Project management officers are vital to any business as they can take important decisions that lead to great ideas. While good PMOs are hard to find, great ones are even rarer. However, all good PMOs share certain traits and characteristics that make them an effective and valuable part of the team. Here are six of the best traits you should cultivate to become an effective and profitable project management officer in your organization.
1. Transparency
PMOs today have great insight into the cost and progress of a particular project. They are also knowledgeable in handling and allocating the right resources for the right projects. An effective project management officer can distribute resource information, schedule and talk about costs to the intended stakeholders to keep all involved parties abreast with the latest updates.
2. Consistency
Good PMOs have consistent and repeated practices for project management that are continually used throughout the organization. To become a success, all projects are regarded with the same quality standards and other requirements. Good PMOs also eliminate redundancies and bureaucratic practices that affect projects.
3. Flexibility
The ability to adapt to unique portfolio and project needs is a telltale sign of a good PMO. Project delivery styles are largely determined by organizational structures as centralized PMOs bring many benefits to the business itself.
4. Communication skills
Communication skills is considered to be one of the most important traits of a successful executive, whether the CEO or PMO. By creating a stable and transparent line of communication between the technical team, managers, executives and stakeholders, a good PMO’s abilities are judged based on his/her capability of communicating clearly and honestly.
5. Organization
Organizational skills are critical for a PMO as they are responsible for scheduling and budgeting in the project. The ability to prioritizes tasks, assess as well as allocate resources and keep a constant tab on the budget is key to the success of any project. With the right organizational skills, a PMO can remain in control of the project and ensure that no resources are being wasted or misused.
6. Problem solving
Regardless of the nature, size and urgency of a project, mistakes and problems are bound to emerge. Instead of panicking or playing the blame game, a good PMO determines the cause of the problem and takes immediate steps to rectify the mistake. By effectively handling difficult solutions and taking brave decisions, a project management officer can make a big difference in a project’s outcome.
