Project Manager Fundamental Skills Essay Example

conducting regular meetings, preventing them from losing interest or getting off track. Due to their lack of familiarity with interactive classes, school teachers sought support and coaching from the manager. To enhance the team's performance, it is crucial for the manager to listen to and support team members.

Teachers with twenty years of experience in a conventional school setting, devoid of technology, might struggle to swiftly embrace a new teaching approach. To facilitate this transition, a manager was enlisted to inspire and enhance the quality of their instruction. Multiple forums were conducted to acknowledge and address any concerns expressed by the teachers, fostering a positive working relationship with the project manager. Additionally, the manager ensured that everyone had a mutual understanding of the new objectives and expectations.

When there is a lack of clear understanding of goals and expectations among all employees, the project will fluctuate between failure and success due to uncertainty. The leader reflected on their team's subpar work and questioned why the organization's goals were not communicated clearly. The weak performance can be attributed to a breakdown in communication, but if expectations had been stated clearly, the outcomes would have aligned with the manager's intentions.

The inability of the manager to establish measurable outcomes for employee tasks can hinder their performance. The school staff was informed that their application of new systems would be evaluated by an expert committee from the Ministry of Education to determine if they met the target or required additional coaching and training. Additionally, the visibility of managers can impact employee performance. Managers should actively observe and monitor the workplace instead of remaining confined to

their office, making calls and sitting at their desk.

The manager supervised the implementation of the new school system and carried out a survey among staff members to ensure compliance. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate their progress and identify any obstacles that needed attention. Many individuals offered their own suggestions for improvement. Failure to engage with team members hinders managers from capitalizing on opportunities to enhance work performance. Furthermore, managers must also maintain communication with external parties, including stakeholders, project sponsors, customers, suppliers, contractors, and consultants.

In order to gain approval from team members, it is important for the project manager to effectively communicate and understand their expectations and preferred methods of delivery. Seeking coaching or mentoring can also be beneficial. In a small company, the manager would introduce a subject for advice by summarizing her thoughts and identifying areas where she needed help. It was crucial for the manager to care for the team and protect them from unreasonable pressure. Assertiveness played a key role in this aspect, which involved respecting others' rights, calmly addressing conflicts, focusing on behavior and problem-solving instead of attacking or ignoring others, and acknowledging compliments or feedback while validating others' feelings. Another vital skill was win-win negotiation, allowing the manager to resolve conflicts while considering others' desires. The goal of win-win negotiation is to find a solution that satisfies both parties and leaves them feeling like winners. The implementation of an interactive teaching system at the school motivated the manager to engage in various forums and communicate with individuals from outside the organization who had experience with the system.

She actively listened and

participated in meetings, then made an effort to communicate the team's needs in order to achieve goals and meet expectations. In addition, a skilled project manager should have the ability to anticipate and resolve conflicts that may arise during projects. These conflicts often occur when two parties have different opinions on a specific matter. Failing to address conflicts can lead to project failure and affect outcomes. While some conflicts may be ignored, others must be dealt with promptly as neglecting them can have serious consequences.

The introduction of the new system in my school led to discontent among numerous teachers. They expressed worries about the need for its implementation and suggested choosing a different school for the project instead. Additionally, they questioned why they had to move if they did not want to use the new technology. The manager was responsible for convincing those who would gain from the project and negotiating with those who would be relocated to another school. She made efforts to promote the new approach and idea in order to persuade those individuals whom she believed could benefit from working together with her.

Others who chose to relocate were offered various options to satisfy them. The manager utilized multiple approaches to effectively communicate and handle conflicts according to the requirements of the new system.

Managing a Global Virtual Team: Organizations implement virtual teams to capitalize on the expertise of professionals who can efficiently handle inputs. Telecommunication networks help reduce coordination costs, enabling companies to achieve high production benefits without incurring higher transaction costs. It is essential for a project manager to possess the skills to effectively manage a

global virtual team. A global virtual team can be defined as a team with dispersed expertise that transcends boundaries of time, geography, culture, and nationality. This team works towards achieving specific organizational goals with improved performance. Communication mainly takes place through computer and electronic means, with minimal face-to-face interaction. A global virtual team is structured as a mechanism to accomplish project objectives.

Communicating effectively via technology is a crucial aspect of managing a global virtual team.

The project manager needs to effectively communicate using suitable technology for the situation. Communication in a virtual project team requires considering two factors: choosing a method that aligns with the team's ground rules, and selecting a technology that best suits the team members (Kraut et al, 1999). The manager should have familiarity with the specific technology to be used for meetings, such as email, Skype, or video conferences. Additionally, the manager should be mindful of potential issues arising from time differences and different holidays.

In Saudi Arabia, holidays take place on Thursday and Friday, whereas in Europe or the USA, holidays are set for Saturday and Sunday. Consequently, it is crucial to find a suitable time for virtual team conferences that accommodates all members. Additionally, effectively managing a virtual team entails creating a strong community bond among project team members. To achieve this from the start of their collaboration, the manager should prioritize nurturing shared trust among members. Trust is delicate and necessitates transparency in intentions.

Trust is crucial for virtual team members who possess diverse skills as it is demonstrated through actions that fulfill commitments. Selecting individuals with conflicting modes of thinking for product

development can lead to high levels of innovation and creativity. An effective project manager should consider organizing a face-to-face meeting at the beginning of the project to foster a sense of community and trust among team members. Additionally, the project manager can strengthen trust by promoting alignment on important issues within the team.

