Aside from the lucrative salary, a Technical Project Manager role is not only for those who are technically advanced but those with excellent people and communication skills.
Technical Project Managers are the backbone of every successful company. Typically, days are busy, tedious, but never dull.
If you are considering shifting careers or are on your way to becoming a technical PM, know these eleven traits successful, technical project managers have.
1. Strong Leadership Skills
You joined the team to step up and take responsibility. You are there to lead; therefore, everyone working on a project will adapt to how capable you are at leading them down the right path. If you lack in this area, the team will be a collection of individuals.
2. Be the Subject Matter Expert
You can quickly get up to speed on a variety of technical subjects. You might be assigned a project that you never had exposure to. Do your homework. You don’t need to be an expert, but you can quickly study on most technology to know where the project is leaning.
3. See the Big Picture
Step back a little on a project and see it as a big old puzzle. By looking at the project with that perspective, you will better determine what works and what needs to improve to have success.
4. Be the Project Priority Evaluator
Before any project starts, you have no idea about the outcome or the problems you will encounter. You should have the ability to set, stick, and re-evaluate project priorities. As a Technical Project Manager, you should be the one to set the requirements and figure the steps to be successful. Always be open and honest about what is working and what is not.
5. Excellent Listening Skills
As a Technical Project Manager, you should be able to listen as much as you speak. You must listen to other’s feedback to know what the business wants and what the team needs.
6. Great Communicator
You cannot work in technical project management without communication skills. You will be working with team members stationed locally and other working globally. You should be able to communicate clearly and concisely. Strong written communication skills are essential; as they say, if it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist. Communicate what has been discussed and maintain consensus to minimize confusion.
7. Detailed Oriented
Cathing those minor details is very important to becoming a successful Project Manager. Please focus on the most critical aspects of your project as it will make or break success.
8. Organized
Technical Project Managers must be process-oriented. Utilize tools and techniques to organize critical information that can affect the delivery of a project.
9. Persuasive
You can build a consensus and dive an outcome while productively managing stakeholders. You are selling the project even when it’s completed successfully. You are the one to keep the fire burning within your team.
10. Proficient Connection Builder
As a Technical Project Manager, you must be skilled in building and maintaining informal networks. It would help if you were an influencer by getting feedback from groups, the team, or other stakeholders outside your network. You may never know all the ways people can help the project’s success.
11. Positive and Motivated
You will be responsible for ensuring that everyone is motivated. Always note that a toxic PM will make a project toxic. Ensure that the team is excited and empowered but still professional to know how to handle difficult situations.