Skills All Project Managers Need in Life and Business

Management skills are usually grouped into several categories, including interpersonal, technical, and conceptual. But time management skills go beyond attributes that simply make you an effective leader. Knowing how to manage your minutes is crucial to the success of your business and your personal life. Here are a few examples of skills to refine that will have a positive impact on your time management abilities both in and out of the office.

Planning.

 Planning sounds like a no-brainer, but many of us plan our end goals without knowing the steps we will take to get there. PPC Group, LLC. has touched on this topic before and notes that to-do lists are often unnecessary. However, planning your main goals and pathway to success is. This doesn’t mean every planning session has to be detailed, but it is important to always know where you’re going and how you want to get there.

Delegation.

Development agency Meister notes that many managers don’t delegate for a number of reasons. These include not wanting to pass work off to others and the fear of letting go of important tasks. Delegation, however, is crucial in business, and being able to match your employees and their strengths to specific problems is essential, especially when you and your team work remotely. There will be some tasks, such as answering the phones and packing products, that are best left for others. Even a one-time business task, like creating an LLC,  can be outsourced all or in part by using a formation service.

Decision-making.

Having the ability to make decisions, both calculated and in the moment, is also essential to your business’s success. Not only will being decisive allow you to free up your time and your mind for other activities, but it also keeps you from looking wishy-washy. In turn, this encourages your employees and management staff to also be decisive. Do keep in mind that you do not have to make all decisions on your own. There is nothing wrong with consulting others when you have a difficult choice to make.

Self-motivation.

Being self-motivated means that you are not waiting on others to get things done. This can help you stay on track and within whatever timeline you’re working in. Developing and refining this skill goes back to being able to plan effectively. When you plan, you have an end goal, which serves as your motivation to get things done. Developing a timeline can help you stay motivated to propel yourself forward on whatever project you’re working on.

Problem-solving.

Problem-solving is another essential skill for business that many managers and new business owners assume comes naturally. Unfortunately, it doesn’t — not always. CareerBuilder explains there are different separate stages of the problem-solving process, and learning how to implement these at the right time can mean the difference between getting stuck on an issue and moving forward with a solution.

Every attribute that makes you a good entrepreneur or manager is made up of other qualities, skills, and traits. Time management is no different. From learning how to plan and delegate to figuring out what motivates you to keep moving forward, the skills listed above can help you take control of the hours you have. In turn, you’ll be more efficient and have the opportunity to balance your work and home lives, which will ultimately make you a better leader.

PPC Group’s Project Hero Academy offers free admission for up-and-coming managers and business owners looking to earn their CAPM® Certification. Enroll today for access to this confidence-building course.

Guest post by Stephanie Haywood, owner of MyLifeBoost.com.  Personal development and self-care gave her a boost when she needed it most, and now she is here to share the gift of self-knowledge, self-care, and self-actualization with our readers.