© 2011 SaaS Project management Inc. All rights reserved.

The Dirty Dozen 12 Soft Skills You Need as a Project

Manager

Project management should be focused on getting things accomplishing using the skills and

resources available to them. The key to your project’s success is your project team. Your ability

to oversee, delegate, supervise, and influence those on your team is key.

This means your interpersonal skills are of great value, as are your behavioral skills. These two

skill sets are referred to as “soft skills.” Let’s look at some of the soft skills you need to be a

successful project manager.

1. Oral and Written Communication

Communication is key for any project manager to be successful. Keep your client and your team

well informed of the status of the project, decisions that have been made or need to be made,

direction, and delegation.

2. Team Leadership

You must be able to lead your team in a manner that is respectful of individuals, yet ensures the

necessary cohesiveness for a team to work productively to bring the project to conclusion.

3. Individual Leadership

You must be able to lead individuals on your team. While there is team leadership, there is also

the need to direct individuals within that group to ensure they are able work with the team and

accomplish the tasks they have been assigned.

4. Conflict Revolution

When there is a team working together, there is always going to be differences that must be

resolved. The longer the project, the more likely that differences will arise and will need to be

resolved. A skilled project manager will have the necessary conflict resolution skills to settle any

difference that arise in a manner that is respectful and considerate, but firm in the direction the

project will take.

© 2011 SaaS Project management Inc. All rights reserved.

5. The Ability to Influence

A project manager that is well connected with his/her team will be able to influence key team

members. This will ensure that there are far fewer roadblocks throughout the project, and it will

make it easier to acquire necessary resources to ensure completion of the project.

6. Negotiations

To be a successful project manager you must have excellent negotiating skills. There are going to

be negotiations throughout any project – travel, technology, resources, needs, etc. A project

manager spends a great deal of time negotiating.

7. The Need to Delegate

If you cannot delegate, you will fail miserably at being a successful project manager. In big

projects you simply will not be able to meet deadlines or carry out the project if you are doing it

on your own.

8. Be a Mentor

Project managers often don’t realize just how much they are looked up to by team members. This

is especially true if you are a caring, compassionate person that can direct their team to

accomplish the necessary tasks all the while mentoring them and improving their confidence and

skills. Many employees want to learn, and you have plenty of knowledge you can share.

9. Know How to Present

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. Learn how to present your needs and to direct your

team in a manner that is clear, concise, effective, and respectful. You’ll get better results.

10. Be Organized

If you are managing a project and you can’t stay organized you’re not a very good project

manager. Understandably being organized doesn’t come easy to everyone but using tools such as

© 2011 SaaS Project management Inc. All rights reserved.

project management software can help you know exactly what stage the various tasks of your

project(s) are at. Instant reporting based on real time happenings are a huge tool.

11. Understand Technology

To be a project manager you don’t have to be a technical guru but you should understand

technology and how it applies to the project at hand.

12. Be Likeable

A person that is liked is far more likely to get the team motivated and get things done. It’s an

important soft skill that you can really benefit from.

13. It’s all About Scheduling

This is the key! Even if you can delegate, are well liked, are organized, can negotiate, or have all

the other soft skills. If you can’t schedule you will still be highly unsuccessful as a project

manager because scheduling is behind everything that happens in a project.