HRMS Project Managers: 4 Attributes of a Leader

When it comes to assigning and hiring project managers, there is a question of what qualities and skills are needed to manage and lead that team to project success. While the requirements may generally bear a predictable similarity to those of any other world-class manager or leader, it is nevertheless worth pointing out a few of the core criteria and how they may apply specifically to HRMS project managers.

Let’s just be clear, the job title may include the phrase “project manager” but assuming they're responsible for the successful delivery of your company’s new HRMS then your HRMS project manager’s role is about much more than just GANTT charts and PRINCE2 or whatever project methodology is flavor of the month in your organization. They have to galvanize and lead your project team; that’s going to be the secret to project success.

Vision

Anybody will tell you that these days (and for some time now) leadership is all about vision. Well, that’s true, but for an HRMS project your manager needs to structure that vision for the team so that they can understand and buy into it as quickly as possible. Hopefully, the measurable indicators of a successful HRMS are at the heart of the original business case (and if you’re still drafting the business, now’s your opportunity to make sure that’s the case); an HRMS project manager’s job here is to translate that vision into personal role-specific terms for each key player on the team and then link it into the wider project vision. Put simply, what does the individual´s success look like?

Communication

There’s an awful lot written in project management terms about the need to communicate clearly and concisely with all the necessary stakeholder groups – and for good reason, it’s important – but equally, your HRMS project manager needs to ensure that the lines of communication between themselves and the HRMS team are not only open but rapid.

Be a Role Model

A quick generic one this but always worth reiterating… to return to the point about vision, naturally your HRMS project manager’s role should have a clear picture of success too and put simply, they need to be seen to be fulfilling their project role (whatever deliverables that involves) if they want their ‘demands’ of the rest of the team to have any credibility.

Support the team

Once they’re clear on what they have to deliver, the primary role of your HRMS project manager should be to provide the support, advice, guidance, coaching, resources, training, back-up and whatever else the team needs in order to deliver. If they have accurately pointed them in the right direction then they should just be able to get out of their way and travel alongside, ready to help should the wheels fall off in some way!

Of course, in the ‘real world’ not everything will go as planned and your project manager may need to keep an eye out for signs that the team or individual members are in need of a more direct leadership intervention; either relating to an individual’s performance or the balance and performance of the team as a whole.