Project Management Skill sets
There are many misconception about what it takes to become a project manager. Many people think that to become a project manager they must be technical expertise in the industry they are managing. Also, many people become a project manager just because they have performed well in the work they were assigned. So, they were later assigned the responsibility of managing the project in their department.
But some of the quality to become a project manager is similar to the quality required to become a manager overall. Some people may be good in works they do, but they may not have the skills to manage people, may not become a manager. And project manager.
The skill set required to become a project manager is broad. So, you may be wondering what are the expertise needed to become a project manager?
A project manager must have expertise in the following five areas:
1. PMBOKPMBOK is Project Management Body of Knowledge. It is the term that describes the sum of knowledge with the profession of project management. The full project management body of knowledge includes knowledge of proven traditional practices that are widely applied, as well as knowledge of innovative and advanced practices that have seen limited use and includes both published and unpublished material.
2. Application area knowledge, standards and Regulations
Applications areas involve specialized aspects of a project, such as technical elements and specializations. A project manager must have knowledge of significant common elements within categories of project.
A project manager must have knowledge of standard practices approved by the recognized body for common and repeated use. These standards include rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.
A regulation is a government-imposed requirement and a project manager must be aware of such regulatory requirements related to the projects.
3. General management skills
General management skills covers many things that a business manager is expected to know. But it is not expected from a project manager to be fully verse with the each department and function of the company, they just need to know enough of each discipline.
4. Interpersonal skills:
This is the most important skill required for a project manager without which they will not succeed. Communication is an important interpersonal skill required by the project manager. 90% of the time of a project manager is spent in communicating, thus it is to be understood that without this skill, a person can not become a project manager.
5. Project environment;
This refers to the cultural, social, economic and the environmental context within which the project exists. The cultural and social environment includes company, ethics, religious and economic cultures. Environment includes international and political environment and also physical environment within which the project exists and a project manager must have knowledge about these.
