Friday 29 July 2016

O'Neil Blake, Football Graduate Assistant - An Explanation of the Skills That Project Managers Need

In addition to being a standout college football player, O'Neil Blake also developed a range of business skills while studying at Lenoir-Rhyne University, particularly during the course of studying for his Masters of Business Administration at the college. This has equipped him with the skills that he needs to be an effective project manager when required, with the below all being essential to success in the role.

O'Neil Blake Football Communication

Good project managers understand that they need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively to people at all levels of their companies. When speaking to team members, they must be able to relay instructions plainly and concisely, while also providing reasonable explanations for why certain tasks need to be completed. In speaking to upper management, they must be capable of translating the efforts of their teams into deliverables to improve corporate buy-in on their projects.

Organization

Project managers need to be capable of organizing their own time effectively, while also managing the time of their team members. They should be able to break down their project goals so that they create achievable milestones that take their teams’ skills and availability into account.

Leadership

O'Neil Blake developed his leadership skills while playing football and continues to improve them in everything that he does. Project managers need to be able to take authority and provide guidance to their teams in an effort to ensure that their projects are seen through to fruition. In doing so, they must understand the needs of their team members and how to provide effective feedback on their efforts.