomes significantly easier to drive the task to completion.
- When asking people for a due date, don’t just ask when something will be due. It is human nature to throw out an optimistic guess without really thinking it through. Instead, ask your team members how many hours a task will take if: 1) all the planets aligned, no surprises arose, and they weren’t pulled away to do anything else, 2) if the task ended up being more complex or problematic than they originally thought, and 3) realistically how many hours they estimate the work to be. You will get a much more realistic response and you will limit your surprises.
Great Project Managers are Organized
The best PMs are also the most organized. They maintain the best data on their projects and have the most complete notes. They seem to know more about the project than anyone else involved, and can very quickly pull up information as needed. Their schedules are up-to-date, they can tell you real-time status on their project at any point in time, and they are never rushing around last minute to pull data together. There is no mystery here. They do this because they are organized.
When the information around your project is documented and organized, you will invariably spend less time chasing people and information down when you need it. It’s a simple thing that can pay huge dividends throughout the life of the project, and it can be done by taking a little extra time upfront to make sure you consistently use a few basic templates (Word and Excel works well a lot of the time), document all key conversations, and put them into a logical folder structure for easy retrieval later on.
Here are some activities to practice that will get you Organized:
- Find templates that allow you to document all key areas of your project (Meeting Agendas, Meeting Minutes, Risk Register, Project Plan, etc.). Ask other project managers what tools they find to be the most helpful.
- Document and communicate all key decisions and action items. Don’t rely on your memory or a handshake. People have a tendency to forget what has been agreed to, so make sure it’s in writing.
- Hone your scheduling skills. The best project managers maintain strong schedules, and you need to really understand the tool to use it effectively. Formal Microsoft Project training is well worth the time and money. I also love a book called, “Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Project”, which teaches the philosophy behind creating a great (and, most importantly, low maintenance) project schedule.
Great Project Managers are Consistent
The best project managers are consistent (even when no one else around them is). They think through their communications and make sure everyone regularly receives the information they need. You can depend on a consistent project manager. The best project managers excel at the basics. They always send out a meeting agenda a few days prior to a team meeting, so everyone knows what is expected of them, ensuring no one’s time is wasted. They are prepared with answers to questions. The team also works harder for a consistent PM because they know they will be “called to the carpet” if they are not prepared.
Here are some activities to practice that will increase your Consistent characteristic:
- Ask stakeholders what kind of information they need to make decisions, and ensure they get what they need when they need it from you.
- Create, refer to, update, and stick to the Communication Plan for the project.
- Put reminders on your calendar to consistently send out the right communication every day, week, month, etc. Become someone that others can depend on.
Great Project Managers are Challengers
The best project managers question assumptions and challenge those around them to do great work and be better. They do not agree to deadlines or other directives without first questioning assumptions and authority when necessary. They ask great questions and find ways to elicit the information they need. Asking questions such as, “Have you thought about…?” will not only help you garner helpful information; it will push others to think creatively and begin asking their own great questions.
One of the most powerful questions a Project Manager has at his or her disposal is “Why?” When people ask something of your team or give you a due date for a project or activity, ask them “Why?” Likewise, it is important to take care in communicating the “Why” behind your own decisions and deadlines when relaying them to your team. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your team understands the “Why?” or that it is somehow obvious. Your team should have a firm grasp of the importance or mission of the project from start to finish. We all want to work on a project or task that has meaning. Be sure people understand that meaning.
Asking “How so?” is another valuable tool in the arsenal of a great project manager. Should someone communicate information to you in a vague way, follow it up with a “How so?”. As with “Why?” above, the question will elicit further detail about the situation, allowing you to get to the root of the issue in an easy, non-confrontational way.
Here are some activities to practice that will help you be a confident Challenger:
- Incorporate great questions into your everyday vocabulary (Why?, How so?, etc.)
- Try new tactics to solve problems with your team. Interactive games are a great way to encourage the critical thinking necessary for solving problems creatively.
- Take an improv class. This idea may seem a little out there (particularly for my more serious, shy, or analytical PMs), but it’s a great way to look at any situation with a little levity. Many years ago, I took a stand up comedy class, which has turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done for my career.
Great Project Managers are Learners
Last but not least, the very best project managers are always learning. Each new and interesting mistake is seen as an opportunity to learn – and to inspire others by communicating those lessons. Learners incorporate new techniques to make their job easier and projects more successful. They search for knowledge and find it all over the place. They realize that they can only get better and, surprisingly, are usually the most humble PMs in an organization. They are not only a sponge for information – they also share their knowledge with others, admit their mistakes and, as a result, gain the loyalty of others.
Here are some activities to practice that will help you become a Learner:
- Seek out great project managers and learn from them (ask them the tools they use, the books they read, the classes they’ve taken, the biggest lessons they’ve learned, etc.).
- If you’ve never had formal project management training, get some. Period. When you stop learning new things about project management, you will fall behind.
- Learn something new every week. Find great blog articles, books, videos, speakers, etc. There are lots of great resources available in print and online.
- Ask your team, sponsor, peers, etc. what you could improve upon. It’s not always going to be the most pleasant feedback to receive, but it’s vital to becoming better.
- Join PMI. Get involved in some of the communities of practice. Become a volunteer. You will not only meet lots of great people, but you will learn new skills and expand your knowledge.
In the end, the best PMs are leaders, not glorified admins. They add value to an organization, a feat that requires hard work. The good news is this: The best project managers are those who decide to be great. It isn’t a mystery or some inherent trait. It can be accomplished through hard work – and the great ones are those who never stop trying to get there.