The temporary nature of association and limited social contact within a group can create conflicts with the need for trust among its members. In the case of a software firm, if deadlines are missed with customers, it could indicate a lack of trust within the product development and support teams. To resolve this issue, management should identify and address specific obstacles that hinder trust and expedite solutions to help teams get back on track. When necessary, managers should prioritize face-to-face interactions as there may be no other alternative for building trust and relationships (Keith ; Gordon, 2005) 2. 3.

Establishing a clear and inspiring shared purpose is crucial when leading from a distance. It is important to involve all project team members in creating the purpose and vision of the group, allowing each member to voice their opinion. This involvement will lay the foundation for team commitment. Clear expectations for contributions will drive self-discipline and motivation.

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A sense of community reduces the need for monitoring and control mechanisms to achieve team goals. This category is a powerful secret in self-management. The team members can absorb the organization's vision and the project's vision by practicing day-to-day and transaction-to-transaction. This common vision is vital for the members of virtual project teams who are purposefully undertaking highly creative

or innovative approaches. This occurred, for instance at BP when, when all the members were asked by the chief executive Browne to think of how to make BP "a force for good". The task required the team to gather around the question.

When managing virtual project teams, it is important for the manager to lead by example and have a clear and inspiring purpose. This purpose should be visible to the team members in order to help them contribute effectively. In the case of BP, CEO John Browne asked all the members of the firm how BP could be "a force for good," which motivated the team to eagerly gather and answer the question. By understanding how their roles and tasks contribute to the achievement of organizational goals, individuals can recognize that their contributions are essential for meeting the needs of customers.

Aggressive schedules are implemented to provide the team with more frequent opportunities to electronically demonstrate progress and restore business connections. The procedures resemble joint innovation, aiming to meet result requirements. Effective managers encourage members to surpass expectations and comprehend the necessary requirements for success. To ensure the team's success, the project manager must ensure that all members possess the required skills and knowledge, as well as provide them with the necessary tools for effective contribution. Coordinating across boundaries involves expanding trust, focus, and respect to individuals or groups within the organization, beyond the project team. If team members have been involved from the beginning for their skills, the project manager should involve them in decision making to benefit from their fresh ideas, perspective, and increase their commitment level.

To improve

information sharing and participation in long-range planning, a team can create an online collaboration site. This site will allow team members to exchange ideas and inspire each other. Effective communication is encouraged, with the project manager assigning challenging and interesting tasks to keep members engaged. If a task is uninteresting, communication may suffer. The project manager should also encourage volunteerism, as demonstrated by the success of virtual teams like Wikipedia that include volunteers. Alongside these strategies, project managers must possess multigenerational awareness to navigate the diverse attitudes, beliefs, values, and assumptions within their team. Each generation may respond differently to the same circumstances, and a lack of cultural awareness can lead to misinterpretation. Therefore, project managers must be equipped to manage these generational differences.

The team leader needs to possess the skills necessary to create a sense of generational understanding among her team. It is also important for her to empathize with individuals from different generations. Rather than relying on generational stereotypes, she should focus on listening to the true meaning behind words and interpreting non-verbal cues. Building connections with individuals from different generations is crucial in establishing meaningful relationships. Conflict within the team often arises due to conflicting generational values. By approaching conflicts with humility, the project manager can ask team members to explain themselves before making assumptions, thereby fostering a sense of respect.

Conclusion: There are numerous vital management skills necessary for successful project results. The paramount ones in today's globalized world and digital age include being a proficient communicator, effectively managing a global virtual team via a website, and gaining political and multicultural awareness. Despite seeming challenging,

project managers should strive to strike a balance by successfully handling diverse perspectives and approaches to problem-solving.

Managers need to have the ability to quickly and effectively analyze situations, make decisions, and adjust their communication and technology resources in order to achieve desired outcomes. These skills are discussed in the book "Project Management Planning and Controlling Techniques" by R. Burke (2003) and the article "Project management methodologies: Understanding and experience will influence the method in project management" by CIO Staff (2011), available at http://www.cio.com.au/article/402904/project_management_methodologies/. Additionally, the concept of the virtual corporation is explored in the book "The Virtual Corporation" by W. Davidow and M. Malone (1992).

Harper Business, New York Drucker,(1974) Effective management performance , London : British Institute of Management, Fernandez, D. J. and Fernandez, J. D. (2008) 'AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT AGILISM VERSUS TRADITIONAL APPROACHES. ' Journal of Computer Information Systems, 49(2), Win, pp. 10-17. Hrevus, J. (2012) 'Project Management Project in Controlled Environment (PRINCE2). ' Croatian Journal of Education-Hrvatski Casopis Za Odgoj I Obrazovanje,14 pp. 69-75. Keith ; Gordon (2005) Project Management and Project Network Techniques, 7th edition Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex CM20 2JE,

The text includes various sources discussing different topics related to project management, virtual teams, and coordination in organizations. The sources mentioned are Kraut et al. (Nov.-Dec. 1999) on coordination and virtualization, Lientz and Rea (1995) on project management, Malone (1987) on modeling coordination, Thomke and Reinertsen (1998) on agile product development, Thompson on leading virtual teams, Uhlig on the advantages and disadvantages of the Scrum project management methodology, and miscellaneous articles on factors hindering employee performance, project life cycles, and the advantages and disadvantages of

the Scrum methodology for project management.