The most successful project managers realize that in addition to delivering on time and on budget that they must successfully deliver on the people side of the project. The perception of team members, stakeholders, and management will ultimately determine how successful the project is viewed within an organization. The people side of a project or some call the “softer-side” of project management is an evolving concept. Each organization will differ on what “soft skills” are valued within it, but it is clear that there are certain traits that the “elite project managers possess and are valued across the majority of organizations.

These traits are:

• Execution

• Communication

• Leadership

• Experience

• Influencer

• Motivation

Execution

Execution is the one trait that is most expected of each project manager. The team and management see this as given as it is part of the job description of any project manager. That said it is still a critical trait because it is the foundation upon which the perception of success is built. In many cases, it is here where the project methodology and project management tool kit are displayed. It is important to know how to customize these quivers so that they meet the needs of your specific project. I am a firm believer that holding to the rigidity of a methodology or the uses of specifically formatted project tools without taking into consideration the specific project you are working on and the people you are working with will lead to potential failure right out of the gate.

A critical component to execution is organization. Without strong organization of thought, information, planning, communication, mitigation, and so much more, a project manager will have a higher probability of not meeting expectations. Key to organization, especially if it is not a natural trait, is to keep it simple. Prioritize the focus of your needs on a daily or even hourly basis depending on the project demands. Avoid becoming overwhelmed or being mired in analysis to the point that it prevents you from making decisions. The slowing or bottlenecking of decisions will adversely impact you and your team’s ability to execute.

Communication

This has to be the most critical trait that a project manager possesses. Think of the number of people that are looking for information about the project such as key stakeholders, managers, team members, and internal and external constituents. Communication provides the public opportunities for the project manger to display that they are a cut above their peers.

Communication of project activities and status can take many forms and each must be mastered. The critical components for success boil down to the following:

• Know your audience - You need to know who you are communicating to in order to make sure the content you are communicating will resonate and be valued by your audience. An executive will require different information than a member on the core team, and those types of differences must always be taken into account. Take the time at the start of the project to determine the communication preferences of your team. This is also known as creating a communication plan.