Many employers put a lot of emphasis on soft skills when it comes to making hiring decisions while evaluating similarly-qualified candidates – something that underscores the profound significance of Project Managers possessing both soft and hard skills. Soft skills are the personal attributes that enable people to interact effectively with others to resolve conflicts, build trust, and develop good relationships in the workplace.
Below are the top 5 soft skills that enable Project Managers to stand out from their peers:
1. Communication
Effective communication promotes success within a project. Project Managers spend a lot of time communicating with senior leadership, development teams, and other related stakeholders, and it is vital for them to ensure that the information they communicate is received and well understood. Communication also involves being a good listener so that Project Managers can take into consideration other people’s viewpoints, learn from others, and develop a good rapport with those they work with on a consistent basis.
2. Adaptability
Project Managers adequately plan their projects and go to great lengths to account for unknown unknows that may jeopardize the success of projects. However, sometimes things happen that are out of the Project Manager’s control and that is why they need to have great adaptability soft skills. This means that they can quickly pivot to a new solution in the event unforeseen changes impact their project. Without this skill, Project Managers would otherwise tend to stay on the same course even though the project is not going well while hoping that the situation will resolve itself – a recipe for disaster.
3. Conflict Management
Conflicts are inevitable on projects, be they small or big. A Project Manager needs to be adept at preventing needless conflicts from arising within their projects and resolving them whenever they do arise. Effective conflict management will not only help prevent issues from ruining the camaraderie within the project, but also helps galvanize the project team as they work together to collectively achieve their set objectives.
4. Negotiation
Negotiation skills help Project Managers engage in productive dialogue with key stakeholders, which consequently allows them to make well-informed decisions and reach agreements that would have otherwise been difficult to attain. Project Managers would need to know what aspects of their projects to postpone while negotiating in order to receive something of value to their project in return. This give and take creates win-win scenarios for stakeholders on the project.
5. Leadership
Project Managers are leaders by default – they lead projects and programs, and sometimes teams working on their projects. Successful leaders are those that fully understand team dynamics, decision-making, motivation, and how to give and receive feedback. Bringing the best out of the team and aligning that with the organization’s objectives fosters a successful team environment and enhances the team’s ability to perform well on a consistent basis.
At PM Imperative, we cover the latest trends in Project Management and Product Management. As PM practitioners, we understand the value the Project Managers and Product Managers bring to each organization and that’s why we focus on the most practical strategies that Project and Product Managers can implement immediately. If you found this post useful, be sure to check out our latest book: The PM Imperative – Guide for Leading & Managing Projects, People & Delivering Value. https://pmimperative.com/shop/
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