We all start as team members to be a project manager, and it takes time, effort, passion and determination to be a good project manager. However, what are the skills that we should be looking for in our team members and need to acquire to become a project manager in the future.
Being a project manager in the medical device industry requires being able to cope with ambiguity and the ability to be able to handle constraints in budget, scope, and time. Most of the projects will require cross-functional operations. Therefore while being in a team acquiring interpersonal skills is very important for a future project manager. Also, the experience you gain in working under highly regulated environments will lead you to be able to cope better with all the possible setbacks. It is also important to develop a good in-depth knowledge in marketing, quality control, finance, and regulatory operations. Intuition and sensitivity are required to correctly identify the needs of the client and team. Empathy and listening skills are mostly underestimated but they are very important to be successful as a medical device project manager.
Adding to @nr473 who summed up the business area that a project manager must be very well, I also believe the project manager needs to be confident in their decisions and the decisions their team is willing to make on a project. The project manager must also be inspiring to their team to keep the project moving and show them that they are making a difference in their project. This leader has to be able to develop their teams talents as well and make sure that they can foresee any potential bottle necks that can form. A lot of the soft skills that one learns as they keep learning in industry are extremely important to manage project and know how to manage people. There is a difference in being a leader of self and being a leader of others and the PM needs to know how to do both for their self and as well as their peers. Not everyone has to be a Type A person through and through, but they should learn how to absorb traits that make others trust the project manager is navigating the project towards launch with few deviations.
A project is a series of tasks that when completed, creates a new object or capability. Teamwork as the saying goes makes the dream work! As a team member, it’s important to focus on the roles and responsibilities you are assigned by the project manager to succeed in developing a product or service. The project manager also needs to be motivated to succeed, and not be afraid to see the project through from beginning to end.
Project managers also need to harness the capabilities of his/her team members and leverage those skills and abilities in order to give the best effort toward developing a quality service or product.
A meticulous person who is organized in thought and deeds is highly suitable to fulfill this obligation of a Project Manger and move the team forward with goal oriented, smart initiatives that spark innovation and create and environment where a wide range of skill sets and abilities of all ranges can be maximized on one accord toward a successful project.
Every good project manager has experience as a team member in some compacity. Some individuals luck up and are hired on with companies as project managers straight out of school but I believe most project managers have some sort of experience as a active team member. I believe there are two types of skill sets that team members should acquire to be successful as a project manager. Hard skills and soft skills. Hard skill set should be the technical aspect- the ability to structure a team for success; knowing how to organize a project correctly for a successful outcome and have the technical skills to draw up the plan, organize, and provide plans for funding. For soft skills it is important that the potential project manager be able to articulate themselves amongst crowds/groups of employees, know how to negotiate, be able to be firm as well as be fair and impartial. These are not all of the qualities but in my opinion some of the most important or success.
As a project manager there are multiple skills that they should look for when selecting future team members for a successful project. As @ssbufford stated hard skills and soft skills are important skills that should be evaluated very carefully. I believe that soft skills are the most important skills needed to have a successful team member, because these are skills that can not be taught. They include hard work ethic, leadership, communication, and team working skills that all are very vital when working to complete a project with other members. These skills can also influence other team members who lack some of these soft skills. Lastly, skills such as networking which are a form of soft skills are very important. Networking can lead to new contacts and ideas for the project, and cause the expansion of a project in multiple areas within the industry.
We all start as team members to be a project manager, and it takes time, effort, passion and determination to be a good project manager. However, what are the skills that we should be looking for in our team members and need to acquire to become a project manager in the future.
There are four critical skills that one would need to develop to become a better project manager. I believe that there is a proper art form to project management, and as you said, it requires a lot of diligence and passion, as you mentioned @naglaa-hemida. The first skill and arguably the most important one that comes to mind is communication. Being able to effectively communicate with people just not in your comfort zone but from all walks of life is vital to project management or leadership. Secondly, the skill of compromising or negotiating is essential. There are many moving pieces in project management and a lot of tight restraints such as time and budget. It is vital to compromise and learn when it is okay and necessary to negotiate on time to stay within budget or vice versa. Thirdly, the organization is another crucial skill that will make a project more streamlined and increase its success. Lastly, I think proper risk management is a considerable element and skill needed in project management. It's arguable the most challenging aspect because it requires factoring in every project component and every party involved. Risk management also falls back on all the other previous skills I mention. Without those, risk management becomes increasingly difficult as it is an ongoing process from start to finish.
We all start as team members to be a project manager, and it takes time, effort, passion and determination to be a good project manager. However, what are the skills that we should be looking for in our team members and need to acquire to become a project manager in the future.
To be a great leader you must first learn to be a great team member. There are many things that can be learned through academia however, it is important to have real world application when you are in charge of leading people. Building a team with all of the right "stuff" isn't an easy job. When looking to accomplish this task, it is important to look for members who have soft skills that enhance the overall productivity of the team; the same level of dedication, passion, work ethic, etc. that accompanies their knowledge. Although there are some soft skills that will build with time, it is important to build a team that is able to thrive and work well with one another.
