Scott Fraser
Sr. Manager, Marketing Systems| Southeastern Grocers
Jacksonville, Fl, United States
People often ask me what makes a great project manager. Based on my experience in hiring project managers, and watching some succeed and others struggle, I believe a great project manager will have several key intangible skills or traits in their toolbox as described below:
- A sense of urgency and ownership: In my mind, the greatest project managers display a constant drive to deliver results for their stakeholders. It is evident in meetings, in status reporting, and in the way they “Dog the Details”. They will drive accountability and always ensure that all tasks have an owner and due date and then see those tasks through to completion.
Great project managers know every detail of what is happening in the project. They understand every issue and risk and drive the mitigation or solution through to a satisfactory, accepted resolution.
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind who is the face of the project…the “Go To” person.
- A flexible, outside the box thinker: Openness to change is a sign of effectiveness, not weakness. It is adaptability to the world around us. Large projects are complex and surprises often arise. If you can’t shift course on the fly, you may head right into trouble.
The great project managers constantly weigh alternatives as they constantly shift the moving parts. They keep at least two Plan B’s on hand at all times.
- A skilled communicator: Project managers work with all sorts of people, including polar opposites who haven’t collaborated before.
Great project managers are objective and work to understand each person’s strengths and weaknesses.
• They listen and comprehend.
• They keep an open mind and don’t shut off the listening just because they may not agree.
• They are clear and don’t dribble out information on a “need to know” basis.
• They are timely in disseminating information to the project team and stakeholders.
• They communicate the correct level of information to the appropriate audiences.
• The great project manager brings out each team member’s strengths and works tactfully with difficult individuals.
- A keen problem-solver: That’s all project execution is — solving one problem after another. The great project manager works with others to bring out effective solutions, gives everyone a 360-degree view, and helps prevent bad side effects.
Great project managers ask the hard questions and dig for answers. They question proposed issues and challenge the solutions using the “5WH” method. In its simplest form, project managers will always approach problems and ask questions based on “Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How”.
- A savvy negotiator: There has never been a project where everything goes as planned. In the real world, project managers must constantly negotiate to get things in place like resources, equipment, circuits, budget, time, etc. in order to make a project successful.
The great project manager constantly, and confidently, negotiate win-wins scenarios in order to meet the project goals and achieve the strategic objectives.
- An experienced hand. No two projects are the same and there’s no better way to learn the pitfalls and nuances of project management than by doing it.
Great project managers have lived through successful and failed projects, analyzed each one, and added those “Lessons Learned” to their toolbox to help themselves, and others, with future challenges.
- A visionary of the parts and whole. Great project managers see the pieces and how they come together. They grasp the essence of the project — its role in the overall strategy — and use it as an ongoing frame of reference. They keep the big picture in mind while carrying out the day-to-day tasks.
A great project manager continually aligns the strategy with the vision and monitors ongoing objectives for any impact on the original picture.
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