Project Manager's People Skills

“ Empathy meant when we can feel others pain, joy, and sorrow.” - Sukee Parker

When people say, "people's company's most important assets.", they also say, "every problem is a people problem." As project managers, we have to get ready to take care of people in our project and tackle the related challenges with high priority. Remember, a project team is not just a group of people but a team with the right skills, who are motivated, and who can collaborate. 

Motivation is the best catalyst for effectiveness. Project managers need to know the needs of each person involved in the project before satisfying their needs. The typical approach uses Maslow's pyramid theory to give people security, social acceptance, and respect and help them achieve their self-development goals. It is helpful to take the methods like timely positive affirmations and assign tasks based on their long-term plan and interests. Show our empathy for people's needs. 

Lack of Skills and Knowledge - can be disastrous to the project, and we have to ask tough questions challenging the qualification of each project member and keep looking for talented candidates.

Workload Management is to ensure practical assignments and consider people's bandwidth. Put the most important task first and test the project manager's time management and organizing skills. 

The responsibility matrix keeps the responsibility clear to avoid conflict of interest.

Building Relationship i requires a mindset focused on mutual benefit and trust. Listening to others and understanding their perspective is essential for any relationship. Communicate, communicate, and communicate on-demand expectations. The project manager is also responsible for understanding the organization's culture and policy. 

Maintaining Resource Turnover is important for keeping the project team satisfied and preserving important knowledge for a seamless transition.

In summary, ​a project manager need to possess strong interpersonal skills to effectively facilitate and negotiate, influence, and communicate with others.