How Important Is Communication In Project Management?

scheme on wallA project has many moving parts and various individuals who are working on it.

As such, the person tasked with leading the project must stay on top of all developments and make sure that every participant understands the goals of the task and how best to accomplish them.

The only way to manage a team is to have excellent communication between every single person involved.

Read on to really understand how important communication is to successful project management:

According to a source, “for the past several decades, it has been estimated that project managers spend about 90 percent of their time on communication-related issues.”

Depending on the scope and size of the project, there can be many different voices involved, from senior managers, to employees, consultants, investors, business partners, contractors and clients.

Information needs to flow from the very senior decision makers (clients and top level executives) down the chain to the people executing the tasks.

However, the information also needs to flow the other way—when a potential issue is found or a better way of getting something done is proposed, that needs to reach the decision makers in a timely manner.

It is up to the project manager to establish clear and effective lines of communication so that a breakdown does not cause a major problem that is irreparable.

When a change is implemented, or a different direction is decided upon, the project leader must make sure that every person involved finds out about it quickly.

Communication is also imperative for planning the project and making sure that everyone is on the same page, and is capable of completing all of the details required to make the project a success.

Communication is a broad term and one that involves various skill sets, one source narrowed down the ten most important skills required for project management, which are:

  1. Listen

  2. Establish professional relationships

  3. Set clear objectives for a team

  4. Connect the organization’s vision with the project in a way that will motivate the team

  5. Enable collaboration

  6. Build trust

  7. Create transparency

  8. Display confidence without arrogance

  9. Influence through energy and personal motivation

  10. Lead by example

Regular meetings, collaboration software, open and honest communication and transparency is what sets apart a stellar project from a mediocre one!

Thanks again

Mark Williams

Senior Management Trainer and Consultant

MTD Training | Management Blog | Image courtesy of Big Stock Photo

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