The best project managers set themselves apart through their results. They deliver projects on time and on budget. They motivate those around them and bring teams and stakeholders together to achieve a common goal.
Performance is not difficult to spot. But what sits behind and drives those results? Are there common traits, such as personality type, work ethos or management style that are present in all top performing project managers across mining, energy and infrastructure?
The answer is a resounding yes. While every project manager is unique and individual, the most effective projects managers share six common traits that underpin their success. These are the elements we look for when screening candidates and the traits we encourage employers to value for their ability to guide performance.
The six most effective traits of a leading project manager are:
Communication
We consistently see evidence of active listening amongst the best project managers. Active listening involves making a conscious effort to understand what is really being said. Fully concentrating on the words and what they mean, rather than passively hearing the words with a view to replying. Active listening gives project managers an edge by enabling them to understand their team and their challenges on a deeper level.
Effective project managers are also very good at maintaining formal and informal communication. They follow up in-person conversations with emails and document all communication relevant to their project. This ensures visibility and clarity amongst the project team and stakeholders at all points.
Leadership
The ability to foster a strong team environment that promotes high performance is the second trait we constantly see in leading project managers. This also connects with active listening because by understanding their team well – what drives and motivates them – they are able to get the best out of each person they are working with. They identify and utilise their strengths for the benefit of the project.
Strong leadership is also regularly displayed through the example they set themselves. Effective project managers lead from the front. They are accountable, visible and approachable.
Management
The top project managers excel at deploying human, financial and intellectual resources to get the job done. They are great managers of people and processes. Their management style is often collaborative. You will see them working closely with others to identify risk and opportunity and they typically insist on having the appropriate compliance policies and procedures in place to cover themselves and the project’s exposure to any liability.
Cognitive Ability
Projects and situations evolve quickly within the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. Leading project managers have the cognitive ability to think on their feet and adapt to this changing environment. They generally adopt a holistic approach to each project, evaluating situations as they arise and choosing the best course of action to achieve the desired project outcome. They present as pragmatic, solutions focused and firmly fixed on the end goal.
Effectiveness
Many top performers have the ability to strike the perfect balance between assertiveness and aggressiveness. That sweet spot that makes even the trickiest of stakeholders feel valued and supported, yet also onboard with the boundaries required to meet project deliverables.
We regularly see effective project managers using a range of tools, resources and technology across their project management activity. There is also evidence showing they consistently choose solutions that maximise benefit and minimise risk or negative impact on their projects.
Professionalism
This final trait almost goes without saying. Effective project managers present themselves as highly professional. They take responsibility for their actions and display qualities such as respect, fairness, honesty and integrity in the workplace. Their professionalism is evident during the interview process and is echoed by their referees.
Effective project managers display a combination of these six traits, allowing them to excel in their role and really deliver for their employers. That is exactly why screening for these traits is one of the first steps we undertake when evaluating candidates. While there are no guarantees when it comes to hiring staff, we encourage our clients to value these attributes highly as they are strong indicators of success and performance in a project management role.
13 Mar 2025