We all start as team members to be a project manager, and it takes time, effort, passion and determination to be a good project manager. However, what are the skills that we should be looking for in our team members and need to acquire to become a project manager in the future.
To be a great leader you must first learn to be a great team member. There are many things that can be learned through academia however, it is important to have real world application when you are in charge of leading people. Building a team with all of the right "stuff" isn't an easy job. As @carrissap10 stated, when looking to accomplish this task, it is important to look for members who have soft skills that enhance the overall productivity of the team; the same level of dedication, passion, work ethic, etc. that accompanies their knowledge. Although there are some soft skills that will build with time, it is important to build a team that is able to thrive and work well with one another.
Every good project manager has experience as a team member in some compacity. Some individuals luck up and are hired on with companies as project managers straight out of school but I believe most project managers have some sort of experience as a active team member. I believe there are two types of skill sets that team members should acquire to be successful as a project manager. Hard skills and soft skills. Hard skill set should be the technical aspect- the ability to structure a team for success; knowing how to organize a project correctly for a successful outcome and have the technical skills to draw up the plan, organize, and provide plans for funding. For soft skills it is important that the potential project manager be able to articulate themselves amongst crowds/groups of employees, know how to negotiate, be able to be firm as well as be fair and impartial. These are not all of the qualities but in my opinion some of the most important or success.
You highlighted some useful skills that can really be utilized in a range of situations. One that you mentioned that I believe is very important is being able to structure a team for success. Team members are the people with industry skills and expertise that develop the product or service. Project management has a collaborative nature, so interpersonal skills are just as important.
I believe that the basic understanding of a well functioning team is the idea of synergy. Every team member must embrace the idea that the sum, or whole, is greater than each individual part. A commitment to the projects purpose should remain the focus. A great team member is someone that can contribute in multiple ways. The ability to work as one unit requires the ability to pivot tasks quickly, with the fluidity to change roles within the working group. It is necessary for leadership to do the right things, the right way, for the right reasons. In biotechnology, it is important for ethical leadership principles to be spread throughout the team. It is important that no person is above the team, not even leadership. Everyone is working for the project.
Being a project manager in the medical device industry requires being able to cope with ambiguity and the ability to be able to handle constraints in budget, scope, and time. Most of the projects will require cross-functional operations. Therefore while being in a team acquiring interpersonal skills is very important for a future project manager. Also, the experience you gain in working under highly regulated environments will lead you to be able to cope better with all the possible setbacks. It is also important to develop a good in-depth knowledge in marketing, quality control, finance, and regulatory operations. Intuition and sensitivity are required to correctly identify the needs of the client and team. Empathy and listening skills are mostly underestimated but they are very important to be successful as a medical device project manager.
Communication skills are always one of the main keys of being a good member of a team. Also, problem solving and time-management skills are necessary from team members to foster a structured environment that can yield results for whatever project or task they take on. These traits have practical applications in science and medicine. Specifically, in biotechnology these traits along with critical thinking, listening, and a team oriented mindset can create the conditions needed to fulfill the needs of the task at hand. @nr473 you were correct in your assessment that empathy within the dynamics of a team. Being able to understand multiple perspectives that may be different from a personal opinion is a priceless attribute and can be the deciding factor between a the failure or success of a team.
Teamwork is one of the most sought-after skills in the workplace, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Advancements in technology have allowed companies to be more connected and collaborative than ever before, with a diverse workforce dispersed around the world. As a result, it’s even more important for employees to demonstrate strong teamwork skills, in both face-to-face and virtual team interactions. College is the perfect time to start practicing your teamwork skills. Group work is an integral part of your academic coursework, and your internship, externship and clinical experiences are also a great opportunity to develop your relationship building, project management and leadership abilities.
https://www.herzing.edu/blog/7-important-teamwork-skills-you-need-school-and-your-career
We all start as team members to be a project manager, and it takes time, effort, passion and determination to be a good project manager. However, what are the skills that we should be looking for in our team members and need to acquire to become a project manager in the future.
I believe the skills we should be looking for in our team members, should be team players, great communicators, people who are effective in decision making, balanced participation, a diverse group. I believe we can all learn from each other and if you are around a great team, you can learn from each other and it will build you up to be a great project manager in the future.
When it comes to ideal team members, I tend to look for open-mindedness and uniqueness. If a team member is open-minded, he or she will be able to mold their thinking and ideas with the rest of the groups for the common goal. This person will also be more willing to abandon their idea if they realize it is a good one but not necessarily good for the team. With uniqueness, different opportunities will arise from these team members because they will be able to add something to the project by thinking outside of the box. Cultivating these skills, along with leadership and understanding, will also make a great project manager in the future!
