6 Qualities of a Good Project Manager

As technology continues to evolve and flexible working is the norm, today’s project managers require a different set of skills to what would have set them apart 5+ years ago.

While organisational skills will always be vital of any project manager, they now only cover a fraction of what competitive businesses need: an individual who is not only going to manage projects from start to finish, but create a positive lasting impact for the business.

In this blog, we delve into 6 qualities that a project manager needs to bring to the table in 2025.

1) The ability to reinvent

One dominating area of current work trends is reinvention. Initially, reinvention was something many businesses were forced to adopt, given global circumstances over the last 3-5 years.

Now, having gone through transformative periods and reaped the benefits, like increased levels of productivity, innovation and competitiveness, project managers and business leaders are less fearful of change, now seeing it as an opportunity for growth.

For project managers, this means the ability to think ahead, remain agile and adapt their plans when issues arise is vital to the success of their projects. Sometimes it's only when a project is in progress that gaps and missing parts of information start to occur, causing the project manager to make quick, informed and relevant changes.

2) Remote managing

This may seem obvious given that 58% of UK businesses are now providing some kind of flexible working, however, when it comes to project management, teams will be led and therefore operate differently based on whether its remote, in person, or a mixture of both.

After all, a good project manager is always able to adapt to the style of working that their team opt for.

It will generally be clear how good a remote project manager is by the responsiveness of their team, as well as the below considerations:

• The output of the team: how are tasks generally undertaken?
• The general happiness of the team: including the general attitude towards work, how team members interact with one and other and how they work together.
• How the team are perceived externally from other senior managers: are your team known for being efficient and well informed?
• How the team respond to feedback, constructive criticism and open communication: a happy team are more likely to respond well to constructive criticism and feedback without a negative effect on confidence or ability.

Linking back to our first point of reinvention, a good project manager must be able to manage both remotely and in person, with it having no effect on their performance.

3) Sufficient use of project management tools

In an increasingly connected world, project management tools (such as Trello, HubSpot, Workzone and Asana) are heavily relied upon and have proven track records of helping projects run efficiently.

In fact, it's said that 77% of high performing teams utilise project management software, as well as their built in features to stay on top and in control of their projects.

However, as loved and well-used as project management tools are, relying too heavily on anything can have an adverse effect.

To make well-informed decisions regarding different project management tools, don't forget that:

• Project management tools can be expensive: consider the different levels, users and features that make the most sense for your business.
• These tools are also typically all cloud-based: if you're having "technical" issues one day, team output and productivity might take a halt, so consider this before going fully online.
• Adequate training and onboarding is required: training and onboarding can be time consuming, but is crucial, especially for cyber security purposes.

Ultimately, the key is to strike the right balance between leveraging these tools to enhance productivity, without becoming overly dependent on them. 

4) Know how to utilise your soft skills, and recognise others’

To be a successful, well-rounded project manager, a mixture of both hard and soft skills are a must. As well as being data orientated, efficient in risk management and have solid budgeting and forecasting skills, a well-rounded project manager is also empathetic, patient and flexible.

Alongside their communication skills, a good project manager should be able to thrive off leading a team, feeling motivated by the fact that those who make up a project management team will vary in experience and hold different skills.

It's therefore a project managers responsibility to be able to not only utilise these skills, but hone in on the individual capabilities, which is key for maximising potential and optimising results.

5) Know how to create a safe working environment

As a project manager, creating a positive, supportive work environment is key.

This can be done by:

Promoting phycological safety

To feel psychologically safe in the workplace, is to feel that you can share feedback, ideas, concerns or anything work related without the fear of being judged or penalised on your input.

When project teams feel they are safe in the workplace, they're more likely to work to their full potential, collaborate openly, take creative risks, and speak up without fear of judgment or backlash, which makes for better and more streamlined results.

Its a project managers role to ensure there's both space and time for relevant feedback and that its responded to in a calm and efficient way.

Setting realistic expectations

Whether this be in the form of roles, responsibilities or deadlines, project managers need to ensure their teams are informed about deadlines, varying priorities and any changes that might effect their workload. By doing this, project teams will feel motivated and engaged throughout projects, contributing to feeling of safety.

Addressing and resolving issues in a timely and respectable manner

It's natural within working teams for disagreements and conflicts to arise, simply from working both in close proximality and to pending deadlines. It’s important that a project manager can manage conflict, stay calm, and look at situations with workable solutions.

Whether this be by encouraging positive confrontation or facilitating group interactions, it's vital team members feel they are able to speak and work together, even when problems arise! Not all confrontation is negative and compromise can often go a long way. 

Leading by example 

Practising what you preach is vital of any project manager, as you can't expect your team to do what you don't do yourself. So by simply modelling the type of behaviour you want to see or being honest and transparent when you've made a mistake, will allow for team members to feel their in a safe and inclusive environment. 

6) Have both an objective and holistic point of view

As individuals, it’s easy to become hyper-focused and develop a narrow vision when working on projects. It can be difficult to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, however, this is one of the responsibilities of a project manager and is generally a great quality to have as any working professional.

Project managers must ensure that all projects align correctly with the company goals and objectives, and experienced project managers will be great at both referring to other projects and learning and speaking from experience to ensure their current project is managed correctly.

A few ways to maintain a holistic approach when project managing include:

• Regular check-ins: 121 time with each team member gives you a good grasp on how everyone's feeling collectively and individually. 
• Monthly team reviews: having time specifically put aside to ensure deadlines and objectives are being met will ensure the team stays on track and in control of their workload.
• Check-ins with your own manager: regular conversation with your own senior manager will ensure your current working priorities align with theirs.
• Correct governance: being on top of the various structures, processes and culture within your team will keep you updated with each moving part of the project.

Key Qualities Every Successful Project Manager Should Master

Being a good project manager today means more than just hitting deadlines and managing budgets. It’s about leading with empathy, communicating clearly, remaining adaptable, and bringing out the best in your team, whether you're working remotely, in-person or both.

By honing in on these six essential project management qualities, project management as a career is extremely rewarding and full of plenty of opportunity for continuous professional development.

If project managing seems like the right career choice for you, find out more about our 100% online PRINCE2 qualifications and enrol today!