Five Reasons Why Women Make Top Project Managers

As we celebrate The International Women’s Day I’m reflecting on the more than 100 years of struggle around the world, the hardships and injustices and the victories and achievements that make the world of today the world it is.

Despite the struggles that many are still facing in different parts of the world, today I’m celebrating the women of the past and the positives their actions brought about.

And as I’m thinking of my own past and looking into the future, I feel an enormous sense of achievement combined with the thrill of what tomorrow might bring to the women of my profession.

To celebrate The International Women’s Day, I have put together my top five capabilities I observed in women that helped them to become fantastic project managers and leaders:

1. Women Are Natural Leaders

Women are the CEO’s of the organisation called “family” with all that’s attached to it. If a child needs something, whom does it run to for help? It will be mum in majority cases that might then redirect to the next family member; this is despite the fact that the women of today spend equal time at work as the men do. But the best part is when everyone contributes towards the outcomes of the day because of the trust we share in our leaders, so it is not only that “things get done”, but “how things get done”. It’s like that time you delivered a difficult project with lot of challenges along the way that made it really tough, yet your customer said: “I’ll work with you again anytime”.

2. Women Are Formidable Organisers

Think about it, who gets the house organised, the kids, the pets, who puts dinner on the table, who ensures that all the daily activities have been performed and the tasks are ticked off? And projects are about organisation, breaking down the scope into logically organised manageable packages, allocating resources while keeping in mind the bigger picture and looking ahead.

3. Women Are Peacemakers And Great Stakeholder Managers

Most women will have empathy and the ability to listen and sympathise. The biggest skill that will benefit any project is the ability to connect with other human beings! Combined with the focus on outcomes, most female project managers will be able to pick on the stakeholder’s drivers and motivators while quickly working out the win-win solution for project related problems. Relationship building is the key to any success.

4. Women Are Fantastic Communicators And Coaches

Most of us have spent a lot of time with our mums or grandmas and since childhood we observed the women around us in their daily routines. Because of our empathy we’ve learnt to mimic them and we also learnt their magical ways. And women talk and share, explain and teach. This is paramount for any project team because through communication, sharing and coaching, you develop trusting relationships and ensure engagement.

5. Women Are More Resilient

Yes, this is true! Even biologically we are structured that way. Our cells have the ability to multiply extra times than in a man’s body because we have been designed to bring new life into this world. But, resilience comes in a mental form as well, and if you add up all that your average woman has to get done in a day, in her professional as well as private life, it’s quite amazing that at the end of the evening she still has a gentle touch and a kind word for the kids, an empathetic ear for the partner while she’s already thinking and pre-planning for the next day.

We are living in more complex world brought about by the urbanisation, fast moving technology and the never-ending changes that are so important for progress. Yet we are the same human beings with the same basic requirements trying to keep up with it.

I commend to all women out there that want to make a difference, are unafraid to approach challenges head on and persist towards the better tomorrow for the generations to come!