Project manager performance

An array of skills and attributes are necessary in order to responsibly carry out the duties of project managers (PMs), in delivering successful projects. The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess various necessary skills and attributes of PMs for project success. Results from statistical analyses of 155 questionnaire responses from China, Oman and the UK are presented. Despite the evident differences of perceptions among respondents on the relative priorities of various items, it was observed that a balanced set of various skills is essential for PMs, with leadership abilities for teamworking and meeting the project objectives. Although the skills related to "education" appear to be less important than some other skills, results indicate that there is no alternative of formal training and education. Respondents also consider that an attitude for attaining a satisfactory level of customer satisfaction and approach to teamworking are among the two most important attributes of PMs that lead to project success, along with the ability to complete the project on time, within budget and to an acceptable quality. The overall results indicate the readiness of the respondents in these three countries to consider some 'non-traditional' skills and attributes that PMs should possess to deliver successful projects.