Interpersonal Skills a PMP® Needs: 8. Negotiation Skills

Managers In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly Project Management Professional (PMP)^® exam tip and we have reached the last one in the series: Negotiation.

The nature of the role of a project manager makes it essential for them to have good negotiation skills. There are usually many stakeholders involved in the project and most projects have team members from different departments. This usually results in several different points of view which can sometimes make it difficult to keep the project on track and within the original scope.

Negotiation skills help a project manager by reaching an agreement or a compromise of some kind on the issue that may be causing a problem or delay.

There are many negotiation skills that you should be able to use related to negotiation. These include being able to analyze each situation, being an active listener and clearly communicating throughout the discussion. It can be useful to identify the differences between the wants vs the needs of those involved. Another important focus is to realize the difference between the positions people have vs the interests and issues directly related to the project.

Above all, skilled negotiators have the ability to manage the situation so that all parties involved feel as though they had a say that was taken into consideration.

PMP® Interpersonal Skill: Political & Cultural Awareness

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager and why a project management professional should possess these skills. Let’s talk political and cultural awareness.

In today’s world, project managers operate in an environment that is more globally focused than in the past. This makes cultural diversity another important component of successfully navigating the corporate environment as a project manager. A good project management professional must have the skills necessary to recognize and understand those cultural differences as well as the ability to factor them into the project plan.

Cultural differences can influence the decision making process or the speed in which the work is completed. It can also cause members to act without proper planning. Not recognizing cultural differences can then result in conflict and stress within the project which will further delay it. Understanding these cultural differences in a scenario context will also be tested on your Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam. Therefore, it is important to possess cultural awareness as a project management professional.

Furthermore it is important to recognize the politics involved in the project environment. Using political skills can help a project manager be very successful. However, more importantly, not recognizing the politics involved can create significant problems and roadblocks that could delay or completely derail a project.

Decision Making Skills of a Project Manager

Decision Making Skills of a Project Manager In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly PMP® exam tip. Let’s look at decision making techniques.

There are many skills that a successful project manager must develop and among them is good decision making skills. There are four basic styles used to reach a decision. Project managers should be familiar with all four because at some point, decisions will have to be made from each style. The styles are consultation, consensus, command and random.

Clearly, it is always good to have effective skills in this area, but it becomes more important for a Project Management Professional (PMP)^® because quite often other team members have to be involved in the decision making process.

Having a decision making model will facilitate this process. Since there are so many people involved in the project who may not agree on a decision, having a process to follow can be very helpful to gain consensus with the group.

Interpersonal Skills a PMP Needs: 5. Influencing Skills

Project Managers at work In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly PMP® exam tip. This week’s topic is influencing.

If you want to become a successful project manager, it is important to be able to influence people. Just as critical is understanding when and how to use those skills and to ensure that you don’t become a manipulator. There is a fine line.

The role of a project manager is to bring together people from various departments and getting everyone to work together toward a common goal. Sometimes it can be difficult to get all of these different people to understand and agree on the details of reaching that goal. A good project manager will use her skills to influence people and help them to come to an agreement.

As you consider the influencing skills needed, remember your goal as a Project Management Professional (PMP)^® should be long term collaboration. Not just during the project but also after the project has long finished and your project’s result is being used by the end user. This will allow you to foster an environment of trust among all the team members both during and after the project’s duration.

Interpersonal Skills a PMP® Needs: 4. Communication

PMP® Exam Tip: Interpersonal Skills a PMP Needs: 4. Communication In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly PMP® exam tip. In this week’s tip we talk about developing strong communication skills.

Good communication skills are important in most careers. If you are working as a project manager that is even more true since we communicate about 90% of the time. Some project managers go as far as considering the communication aspect of managing a project as their main job responsibility.

Great communication skills are key to not only improving the relationships among all project team members, but also to establishing trust and keeping everyone motivated and on schedule.

Usually there are many stakeholders involved in a project and they must all be kept up to date on the status, timelines, progress, risks and issues associated with the project. A good project manager and Project Management Professional (PMP)^® must communicate all of these details to project stakeholders in a timely fashion and in the format that they expect to receive it in. Project managers must also be able to properly communicate with senior management in their organization.

As you develop your communication skills, it is important to include all of its facets. This includes both written and verbal. Another important part of developing good communication skills is learning what information needs to be communicated and who needs to receive the information. Providing too much information or not enough to the interested parties can hamper the project from fulfilling its potential.

Motivation Skills of a Project Manager

Motivation Skills of a Project Manager In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly Project Management Professional (PMP)^® exam tip. This week we are looking at why it’s important for you to become a “master motivator”:

If you want to ensure the success of your project, you should work on developing your motivation skills. Having these skills will help that your project team members stay interested in the project, want to their best, and work toward the common goal.

Good skills as a motivator will allow you to create an environment that allows team members to meet the objectives of the project while simultaneously being satisfied with the work they are accomplishing.

Usually, being a good motivator and PMP® is all about knowing how each individual member can be motivated. Some will do better work if they are challenged while others need to be reassured that they are doing good work. Other ways to provide motivation is through public praise or financial compensation.

Everyone is motivated differently. Your project will be much more successful if you can determine what motivates your team and act on it.

Interpersonal Skills a PMP® Needs: 2. Building a Team

Team working on a project In Appendix G, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) discusses Interpersonal Skills for the project manager. We are currently reviewing these one by one in our weekly Project Management Professional (PMP)^® exam tip.