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Our Quarterly Data Digest report dives into mastering project time management, decision-making, and communication for project success.
Deep within conference rooms and across digital platforms, it's not the loudest project manager who succeeds; rather, it's the most emotionally intelligent one. Technical expertise is essential and provides a strong foundation in any project management role. It’s the often-underestimated soft skills that serve as the beating heart of authentic leadership. Being capable of navigating the complex human dynamics is often what determines whether a project succeeds or stalls.
That’s why successful project management requires possessing both hard and soft skills. By 'hard skills,' we don’t mean deep technical skills, as these can be supplemented by subject matter experts (SMEs); instead, we refer to skills such as scheduling, budgeting, and risk management. These hard skills build the foundation. But it’s soft skills that activate this foundation, turning plans into progress and strategies into results.
These three soft skills are essential for project management success. Time management ensures resources are allocated efficiently, timelines are honoured, and momentum is sustained. Decision-making determines the project's direction at critical junctures. Communication brings the team members together in a shared purpose and understanding.
This is backed by data, too. A study by the Project Management Institute revealed that ineffective communication contributes to project failure one-third of the time.1 Meanwhile, a Harvard Business Review analysis found that decision-making effectiveness decreases by 10% for every tier of management involved in a decision. Time management challenges, when left unaddressed, can cascade into costly delays that undermine even the most technically sound projects.
As reflected in our April Digest, time is the only truly finite resource in project management. Once spent, it cannot be recovered.
The most successful project managers employ a range of techniques to manage time effectively:
These approaches translate directly to project success. Projects with robust time management protocols are 24% more likely to meet their objectives, according to recent industry benchmarks.2
Even seasoned project managers fall prey to common time management pitfalls:
Modern project managers combat these challenges with specialised tools:
Decision-making is the moment where analysis transforms into action. Project managers make hundreds of decisions weekly, from mundane task assignments to pivotal strategic shifts that fundamentally alter project trajectories.
Several decision-making models offer structured approaches:
The model selected should match the decision's complexity and importance. Applying heavyweight processes to minor decisions creates unnecessary friction, while inadequate analysis of critical choices invites disaster.
Decision velocity often determines project agility. High-performing project managers accelerate decision-making by:
Effective decision-making balances thoroughness with timeliness. Our May research revealed that projects with clearly defined decision protocols complete 37% faster than those with ambiguous authority structures.
Communication is the invisible infrastructure supporting every project. It fosters a culture of shared understanding and alignment. Project communication consists of several key dimensions:
Project communication falls into three primary categories:
Critical decisions warrant interactive communication to ensure alignment, routine updates can utilise push methods, while reference materials benefit from pull approaches.
Project communication faces numerous obstacles:
To elevate project communication:
The most valuable asset in your project management toolkit is your capacity to connect with, understand, and influence the people around you. Time management, decision-making, and communication form the foundation of this human-centred approach to project leadership.
Success hinges on finding the right balance: being structured without being rigid, decisive without being autocratic, and communicative without being overwhelming. By consciously developing these skills, project managers transform from administrators into true leaders capable of inspiring teams to extraordinary performance.
Soft skills are learnable. Elite project managers:
As technical tools and methodologies evolve, the fundamental human elements of project management remain constant. Those who master the art of working with and through others will continue to deliver exceptional results regardless of technological shifts.
The most successful project managers recognise a profound truth: projects are fundamentally human endeavours. By investing in soft skills development, they transform visions into reality through the collective efforts of inspired teams. Elevate your skillset with our Leading & Negotiating for Project Success course today.
References
1PMI. “The High Cost of Low Performance: The Essential Role of Communications.”
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