Four Essential Behaviors for Project Managers
From the Communication Excellence in Project Management Blog
by Bill Brantley
Although Project Managers spend 90% of their time communicating, communication in project management is the most underdeveloped skill for project managers. This blog will help Project Managers become better communicators and thus, better Project Managers.
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A good article in Forbes talks about the four ways leaders sabotage their authority. As you can guess, all four ways deal with communication:
- Not buying your story – Lacking conviction and integrity, especially in communicating a vision.
- Being tone-deaf – Using inappropriate language and humor when dealing with people.
- Disowning your accountability – Ducking responsibility by playing the blame game.
- Isolating yourself – the leader is rarely seen as they spend most of the time in his or her office.
These are self-sabotaging for all leaders, but the fourth behavior – under-communicating – is the most damaging to project managers. It is very easy for a project manager to become wrapped up in the details of managing the project while forgetting to keep the project team and stakeholders updated on the project’s progress. The tendency to under-communicate is especially exacerbated when the project is in trouble, and the project manager cuts off communication to handle the emergency. Lack of communication from the project manager will cause even more problems as stakeholders imagine the worst in the absence of communication.
Communication is the most effective tool in the project manager’s toolkit. Of course, a project manager must speak with conviction and integrity. The project manager must speak appropriately and be accountable for their actions and words. Moreover, and most importantly, the project manager must also manage by wandering around and being a constant presence. It is better to over-communicate that under-communicate.
Posted on: February 22, 2016 09:44 AM |
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Comments (2)
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Adam Ward
Setup Operator| MICO Inc.
Vernon Center, Mn, United States
That's great. We know we need to communicate, but--what has to give in order to make time for "wandering around?"
How should we design our communication management plans to minimize the likelihood of these behaviors?
Luis Branco
CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª
Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Bill
Interesting this reflection on the theme: "Four Essential Behaviors for Project Managers"
Thanks for sharing
Important point to remember: "the four ways leaders sabotage their authority:
Not buying your story
Being tone-deaf
Disowning your accountability
Isolating yourself "
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"Life is but a walking shadow,
a poor player that struts and
frets his hour upon the stage
and then is heard of no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot,
full of sound and fury,
signifying nothing."
- William Shakespeare
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