First of all, it is important to understand what a project manager is. There is a large number of definitions on the Internet that try to explain what this role means, but from my point of view, the most accurate is the one that describes this person as responsible for proposing and properly executing the steps towards the correct functioning of a project. This task is not always led correctly and throughout this essay, I am going to mention some of the common mistakes a project manager usually makes and how a leader could become “the best one”.
On the one hand, it is considered to emphasize the idea that a good project manager must be able to pay enough attention not only to the project in which he or she is immersed at the moment but also it is indispensable that this person cares about the human factor. How are the different members of the national team doing? And the international one? Do they need something? Are they satisfied with the functions they perform? Would they change anything about the project or the company itself? It is crucial to listen to team members since they can offer good feedback on how they see the functioning of the company. Therefore, a good relationship between the Project Manager and the team is indispensable. This can be seen in good results for the organization and can even be a comparative advantage over other companies.
But the ideal would be to achieve a balance between both issues, that is, a project manager concerned about all the members of the team while focused on the project. However, there are occasions when many leaders focus so much on the project in which they are immersed, that they neglect the well-being of their team, and this can bring a negative situation for the organization.
Additionally, a good project manager must be able to acquire both, a generalist and a specialist vision. On the one hand, there are generalist profiles, which are those who have extensive knowledge of various topics, but without becoming experts in any of them, and on the other hand, specialists, who are those who have acquired a very deep knowledge of a specific topic. Both types of people need the help of the other. The generalist can be very good at managing projects, but often cannot offer specific technical inputs. Therefore, these types of project managers must be aware of this gap and must find a team that provides that. In the event that a team does not have a generalist one, but there are specialists, it is not as easy to fix as in the previous case, since a person is needed to act as a manager.
But again, the ideal project manager would be the one who can see both, the small and the big picture of an issue, that is, a person attentive to the different components that affect the project, as well as the detail, although it is not something easy to achieve.
A good project leader must also be a very organized person. It is an indispensable component from my point of view. This person must be able to focus not only on the project he or she is working on but also on the rest of the day-to-day tasks. To facilitate this task, there are currently many online tools. For example, as explained by the website “Workmeter”, there are three important instruments that make easier the management of projects: Asana, Work Project, or Basecamp. Both the organization and the coordination with the rest of the departments is necessary. Linked to this, there should be a requisite for a project manager to have the ability to interact with the different stakeholders. That is, a person capable of leading and facilitating processes.
Therefore, there are many types of project managers but all of them should try to be organized people, good at relationships, attentive, and responsible with their job and their people.
https://www.welcometothejungle.com/es/articles/elegir-perfil-generalista-especializado-empresa
