How will you define a project manager in one word? Well, this would be next to impossible. Project management is said to be one of the most difficult jobs that involve varied skills. So defining it in a word will be again a difficult task.

No person is perfect and hence, there is no project manager who is perfect. There are various different types of projects and the skills to be applied to these projects are also different. Some projects require a good negotiator, while some might need a person with money management skills.

A good project manager is the one who is flexible and always ready to learn. If he/she plans to focus on skills associated with project management, then he/she will surely get success in every project he/she handles.

What are the skills needed for Project Management?

Amongst all the skills associated with a project manager some of the important ones are:

Communication Skills:

A project manager should be good at communicating his ideas, goals, and vision. Whether it is about delivering a presentation or conveying some issues he/she should make the best use of his/her communication skills.

Leadership:

Leadership is often associated with inbuilt skills but with a consistent effort and observation, everyone can learn to become a great leader. Leadership may differ from person to person; some believe that dominating ones work the best, while others believe working in a democratic manner is more beneficial. However, at the end what matters is your ability to lead a group of people for attaining the desired goal, whichever technique you apply.

Negotiating:

Negotiation is mostly associated with managing the price. It is actually a different skill that is related to communication. An effective communicator will always be a good negotiator. A good negotiator will always end up being a good dispute resolver; for he/she knows how to diplomatically change things in one'sfavour.

Critical Thinking:

It is not only useful for a project manager but also for a normal person who has to make decisions in life. Critical thinking is all about parting with your emotional self and making unbiased decisions. As the project manager has to work with many people he/she should possess this quality of making unbiased decisions.

Risk Management:

An inherent part of any project is the risk associated with it. The risk is an unforeseen issue that can get transformed into a big problem. A project manager has to set up a plan to resolve these issues that might hinder the success of the team.

Task Management:

When we compare project management with task management,these look like very small terms. These small things can actually create a big problem for the project. Assigning tasks and managing them is an essential part of a project, which should be handled carefully by a project manager.

Cost Management:

Cost management involves two simple steps that are— preparing a budget and executing it. However, these simple steps also involve complications that are to be solved by a project manager. The biggest complication is to manage a project within the limited funds available.

Quality Management:

Altering and adjusting according to various conditions, the quality of output often deteriorates. Quality must be the top-most priority in any case.

Conflict Resolution:

Conflict will arise in every situation where more than one individual is involved. In order to get the project done right, conflicts must be timely resolved by the project manager, whether they are between the members or vendor and customer.

Time Management:

A project manager should know how to delegate authority in order to manage the project’s time and also be able to multi-task to manage his/her own time.

Technologically Updated:

If a person is technologically updated, he/she would manage the time efficiently and the output would also be of high-quality.

Quick Decision Maker:

If the project manager will keep on thinking about a particular project for a long time, he /she would end up losing a great opportunity. Decisions made by him/her must be well researched and quick.

The Sense of Humour:

A little humour or a light environment will do no harm to your desired goals. In fact, it would reduce the stress levels and increase the quality of output.

Schedule Planner:

The best way to plan a schedule is to break the project into smaller parts like designing, R&D, presentation, delivery etc. A project manager has to plan a schedule according to the capabilities of the team and complete it within the time limit.

Making A Priority:

Deciding between two important things is also the task of project manager. What things need priority and which of them can be delayed needs to be decided on a regular basis.

Biggest Project Management Trends Shaping 2018?

Project management in 2018 is all about new challenges, new technologies, new aspects, and new competencies. Trends are somethings that come all the way at a particular time of the year and create an impact on various fields. Hence, the latest trends that are going to affect project management in the year 2018 are:

The start time of a project will totally depend on an available number of suitable staff available.
Portfolio planning will be greatly affected by the flexible planning of project scenarios.
The organizational structures and hierarchies of the Project Management offices will show a considerable change.
The focus will be more on team leaders in resource management.
Companies will plan to switch project management systems from internal server to the cloud.
Integration of tools like hybrids between agile and classic is going to rise.
There will be a need for the project managers to be all-rounders in order to satisfy the need for
Increase in research and development areas.
High time and cost pressure will require more workforces from all departments.
Emotional Intelligence will find more relevance in the coming year.

India’s Top Leadership and Management Courses for Project Managers from IIM

Today’s job market requires highly educated and professional individuals who also have an experience in their respective fields. There are various executive programmes that help individuals to attain a new level of excellence in their career.

These programmes enhance the skills and efficiency and give a new career growth. Besides this, these courses are short-term and cost-effective and hence, they save both time and money. Hughes Global Education offers many such training programmes.

The Details About Best Courses in Leadership and Management are Mentioned Below:

Executive Programme in Leadership and Management from IIM Calcutta

The business around is getting complex and so are the problems related to it. The demand for managers to think strategically and work effectively is rising. This course is designed to satisfy such needs of the management. The strategic thinking and implementation skills will be developed in this course. The duration of this course is of 9 months and renowned faculties from India and Abroad are available for interactive sessions.

For Enrollment- Short Term Leadership & Management Course from IIM Calcutta

Senior Management Programme from IIM Ahmedabad

This course is developed for employees with management perspectives and skills. It works in the functional areas of management. The duration of this course is one year and the program consists of a blend of lectures, case studies, self-learning, role play and simulations etc. It equips the senior manager to take on general management roles.

For Enrollment Visit- 1 Year Senior Management Course from IIM Ahmedabad

After the completion of this professional course you will learn the following:

You will know your own personal ability in terms of decision-making required for project management.
Boosting the morale of the company and the subordinates with whom you will be working.
Team dynamics will be created.
Help to develop new strategies and implement changes.
A better understanding of customer requirements and providing the adequate solutions.
Formation and planning of strategies in terms of team projects.
It will help to build a plan to develop required project management competencies.
Have a higher chance to hold a higher level management position.
You will learn everything from product knowledge to dealing with clients and hence, it can lead to a start of a new entrepreneurship.
It will also develop creativity and initiative among the employees.

The environments in which the projects are delivered today are more complex and uncertain. This is what gives rise to a project manager. Project Management is an emerging field that has a growing importance in the industry. A project manager needs a combination of skills and competencies.

Among many factors that contribute to the success of the business, one of the most important thingsis Project Management. Hence, it is most important that a clear idea of projects to be delivered should be interpreted and the best combination of skills and competencies of the project manager should be applied. This would lead to an effective output.