In a 2012 survey by IBM, 71% of CEOs responded that they see human capital as a key source of sustained economic value.
Organisations must ensure that they have not only the project management and technical prowess, but also the leadership, strategic and business management skills necessary to get projects and change successfully delivered.
In a recent PMI report on ‘Building High-Performance Project Talent’ they outline three key PM skills for organisations.
In this post we look at a few key skills a PM needs over and above technical PM skills, leadership skills, and strategic and business management skills.
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Communication
To support project success, it is important that a project manager has the ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels with clear and transparent communications. This will create an environment of trust, inclusion and integrity. Without effective written and verbal communication skills, a project manager is missing a critical component that can easily derail a project.
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Team building and conflict resolution
Building a cohesive, high-performance and motivated team is a key ingredient to a project’s success. Not always an easy task due to characters, personalities and an organisation’s culture. A project manager should be a people-oriented leader who can create, manage and motivate a high-performance team.
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Change management soft skills
Change is usually a constant state within an organisation, and certainly within the project management space. Organisations are now looking for change management and softer skills into the project management function. A project manager now needs to do more than just tick the boxes of an administrative approach to project management. It now includes the requirement for effective soft skills in handling and managing change within an organisation.
