Unfortunately, many project managers today would receive
a very unfavorable response from their organizational manage-
ment to that type of “crude” estimate. It doesn’t provide the cer-
tainty that management requires for approval.
Unfortunately, this example is not exceptional. The uncer-
tainty associated with projects exists throughout the life of the
project: it simply never goes away—nor does management’s
craving for certainty.
Skill Requirements of the Project Manager
To fulfill the responsibilities described above and handle the
challenges you’ll face, you’ll need very diverse skills and a
wealth of knowledge. So what knowledge and skills does it take
to be an effective project manager?
There are many ways to slice up this pie. The way that
makes the most sense to me is to break it down into four major
knowledge and skill categories:
- project management process skills
- interpersonal and behavioral skills
- technology management skills
- desired personal traits
Let’s examine each in detail.
Project Management Process Skills
Project management process skills (sometimes called the “hard
36 Project Management
Education Is a Lifelong Process
If you’re like most project managers I know, you can expect to
encounter many people who do not fully understand the finer
points of project management, such as the use of ranged estimates and
the need to use influence rather than authority to get things done.This
will be particularly true in organizations that are just beginning to use
formalized project management or have traditionally relied on a func-
tional management approach.Take the time to educate others about
projects and project management whenever you sense a knowledge gap.
This practice will eventually benefit you, as others begin to better under-
stand you and the nature of your life as a project manager.