Being an Effective Project Manager, Essay Example

Considering experience in the workplace and how it relates to a topic from the course, much was learned through the engagement of working under an effective project manager. Project managers are managers in the professional field of project management. These managers carry out and oversee the tasks pertaining to the planning and performance of any business, design, or construction project. Project managers plan the details and objectives of the project that lead to the ultimate goal of completion with use of the project management triangle. The project triangle consists of quality, cost, scope, and scheduling.

There are three primary types of leadership styles that an effective project manager can approach. These leadership styles are referred to as autocratic, democratic, and free reign. Depending on the project and the situation, an effective project manager may take one of these leadership approached or a combination of them.

If an effective project manager were to take the autocratic approach to leadership, then they would assume full control over the project. None of the workers employed under the project manager would have a say in any of the decision making. Those who take the approach to autocratic styles of leadership are often referred to as “micromanagers”. If the project manager were to take a democratic approach to leadership, then they would still assume control of the project. However, this style of leadership allows the workers employed under the project manager to have a say in the decision making. The project manager will often regard and even encourage their workers’ feedback on situations pertaining to the project and the work environment. Free reign leadership allowed workers and employees to conduct work through delegation on their own terms, without being excessively managed.

There is no easy route that leads to the success of an effective project manager that is able to excel in all of the desires and requirements for every business. An effective project manager who happens to find success in one business or company may not be as successful in another. Much of the success for a project manager may be dependent on how the business sets itself up for engaging in specific projects. An effective project manager must know exactly how the business operates in order to make sure that they can realize their potential in the business itself.

Effective project managers must carry a unique set of personal characteristics in their personality that will make them more compelled to be as effective as the project managers in a variety of other businesses. Presented here is a set of basic personal characteristics for effective project managers that can make up a contour of an effective project manager for most businesses.

Firstly, an effective project manager needs to be have an extroverted personality. It is more than likely that project managers will be required to give presentations as well as lead work teams. For the most part, a project manager’s job consists of 90% in communication skills. The audiences for project manager’s presentations can range from basic project groups to project sponsors. In some cases audiences may include potential investors. An effective project manager will need to be comfortable with speaking out to any dimension of stakeholders and groups of potential customers in a wide array of different situations. If a person carries the traits of an introverted personality, then they will most likely be required to go through long term training and teaching until they feel comfortable enough speaking out to public audiences. This is necessary in order to be fully effective in all project management environments. Extroverted people have a tendency to exhibit a natural state of comfort in these kinds of situations which puts them at an advantage.

Effective project managers also need to present personal courage. In most projects the project manager will be required to settle disputes and other issues of decision making amongst the business stakeholders. Negotiations of such issues may commonly be subtle, specifically during fragile moments in the life cycle of a project. The correct decision for the project is usually not always the one that is agreeable with all of the stakeholders. An effective project manager must show personal courage in all of their decisions made, follow them all the way through, and make sure that the team continues to work as a team for the better interest of the project. Keeping the respect from all of the stakeholders requires a skill set, which can be obtained through experience.

An effective project manager must maintain their composure, locate the source of the problem, and take the most logical measure in either solving it or safe guarding against it for future reference. Maintaining a consistent positive attitude is correlated to remaining positive among on all project teams. This means the project manager always finds a solution to any challenge or problem the business may face. Such a perspective can make a substantial difference in the situations consisting of hardships when they arise.  Keeping this positive attitude shows a lot about the project manager’s personality and how they will respond to such adverse scenarios.