Certification Objective 2.04: Defining Key General Management Skills

There is more to project management than just getting the work done. Inherent to the process of project management are general management skills that allow the project manager to complete the project with some level of efficiency and control. In some respects, managing a project is similar to running a business: There are risks and rewards, finance and accounting activities, human resource issues, time management, stress management, and a purpose for the project to exist.

The effective project manager will have experience, or guidance, in the general management skills we’ll discuss in this section. These general management skills are needed in just about every project type—from architectural design to manufacturing. Other management skills are more specialized in nature, such as OSHA conformance in a manufacturing environment, and aren’t needed in every project.