Competency is different from personality. There are out-going project managers who could motivate project team as well as quiet project managers who are good in project planning. Some researchers have recommended to have personality test to shortlist project manager with the right personality to manage the particular type and context of project to ensure project success.They might have the skills and experience but might not have the required personality to manage certain type of projects. What impact do you think project manager's personality have on project success?
The challenges are:
- How should out-going or extroverted project managers to have quiet time to do detailed project planning and reporting?
- How should quiet or introverted project managers to communicate well with team members and influence key stakeholders?
This is an interesting question as the personality of a project manager can have a definitive impact on the success of the project as the team members essentially are directly influenced by the project manager. Thus, if the project manager has a personality that is incompatible with the type of project that is being led then it can cause considerable tension and disrupt workflow. I am with the belief that all project managers should be extroverted and outgoing when dealing with teams and managing groups of people regardless if their project requires detailed project planning and reporting. It is possible to teach and learn technical skills like reporting and planning that require a more meticulous hand, but something that is innate like the outgoing personality of a project manager is not so easy to teach. Thus, when hiring and looking for project managers, the company must take careful note of whether or not that person has the personality required to lead a team of individuals.
No matter the technical expertise, if a person's communication skills and ability to connect with others are not present, then they cannot lead effectively.
Competency is different from personality. There are out-going project managers who could motivate project team as well as quiet project managers who are good in project planning. Some researchers have recommended to have personality test to shortlist project manager with the right personality to manage the particular type and context of project to ensure project success.They might have the skills and experience but might not have the required personality to manage certain type of projects. What impact do you think project manager's personality have on project success?
The challenges are:
- How should out-going or extroverted project managers to have quiet time to do detailed project planning and reporting?
- How should quiet or introverted project managers to communicate well with team members and influence key stakeholders?
I think a project manager should be chosen based on the type of project, but more importantly, based on the individuals working on the project. If the project team is made up of individuals who are more introverted and prefer to just grind out their work without attending a bunch of meetings and having discussions on things, having an outgoing/extroverted PM might clash with the personality of that team. Conversely, if the opposite is true and the team is full of extroverted people who love collaborating and work best in a team environment, an introverted person may not be able to lead that team effectively. I think having a PM with a personality type similar to that of the team is important so they can relate to their team members and understand how to motivate them when things get tough.
In my 4 years in the medical device industry I've had the opportunity to work with different project managers with different personalities and techniques. I do agree with assigning a PM with a team that matches his/her personality but I have come across individuals who may lack personality yet are great leaders because of their organization, their care for their work, and ability to stay on top of projects and documenting, reacting, and producing results.
Likewise I've known extroverted project managers who are great delegators and motivators who can manage projects by assigning effective resources and by having a system that allows them to track the cycle of a project and can create results.
In the end as desired as it would be, smaller companies won't have the luxury to assign project managers to ones that match his/her personality. So in the end a great project manager is one who cares about he's work, is organized, can create an accurate plan, assign resources, and can produce results.
The effective project manager takes every opportunity to enhance the commitment of all members of the project team, works to permanently and continuously inform individuals, involve them in various stages of work, urges them to give all their energy, creates an atmosphere of team motivation, confidence and clarity of vision and knows the keys to entering each member of the project, some of them are purely physical, the other respond by encouragement and appreciation, and the other gets excited when subjected to training.
Although it is important for the project manager to motivate the team, I believe motivation can be achieved regardless of whether the project manager is introverted or extroverted. More important than the project manager's personality is the project manager's fulfillment of his/her role in the project, for the success of the project. Of course, if the project manager is very difficult to work with or doesn't listen to the team members, then the project manager is not doing the job well. However, this is not necessarily determined by whether or not the project manager is introverted or extroverted. In terms of communicating, planning, reporting, and motivating the team effectively, both introverted and extroverted project managers are able to accomplish that successfully, albeit by different methods. Therefore, I believe that the introvert/extrovert level of the PM does not predict the ability of the PM to successfully handle projects, especially if the PM is doing all that the PM should be doing, such as communicating effectively, planning, organizing, and much more.
I think the project managers should use their skills to help their project team however they can. So if they're an extroverted manager, they should go be outgoing with their employees and help them how they can, and then do the planning and reporting well too. There's no reason that a manager shouldn't be able to do both. If the manager is introverted I think that's also fine, they should still plan and report and do all the thinking and writing duties that a manager does, and also just be able to communicate clearly with their team.
Interpersonal skills are a necessary for a project manager to be effective and for them to move their career forward. Being extroverted or introverted doesn't matter as much as able to communicate and connect with people in order to get stuff done. You need to be able to make people trust and like you and get your points across clearly when you speak one on one or in a group. Extroverted and introverted people both need to work on this, because so much of project management is actually politics. Both introverts and extroverts will be doing projects that the company needs them to do, no matter if they are personally suited or not. They aren't always going to have the luxury of a manager who knows them well enough to put them on projects them that suit their personalities either. A successful project manager is someone who can get others on board quickly and keep them all on the same page. Ultimately the schedule, budget and components fall on them, and its their job to get everyone else in line. So, if they aren't able to talk or connect with others in order to do that, their project won't be successful.
