Someone from one of the project management groups I belong to on LinkedIn asked this question today:

"what 3 common core competencies to a project manager should apply to every new project to take good start."

Here is what I could come up with while trying to limit it to 3.  What do you think?

Planning - in this order with iteration: 1) Why 2) What 3)How 4)Who 5)When

So many people running projects tend to get these things out of order.  If you are opening up MS Project before you know Why, What, How, and Who you are doing it wrong.

Relationship building, relationship building, relationship building

Building relationships with your team, stakeholders, customers, and management is key.  You are going to need strong relationships to get through tough times and just to keep everyone on the same page and headed in the right direction.

Leadership- through facilitation and communication; trust and empower your team; do not rely on role power/formal authority even if you happen to have some.

In my experience, far too many project managers try to make people do things on the basis of formal authority.  Sometimes they really do have role power, and sometimes they've just fooled themselves into thinking they do.

I've always had the best results when I make the assumption that my team WANTS to do a great job, and is capable of it.  As a project manager, I see my major role as facilitation.  I'm helping eliminate obstacles, greasing the wheels of the project, and gently guiding as part of the team with a common goal.  I don't want fame and glory; I don't want to be the one with all the good ideas.  I want those things for my teams.

What do you think?