For a test manager to be effective, Mukesh Sharma says six important areas must come together: domain focus, test expertise, leadership style, management practices, proactivity quotient, and communication protocols. Read on to learn how to become a well-rounded test manager in these areas.

Silence may not be golden when members of a team are trying to reach agreement, resolve an issue, or make a decision. In this setting, silence is often taken to mean that those who haven’t voiced an opinion approve of the matter under discussion—yet they may very well not. You should make sure.

Ineffective project managers take many forms. Sometimes the PM simply lacks the knowledge or training to do what the job calls for. Sometimes he is eager to please, so he gives ambitious timelines or says yes to every client request. But then, some PMs are just bad. Learn to recognize some signs.