eSoftskills

Skills Modules

The Role of the Project Manager

The role includes managing throughout the project:

Integration
The project manager integrates diverse activities - everyone and everything - to achieve project goals and secure team commitment. He/she often selects and builds the project team.

Communication
The project manager is the communication and information funnel. He/she must ensure information is channelled to the right people at the right time, including the client.

Direction
The project manager provides leadership and a sense of direction, motivating the team and individuals. He/she monitors progress, intervening when and where appropriate.

Influence
The authority of project managers varies greatly. Their role is temporary and superimposed on traditional structures.  So whilst they have project authority they often lack formal managerial authority. They must be able to influence the actions of others through respect for their experience, competence, personality and networking within the organisation.

Negotiation
The project manager procures funding, facilities and people to get the project off the ground and keep it going. He/she needs to negotiate on a whole range of project issues (resources, schedules, priorities, quality, costs, people...). The project manager is pivotal in making trade-offs between project cost, schedule and performance.

Problem and Conflict Resolution
Conflict is endemic in projects, such as between: 

The project manager has to manage that conflict to achieve conflict resolution. If these are not resolved the project will suffer and perhaps will not be completed.

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