Qualities of a Project Manager - Essay Example

A project manager should be a team builder with the ability to facilitate the team to work in the right conditions. The right team is very important to enhance the meeting of expectations. The project manager must be decisive, considering the many decisions to be made every day. He should have influential and have good negotiation skills, which will enable him in solving disputes that may arise while at work (Barry, 2010). A good project manager should also be a good planner, able to consider work schedules, manage resources, and meet deadlines.

While all the qualities of a project manager are important to facilitate the success and effectiveness of this project, two aspects I think a very essential are visionary leadership and communication. This is because a project manager who has a vision will know placing the right people in the right places so that the goals of the project are achieved. He will also know how to sell the vision to the team, make them appreciate their roles in propagating the vision regardless of their position in the team, and even develop their visions about what is expected of them in achieving it. The visionary leader encourages and motivates, acts as a mentor, and facilitates productivity, and these are crucial to the success of any project.

Communication will also be a very important aspect of the success of the project. Proper flow of communication initiated by the project manager to the team and among the team members is important if teamwork is to be enhanced and production is to be maximized. Investing in current technology is important as it facilitates communication regardless of location. The project manager should be able to ensure that there are proper mechanisms to control the flow of information and keep track of feedback (Syntel, Inc., 2012). This will facilitate agreement on all aspects across the board. It is important that for everything that is done during a project, there is clarity about everything to enhance cohesion. The project manager must also be able to communicate to the team members at all levels since he is the link between the team and the top management (Mewes, 2010).

I would recommend that a project manager should be a proper planner as this would be very important for the success of the project. The project manager should involve the whole team, and it is important to plan for the various stages and activities and inform every one of their roles. It is important to plan for the right team, have a plan for the project which will show the schedule of planned activities and the costs involved. I would also recommend the art of negotiation, which would also be important at every stage of the project to settle issues like costs, purchases, deadlines, and other issues that will crop up during the implementation.