The Behavioral Profiles of Succeedful Project Managers- Predictors of Project Management Success

Illustration 1: Behavioral Attributes and Traits that are reliable predictors of success (when combined)

Illustration 1 shows the Essential Traits or attributes that were predictive of success in Project Management Template. These traits would be different for other templates and profiles. To explain a bit:

  • Takes initiative – All 28 scored significant or strong in this attribute. These are self starters.
  • Enthusiastic – All 28 scored significant or strong in this attribute. These people can motivate and energize others.
  • Finance/Business – Again, all 28 scored very well in this attribute. They were able to show a natural head. They were a great fit for business.
  • They wanted to be leaders.
  • They were analytical, but not excessively so. They didn’t succumb to “paralysis by analysis”. They were able gather enough facts to make good business and technical decisions. However, they didn’t obsess over the details.
  • Handle Autonomy – These people didn’t need to be told what to or when to do it. They were not only enthusiastic and took initiative, but they were also able to determine what was needed and when.
  • Wanted Challenge – This group was impatient and easily bored.
  • Partial studies that followed have confirmed that people who score well in these attributes (and not in other areas) are more likely to be successful project managers. Desirable traits for project managers There was then a second group of attributes called Desirable Traits. These are the areas where a person’s score would be affected. Another way to put it, it wasn’t important that they scored high in these traits. It was only that they DIDN’T score low or negatively, otherwise it would lower or decrease their chances of being successful as project managers.

    Illustration 2- Desirable Traits

    As I mentioned above, scoring high (towards the right) is not important. However, if they score to the left, it will lower their overall suitability (see Illustration 4). This part of my research was very interesting because I had expected that Organized and Planning, Handling Conflict, Managing stress, and Handling Conflict would be the top-ranked predictors. Undesirable traits of project managers This means that if a person scores to the left on any one of these, it is unlikely that they will succeed as project managers. ?.

    Illustration 3: Killer attributes for project managers

    It is unlikely that a person will be a successful project manager if they score even moderately to strong to their left. These traits are obvious and would be unacceptable for anyone in a management role. However, the primary impact would not be to lower the overall score. Overall Project Manager Behavioral Impact

    Illustration 4 – Overall Project Manager Behavior Impact Graph

    Illustration 4 shows the total score. This score includes all the positives from Essential Traits less the negatives from Desirable and Negative traits to give an overall score. This profile has been validated twice since its creation, by large telecommunications companies from SE Asia. One is a system installation contractor and equipment manufacturer, while the other is a major provider of telecommunications services. The results of the pilot research are not available due to Non Disclosure Agreements (NDA). However, suffice it to say that preliminary evidence supports its validity. This has been confirmed with 28 people.

    Author: Victoria