7 Team Management Skills Every Project Manager Should Have!

Team management is a tool that assists team leaders in inspiring, guiding, and assisting their teams in achieving the project's objectives. While every team is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to team management, there is a basic roadmap to follow to ensure you're hitting all of the right notes.

To keep schedules and workloads balanced for optimum performance, managing a team requires the right mix of people skills and tools. The tools clear the way for teams to move forward, ensuring that they are never blocked or overburdened. Soft skills are concerned with the unique human relationships that enable a team to work together and achieve success.

1. Have a Vision

Team leaders need to have a vision for the project and project that to their team. That means uniting the teama with a common goal and not getting bogged down in the day-to-day minutia. Without direction, teams can get confused or start filling the void at the top and moving off track. Therefore, vision— and communicating it well—are essential.

1. Be a Communicator

Communication is essential for effective team management. It's important to be clearly understood when communicating, but it's also important to listen. You must solicit feedback and respect any other viewpoints that may be expressed. In terms of team leadership, you must make the team's priorities and long-term goals clear, while also recognising their successes and assisting them in resolving their failures.

1. Get Organized

Managing a group is difficult. You're probably in charge of not only team management but also the entire project. That's a lot of balls to keep track of. You must be well-organized to keep them all in the air. This entails utilising the appropriate tools to increase productivity, as well as being available to your team and letting them know when you are unavailable.

1. Stay Firm but Fair

Confidence is the foundation of any business. When a team knows someone is in charge, they respond positively. However, you are not a dictator and should not act in that manner. Never take sides, always listen to complaints, and always work to resolve conflicts. However, you are the boss, and the team must understand that you are in charge of all team management decisions. If you do this correctly, you will gain their respect, as well as high team morale and retention.

1. Remain Flexible

Keep your options open. Managing a team is a constant balancing act, which may sound like an oxymoron. You must be open to change at all times. Projects frequently take a detour, and if you stay rigid, you'll never get back on track. Teams will have disagreements, and plans may need to be altered. Always be willing to change.

1. Think Strategically

Teams prefer to work on projects that are part of a larger plan. They concentrate on the details, and they expect their team leader to see the big picture, so when they're in the trenches, they know why they're fighting. From this vantage point, the leader directs. It provides a sense of safety, allowing teams to concentrate on the task at hand.

1. Remember, You’re Part of the Team

First and foremost, the team. If there are problems with the team's work, you may need to act as a liaison between them and higher management. You may be called upon to defend a team member who is being unfairly targeted by other team members or management. Your status as their leader is less important than their well-being.

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Richard Pierce An expert in Pmi and Iiba Certifications.