A Project Manager (PM) managing IT projects plays quite an important role and requires appropriate abilities and predispositions. Competences in team management, other people's work and striving to achieve set goals are the daily duties of a Project Manager. We decided to choose the most important features related to the role of a PM, which should be related to a person in this position.
A Project Manager in an IT company, contrary to appearances, does not need to have any special knowledge, such as programming skills. One must know the basic issues and be capable to understanding of how an IT project looks like. In other words - the role of a Project Manager is to understand the processes and specifics occurring in the project, without having to delve into technical details. Such knowledge is more than enough for a good Project Manager. In case any additional technical assistance is required, one can ask a developer for it.
Communication plays one of the most important roles in the project. This is the basis for the information circulation to run smoothly. As well as it lets all the participants know exactly what their task is. Communication applies to both written and oral forms. The role of a Project Manager is a consistent transmission of information and the ease of establishing contacts. Important features of personality are openness and the ability to build relationships in a team.
The more a Project Manager has the projects completed, the more their effectiveness and knowledge increases. Having experience is important because it allows you to acquire proven practices and exclude mistakes that in the past were a challenge to the project. In this case, the ability to draw conclusions allowing you to deal with further challenges is important. In addition, attention should be paid to situations related to skillful management of the crisis. During the project, an unforeseen situation may arise, which may be a threat. Among others, the past experience will be an appropriate solution to the problem.
Leadership features are another 'must have' for a Project Manager. In order to manage a team, you need to have authority in their eyes and, most importantly, you must take into account their opinion. Without these capabilities a Project Manager will not be effective. Authority will also help in taking difficult decisions not all team members will agree with.
In an IT project, it is not uncommon for certain decisions to be made through negotiations. In this case such skills will be useful for a Project Manager, when one wants to put the opinion on it. They may also come in handy in case of possible conflicts. A Project Manager must take care of good relations in the team, therefore must be prepared for possible negotiations.
At the end, the last but not the least. A Project Manager must be involved in a project and demonstrate an attitude that will be an example for the other team members. In this way it will be easier to influence other people and to motivate them to work.
