Why do projects go wrong? | Skills required of a Project Manager

Project Management
Why do projects go wrong?
Projects go wrong because of a number of reasons. Therefore, it is essential for project
managers to keep a tight grip on each element of the project not to slip from their grasp into
problems. Even though there are different reasons why a project may go wrong, a majority
can be traced back to a failure in one of the following core areas.
Resourcing
In this sense, finance, human resource, and physical resources are the key components that
project leaders should consider carefully. Projects go wrong because of inappropriate
management of these aspects. In regards to financial resources, it is essential for the manager
to keep within the budget. Projects fail because of running out of finances, which brings the
project to a halt. On the other hand, projects go wrong because of a lack of sufficient human
resources with the required skills to the work (Kliem, & Ludin, 2019). Lack of human
resources does the project to move at a slow pace because of members of the project being
overworked with the increased workload. In the end, this results in inevitable time delays.
Similarly, underestimation of physical resources in projects has been found to cause a
massive impact on projects. Underestimating of physical resources results in early depletion
of money allocated to later stages being used in the early stages, which end up causing
problems in the future.
Poor Planning
Poor planning is a critical factor that contributes to sending the project off track. Studies
indicate that most project leaders do not realize the extent to which plan is needed to make
sure for successful project delivery. Most project directors have a misconception that time
used in preparation is a waste; hence, most of them get started without planning properly the
project tasks, which in the end leads to failure.
Lack of Risk Management
It is essential that during planning, a project manager should anticipate and plan for potential
problems that are likely to arise in the course of the project. Subsequently, the project often
goes astray due to issues that were not anticipated for, and that could have been easily averted
with a little in-depth evaluation.

Poor Communication
It is significant to ensure that all project teams, stakeholders, and project sponsors are all
involved in understanding their role and the way they fit into the big picture of the project for
its success. When project members do not have a precise definition of their roles, they are
likely to spend much time making attempts figuring out what they are supposed to do instead
of doing it. On the same note, communication is critical when things go wrong since it allows
each team associate to change their plans accordingly to prevent further disruption (Lehtinen
et al., 2014). Additionally, the contribution of project members gives solutions to problems
facing a project. However, projects go wrong because of poor communication.
Misunderstanding of the project scope
Research has found that many projects go wrong because quite often, the project manager
uses models for successful projects for other projects, which is a big mistake. Every project
has a distinct budget, timeframe, and probable problems to contend with; therefore, each
project ought to have its project management process (Müller, 2015). Consequently,
attempting to adapt to a previous successful project cannot lead to success. In this essence,
project leaders should provide every project with the necessary resources time and efforts to
ensure it succeed.
The most Important Skills required of a Project Manager Responsible for handling
Complex or Multiple Projects
According to Too and Weaver (2014), project management requires a project leader with a
wide range of skills so that they are in a better position to effectively handle their work to
benefit the project stakeholders and the organisation they work ultimately. These abilities are
gained through experience, which takes years to master. Nonetheless, these skills are of great
significance, and relevantly contributes to the project manager’s career development. In this
sense, the most critical project management skills that project managers should possess
include leadership, effective communication, the capacity for scheduling, risk management,
team management, among others.
Leadership
To lead a project toward success, the project manager is required to ensure that the work is
performed by the project team most effectively and efficiently. Project leadership calls for an
individual with a clear vision, practical in scheduling, clarity in reasoning, and the capability