What separates average project managers from excellent ones?

There are thousands of qualified project managers out there, and even more unqualified ones. But I ask, what makes a good PM?  

Exams measure knowledge such as your understanding of governance, risk, planning, and leadership concepts. But projects do not succeed because someone remembered a definition. They succeed because someone exercised sound judgement.  

Knowing when to adapt a process, when to intervene with the team, and when to make a difficult decision is what separates technical competence from professional maturity. 

Excellence in project management comes from a handful of critical characteristics which can both be learned, practiced and shared, but are often ignored.  

So, what does separate the excellent from the average?  

People Skills 

Fundamentally, project management is a people business. Sure, there are gantt charts, logs and registers, tests and inspections, but without stakeholder management and engagement, it means very little.  

The top PMs in the industry know this, and invest a significant proportion of their time communicating and growing networks and alliances. They get to know who can be relied upon, who can be trusted, and of course become trusted themselves. “You’re only as good as the company you keep” is one of my favourite sayings and holds true in our industry.  

If you can’t communicate well, debate maturely, or actively influence stakeholders, you are fighting a losing battle. As a top PM, you need to be able to represent your project with confidence and grow the supportive stakeholder pool steadily.  

Poor people skills, poor project management.  

Be Proactive, Not Reactive  

Then there are the moments where things go wrong.  

A poor PM will ask “what could I have done?” whereas a top PM will say “I’m glad I prevented that”.  

Be on the ball. I’m not saying you need to be able to predict the future, but you do need to be scanning the project horizon to spot any potential threats or opportunities heading your way.  

This can be linked to two of the most important topics in any PM methodology, risk and issues. The best issue managers are the ones who are actually the best risk managers. Address risks while they remain as threats, rather than reacting once they escalate into issues.  

Mitigation and contingency are things that people say they do, but often don’t do well. A methodology like PRINCE2 can really help give PMs guidance on how to recognise, manage and respond to risks proactively.  

Adaptability

Some of the most brilliant individuals I’ve met all have one thing in common, they can think on their feet, pivot, and adapt.  

• Need to understand a new piece of technology? No worries, I’ll get learning.  

• Have to take the project in a new direction due to global politics? Fine, I’ll get re-planning.  

• Don’t have enough human resource to complete a job satisfactorily? I’ll roll up my sleeves and help where I can.  

This mindset allows PMs to overcome almost anything. Why leave yourself stuck in the mud, losing grip in an ever changing industry? This for me is a non-negotiable. Change happens, you may not like it, but the best PMs are the ones who accept this fact and work with this knowledge.  

An excellent PM is someone who actively commits to continuing professional development. The APM is a professional body that values this heavily, and your project board will expect this as well.  

Clear, Detail Oriented  

Ambiguity gets you nowhere. When teaching my candidates I always talk about the importance of detail. If a project was going to cost “some money” and take “some time”, it would never get approved by any sponsor or investor.  

As a PM you need to be clear. Detail is king.  

There should be detail on the scope of any project to manage customer expectations. Roles and responsibilities should be documented and baselined so the entire project team knows exactly what their job is. Your project plans should minimise ambiguity and answer the key project questions clearly.  

However, not every bit of detail you produce can always be backed. Estimates will need to be produced and provided to senior members of your organisation and key stakeholders, but giving something is always better than being flimsy and giving nothing of substance.  

Final word 

So there you have it, my views on what separates the excellent from the average; strong people skills, proactivity, adaptability, and detail orientation.  

Combine these traits with best practice methods such as PRINCE2 processes or APMs leadership styles, and you have a well rounded individual capable of delivering consistently under pressure.  

Ultimately, excellence isn’t about perfection, it’s about consistency, clarity, and competence.