How to be a successful project management professional

 How to be a successful project management professional

If you aspire to become a project manager and decided to pursue a bachelor’s/master’s degree in project management; it is important to understand what your coursework will be covering. Project management is about keeping a construction project on task from the beginning to the end.

 Construction project managers have to juggle everything from timelines to team members and it can be daunting, but if you enjoy the hustle, it can be incredibly rewarding. There is no secret formula to becoming a successful project manager. Instead, it is about good habits, visualizing the full scale of a construction project and getting into the depth of potential roadblocks.

It may seem to sound easy, but to become successful managers you can often have to face frustrating challenges, and even if your project runs effortlessly, there is no certainty the next one will. But one thing has been a constant in the professionals and that is they possess skills that complement the demanding nature of managing projects.

With the rising demand for infrastructure development and living standards, the search for competent project managers is higher than ever before. As per the stats by Project Management Institute, the number of project management roles will rise by 33%, creating approximately 22 million new jobs for skilled and qualified project managers.

As firms strive to deliver complex projects in super competitive environments, one thing remains troublesome and that is the industry is facing a talent shortage. It is evident that the career opportunities are abundant for skilled project management professionals with a combination of technical and managerial skills, known as techno-managers.

Industry demands techno-managers, but the demand remains unmet. This prolonging issue can be addressed by reforming the education sector. Many institutions have come forward with innovative approaches and unique educational methods to bridge the gap. One such institution is RICS SBE, Amity University.

RICS SBE is India’s first and only institution to offer dual accredited (RICS & PMI-GAC) degrees. Accreditation ensures that the education quality is at par with the global standards. School of Built Environment focuses on experience-based learning, the highest education standards, guidance from industry pioneers and more to transform the students into true-industry-ready professionals with techno-managerial skills.

The institution offers programmes for students aspiring to enter the real estate sector at the undergrad and postgrad level- BBA in Real Estate and Urban Infrastructure & MBA in Real Estate and Urban Infrastructure.

RICS SBE graduates while pursuing the programme learn the business and commercial aspects of the sector by combining their technical skills with business acumen, which transforms them into potential business leaders that the industry demands.

Now let’s understand what it takes to become a successful project manager. Here are six essential project management skills:

1.       Communication Skills

Project managers have to constantly communicate be it from project kick-offs to stakeholder meetings. In fact, according to a report, project managers spend 90% of their time communicating in one way or another. So, a project manager must have excellent communication skills to efficiently lead projects to completion.

2.       Negotiation skills

A project management professional is involved in a lot of activities from managing resources to engaging suppliers, to managing team conflict. Leading a project means constantly negotiating to involve parties and work together toward a unified goal.

3.       Time Management & Scheduling

Scheduling is an essential facet of the project management function. The most common causes of a construction project failure involve poor planning and changing priorities. The first step is to maximize effective time management. It starts with creating a well-defined project plan and so on. This goes a long way in saving time and money.

4.       Leadership Skills

You must have strong leadership qualities to effectively coach, guide and motivate your team or co-workers. It is important to provide constructive feedback, set goals and evaluate team performance. Similar elements combined with your leadership skills will help you become more effective.

5.       Technical Expertise

This goes without saying that you must know how to move projects toward completion. If you are the subject matter expert, you will be able to effectively communicate with the team and have a better understanding of the potential risks and roadblocks.

6.       Risk Management

This involves identifying and planning ahead for risks. It is a critical competency for project management professionals. The most successful managers identify risks at the outset of a project and formulate a plan to solve them.

So, how can you develop the aforementioned skills? Well, one thing is for sure and that is practice. These skills need time to be learnt. The second tip is to get industry exposure. This can be garnered by attending local and online industry events and workshops, or by working in the sector. But without the apt qualification and knowledge, it would take a lot of time to find the right role and succeed in the real estate and urban infrastructure sector.

The best way to garner or refine your project management skills is to earn a degree from a recognized institution. Programmes like BBA/MBA in REUI at RICS SBE provide students with the practical and technical skills needed to lead the industry.