ABSTRACT
The definition of a competency is an ability or quality of being adequately or well qualified for a specific task. Competencies are a cluster of related abilities, knowledge, and skills that enable a person to act effectively in a wide variety of situations. The list of competencies necessary for a project manager to be successful is comprehensive and lengthy. Management and interpersonal skills were considered the top skills necessary for team leaders by the Center for Creative Leadership [1]. In their research, they found that the largest percentage of skills that team leaders need are in the category of management skills, which includes organizing, making decisions, and prioritizing work through project management. They found that interpersonal skills, which include communication, listening, and diplomacy, are considered the second highest skill category needed for team leaders. Many of the skills necessary for traditional project management are the same for virtual project management:
• General management • Resource management • Communication • Technical knowledge • Decision making • Problem solving • Administration
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The list of interpersonal skills important to working with project teams is itself daunting [2]:
• Leadership • Team building • Motivation • Interpersonal communication • Influencing • Political and cultural awareness • Negotiation • Trust building • Conflict management • Coaching
The e-leader must have all these skills to be successful-plus many others. The virtual project manager needs to be trustworthy and build trust for the team; be an excellent communicator, providing clear vision and project objectives, roles and responsibilities, and expectations for the team members; be able to build team cohesiveness virtually; and be able to motivate individuals to work together to produce quality deliverables.
