Project manager qualities

Project manager qualities are needed in a wide range of industries — from healthcare and events to construction and the scientific and IT sectors. And many of these sectors are set to boom! Our Introduction to Project Management course will give you valuable insights into how to plan, manage and review projects. You will learn about feasibility, risk management, project lifecycles, delegation, expense planning and PERT and Gantt charts.

You will also learn about evaluating, monitoring and regulating projects, and developing leadership, technical and personnel project management skills.

Learning outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a course on project management, including gaining project manager qualities, include:

• Learning about the terms “project”, “management” and “project management”
• Exploring the power of and need for project management
• Gaining an understanding of typical projects and the project life cycle
• Gaining an understanding feasibility checklists, the identification test and the types of risks
• Studying budgets, project schedules and staffing
• Examining resources, project size and external factors
• Understanding risk management and project documentation
• Attaining knowledge of project planning, parameters, quality and time
• Gaining insights into developing a strategy framework and a work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Learning about work-based schedule components
• Exploring the Gantt chart and the PERT chart
• Gaining an understanding of planning expenses and delegating responsibilities
• Studying project implementation and launch
• Examining how to control progress and apply standards
• Understanding project launch and implementation
• Attaining knowledge of controlling progress and applying standards
• Gaining insights into preparation, events and budget control charts
• Learning about monitoring and evaluating performance
• Exploring regulating progress and dealing with conflict
• Gaining an understanding of projection completion and evaluation
• Studying what’s involved at the completion stage
• Examining contract closure and the release or reassignment of resources
• Understanding the completion of final and necessary documentation
• Attaining knowledge of a project’s sustainability
• Gaining insights into project evaluation and appraisal and its benefits
• Learning about why projects succeed and fail
• Exploring technical project management skills
• Learning about communication and visibility
• Exploring leadership skills, characteristics and responsibilities
• Gaining an understanding of conflict and how to deal with and resolve it
• Studying sociodynamics
• Examining people with extra strong/domineering synergy but some antagonism,
• Understanding people with strong synergy and no antagonism
• Attaining knowledge of people with equal amounts of synergy and antagonism
• Gaining insights into people with both minimal synergy and minimal antagonism
• Learning about people with antagonism that is stronger than synergy
• Exploring people with strong antagonism and weak synergy (mutineers)
• Gaining an understanding of behavioural changes
• Studying common project problems and difficulties that can arise
• Examining scheduling not being maintained, ill-defined start dates and insufficient time
• Understanding when priorities and deadlines need to change
• Learning about change management and change management models
• Exploring Kotter’s 8-step change model, the McKinsey 7’s model and the ADKAR model

And more!

Future job growth for project managers

It has been a tough few years for many businesses due to COVID, however, spending across key industries is set to boost project-orientated employment growth, according to a 2021 article by PM-Partners. Here we look at some of the industries and roles tipped to open up opportunities for those with project manager qualities.

Sectors that have dealt with the COVID pandemic better than others are those that were on a strong growth trajectory already and those defined as “essential” industries. Three key areas where job growth and demand for skilled workers is expected to grow significantly over the next five to ten years include:

• Healthcare and social assistance
• Scientific, professional and technical services
• Construction and infrastructure

These industries offer a multitude of project management positions, and many are interchangeable across sectors.

Healthcare and social assistance

Employing more than two million people, this is one of Australia’s largest and fastest-growing industries. COVID has highlighted the need for enhanced healthcare systems, so there is an abundance of project management roles available supporting health infrastructure and health and social services. Many of these involve stakeholder relationships, and conflict management and communication skills are particularly valued in this sector.

Scientific, professional and technical services

There are over one million Australian workers in scientific, professional and technical services roles in Australia, and many of these support other industries. The Information and Communications Technology sector, in particular, is continuing to grow rapidly. Examples of project-management-based ICT roles include as an ICT Manager or ICT Project Manager. Both typically plan, direct and control ICT projects. According to the Australian Government’s Labour Market Insights, the future growth of ICT managers’ jobs is expected to be over 17.7 per cent by 2026.

Infrastructure and construction

In Australia, the construction industry currently employs over one million people and is a major source of project management roles. Enhanced by government spending, there is a strong pipeline of construction and infrastructure projects scheduled over the next decade. The construction sector is also set to boom in Brisbane ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Along with a formal qualification in building or construction management and trade experience, complementary workplace health and safety (WHS) risk management skills are also in high demand.

Five valuable project manager skills

The role of a project manager demands a varied and vast skill set. This is especially true in today’s rapidly changing world as organisations continue to transform their businesses to remain competitive and adopt new technologies.

Here are the top five project manager qualities that project managers should aim for, according to the global recruitment and HR company Hays.

1. A strategic mindset

One of the primary roles of a project manager is to lead from an operational and strategic perspective. This includes understanding project objectives and how they align with the overall business strategy, and communicating the objectives and vision to the team involved. A great PM will also resolve conflict, evaluate team performance, and empower the team to aim for the most successful project possible.

2. Stakeholder engagement

Most projects involve engaging with key stakeholders who are interested in or can influence a project. That’s why a project manager must understand who will be affected by the project, as it will allow them to plan engagement and communication strategies to limit any issues and gain the support of any stakeholders who are advocates. “Soft” skills can be valuable here, including negotiation, communication and conflict resolution skills.

3. Risk management

Managing business risk is an essential skill to ensure any project’s success. Project managers need to be able to develop a risk management plan to foresee potential threats and how they will be handled so that they can be quickly mitigated and issues that arise can be avoided. By effectively mitigating risk, unforeseen risks can be avoided, undue costs minimised, and the project can be delivered more effectively and efficiently.

4. A mentoring mentality

Continuous up-skilling and “lifelong learning” are highly valued in the evolving world of work (and life!). In terms of project manager qualities, this can involve sharing your expertise, knowledge and experience to support team growth. Taking on this responsibility can enhance your team’s personal development and encourage them to be more engaged and motivated, which can deliver enhanced outcomes.

Additionally, PMs who can recognise their role as a mentor and demonstrate their willingness to commit to their team’s personal development will ensure individuals are motivated to contribute their expertise and skills to build a strong and cohesive unit.

5. Knowledge of agile principles

“Agile” project management is more a set of principles than one particular methodology, according to the Australian Institute of Project Management. It is an umbrella term used for many methodologies and techniques, including Lean and Six Sigma (for manufacturing and product development) and Scrum, Kanban and Extreme Programming (for IT projects).

Benefits for teams using agile principles can be particularly beneficial for teams that do work based on client requirements, want to leverage user feedback, and have a dynamic and ever-evolving environment. Results include high product quality, reduced project risk, and a more collaborative and efficient workplace.

Gain insights into project manager qualities and the foundational knowledge to manage projects successfully with our Introduction to Project Management course.