Project managers who are introverted may struggle when building team morale and relationships. Although project managers are not supposed to be friends, but it is important to be able to boost morale and provide proper compensation in order to boost morale of the team and have them provide good results. However, extrovert project managers also need to be able to properly plan and report projects at a propert timeline. A good project manager is neither of the extremes, but a healthy balance of the two. A good project manager will have to be able to establish a quiet time in their schedule in order to do detailed project planning and reporting as well as communicate well with team members and influence key stakeholders.
I definitely agree with you on the fact that communication skills are undeniable assets that professional project managers should possess. However, I am a little intrigued by how you seem to correlate communication’s skill with being extroverted. I have known a project leader who was quite introvert, but who had impeccable communication’s skill when dealing with the content of the project itself. He wasn’t at all outgoing. During the meetings, he would get straight to te point and address the issue or topic at hands. And the fact that he was always very knowledgeable about the project immensely contributed to his demeanor as a project manager. I used to be believe an extrovert personality surpasses an introvert when it comes to the attributes of a project leader, but working with him gave me another perspective on the whole debate of a project leader’s personality. I think as long as he/she is able to convey the information and planning with effective communication skills, his/her role as a leader might still be proficient.
Effective project managers require good project management skills , technical knowledge and interpersonal skills .Interpersonal skills assist project managers to manage project effectively .Interpersonal skills is vital to the successful outcome of the project .An effective leader always require respect and trust from his team to be successful .Communication ,motivation and inspiring project team are few important etiquette a good project manager should have .
As various interpersonal skills and traits of a good project manager have already been well discussed in this topic I would like to introduce some management strategies that project managers can follow based on the context.
Authoritative - In this style, a clear hierarchy and strict policies exist. Project managers hold all the power and make decisions alone. Employees complete their tasks or execute orders and will face disciplinary action if they fail. - Some are admired but generally a failed model in democratic settings.
Charismatic - PMs of this type are charming, highly persuasive, and well committed to their project. Charismatic leaders also build personal relationships and are good team managers.
Bureaucratic Managing - A very formal PM, who assigns a very clear set of tasks with clear deadlines and instructions. Friendly interactions are limited to avoid.- Most members of the team would not like to approach such a manager with their issues (Temporary relief for the PM but mostly ends up with unexpected consequences).
My favorite: Servant Type Managing - The main goal of the PM here is to serve. This is different from classic leadership where the manager's main focus is the thriving of the project. This type puts the needs of the employees first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.
Honestly thinking about it I think a project manager’s personality is not very important. I think the more important point from your question is what management style people should use. I just think that you are focusing on the project manager personality as the connection to their managerial style but that might not be the case at all. Usually managers are senior staff members and thus have experience working under other managers and have picked up how they led teams. I think the biggest factor for how people lead a team is based on experience with different styles, either from leading teams previously (even in class projects) or being led by others. Of course, some styles will work better for others based on how they are as a person, but I don’t believe anyone’s personality determines their management style. I would say most of the project managers I have worked under have been rather extroverted which may help them in getting the position but all of them had different styles.
There is also the secondary point in that as a project manager you are leading other people and thus should match your style to the team or even specific employee rather than make your team match your style.
In my opinion, project management is a task that requires lots of communications and collaborations with team members. An extroverted person has these skills. As long as they have a clear understanding about the goals of the project and have good organizational skills, it shouldn't be an issue for them to take their own time and plan for the project. If they need help, they are not afraid to communicate and make it clear. On the other hand, an introverted project manager can face some difficulties when it comes to spending a lot of time with team members, verbally exchanging ideas and opinions etc. However, they happen to be comfortable with written communications better than verbal. Therefore, I think they can take the advantage of their written skills, for example, they can keep their emails detailed with ideas and interests, attempt to communicate with the team members via emails and other sources of messages and send proper replies to the team members on time etc. Project management role can be different based on the company's culture and the project itself. Therefore, sometimes it is crucial for us to go out of the comfort zone and adapt to changes if necessary.
This is honestly not an easy question in my opinion. If someone is introverted and quiet, their team may see this as the manager being withdrawn and impersonal, as well as a poor communicator. Personally, I think it is important to show your team that you are an accepting and easy going person so they aren't dreading going in to work and having to deal with a standoffish project manager. The out-going/extroverted manager would be a good personality to have as a project manager in my opinion. However, with a "letting your hair down" approach, its easy to get stepped on. With that being said, being out-going and extroverted doesn't mean to not be stern when need be.
