What are some of the most essential people skills for Project Managers? Leading a team can be a psychological minefield. For example, suppose you want to bring your project to completion. In that case, you’ll have to get people who aren’t motivated to work, get lazy people to do their part, and deal with bosses who don’t talk to you and expect you to read their minds. In short, you can find people’s problems everywhere.
It’s not easy to solve them. Today workplaces are more horizontal than ever before, and old-fashioned management styles like “command and control” are definitely out of style. So, you’ll have to walk a fine line if you want to keep your authority without making your employees dislike you.
Luckily, you’re not alone. In this post, we will look at some of the most essential people skills for Project Managers and how you can start aligning individual psychology with your organisation’s key objectives.
Adapting to Change
As companies have become less hierarchical, the Project Manager’s job has changed. To be a good leader, you have to change your plans based on what you see on the ground, whether general surveying the battlefield or a manager analysing the business environment. When facts change, you must adapt. In recent decades, the business has changed dramatically. Old companies resembled pyramids. Few influential executives sat on top. Senior managers relayed instructions to middle managers, who oversaw the least powerful group: employees. Responsibility, pay, and prestige increased up the pyramid. Climbing the ranks was difficult. This model is outdated. The idea that base workers need autocratic command and control is obsolete.
Modern businesses are democratising. Current workers are educated, skilled, and tech-savvy. They want a chance to realise their potential, not just a paycheck.
Businesses have shifted from a pyramid to a wedge model. Imagine halving and tilting a pyramid. It’s now a doorstop-shaped wedge with three horizontal sections. Individual contributors are critical to the organisation’s success. Work teams are in the middle, working toward a goal. Management concludes. Their section size reflects their power and resources, not their absolute numbers.
This model changes project managers’ roles. As a team leader in this structure, you must connect individual performance to your organisation’s strategic goals. Organisational alignment understands how small details of managing individual contributors affect company success.
Identifying Problems
The wedge model is a great way to see and track how well a team is doing. Project managers play a crucial role in coordinating things today. It’s your job to make sure that all three parts of the wedge structure of your company work well together. So how do you handle problems? You must first diagnose the problem before prescribing a solution like a doctor. A wedge model helps with diagnostics.
Let’s use a medical analogy. First, the doctor will determine if it’s a back or heart problem. Second, he’ll decide if he can treat the complaint or if a specialist is needed.
Before referring, team leaders decide if a problem is an individual, team, or management issue.
Let’s have a look at an example A teammate complains about another. She says a coworker yelled at her and criticised her work, which is now affecting the quality of her work. Workplace harassment is illegal. As a team leader, you can take steps to limit contact between these two employees. Still, you also need a human resources manager to intervene. In other words, HR has the resources and expertise to handle this situation.
A simple way to get to the root of such problems is by using the ERAM Model. Four key performance factors are expectations, resources, ability, and motivation. Then, to diagnose, listen to employees’ problems and independently verify their accounts.
Does the person know what you expect? Do they have enough time, resources, and training to do their job well? Are they motivated?
Once you’ve answered those questions, develop a clear, measurable action plan for improvement. Identifying problems early on and acting on them are essential People Skills for Project Managers.
Being Friendly vs Being a Friend
Influential team leaders understand the difference between friendship and friendliness. Modern workplaces favour horizontal over hierarchical relationships. As a result, leaders are often friendlier with subordinates than before.
Friends favour each other, make exceptions, and overlook mistakes. As a leader tasked with tough decisions, you can’t do that. So how do you square it?
Friendship and friendliness are not the same. Take hypothetical IT project manager Robert and his software engineer Thomas. Robert sees Thomas’s car in a ditch next to a company-owned road as he leaves the company parking lot.
All accidents must be reported, per policy. So, don’t move the vehicles until a report is filed. Thomas asks Robert to tow his car and promises to file a report when he gets home.
Team leaders often face such ethical dilemmas. You can’t always be neutral. Sometimes you must choose between your company, its values, and your employee. Thomas urges Robert to be his friend, not his superior.
How should Robert proceed? Leaders are friendly, not friends. Robert should politely insist on following the rules.
Being tough on policies, not people, is a great leadership trait. A true leader in Robert’s situation would show he understands Thomas’ frustration while maintaining his authority as a manager.
Thomas resents Robert’s procedure, but he can’t complain. Robert is not Thomas’ friend. A company is a business, not a club or a family. Effectively differentiating between being friendly and being friends with your coworkers is a highly underrated People Skills for Project Managers.
Inclusive
Successful teams put a lot of focus on making sure everyone is included. Effective teams are more significant than their parts. They have a sense of purpose, promote collaboration, and exceed expectations. Despite their differences, they all encourage inclusivity. Keeping employees informed and involved in daily processes is critical.
Keeping people informed is a key to building successful teams. Why? “The loop” is a safe, supportive place that makes work feel like home. It fulfils a hardwired human need for purpose and acceptance.
To keep people informed, learn what motivates and demotivates them.
But how? Start with personality types.
David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates’ 1984 book Please Understand Me identified four personality types: rationals, guardians, idealists, and artisans. Identifying team members’ similarities can help you motivate them.
Each type responds to different push and pull factors to disengage or engage. Rationals love logic and want autonomy, and fear failure. Guardians seek respect and avoid conflict as much as possible. Idealists are emotional and hate bullies. Artisans are risk-takers who hate boredom.
Inclusiveness isn’t something that happens when people work together; it’s an attitude. “We” is more important than “me” Standard workplace policies hinder teamwork. Many reward individuals, not teams.
So always put the team first. Asking team members to contribute to the team’s improvement each month can help. Mentoring, seminars, and team lunches help cement the “we” spirit.
Managing Attitudes
The way you deal with your attitude is an art. Today’s workers have higher expectations than in the past. They want more than a paycheck and camaraderie. As a team leader, you must do this if you want them to give your company an edge.
To do that, manage attitudes. For example, Charlie’s mom takes him to an ice cream parlour when he does well in school. Before a treat, his mother tells him to get a napkin. He drops his ice cream cone reaching for it. “You should’ve kept your cone up,” she says. Charlie thinks it’s unfair and is about to throw a fit. His mom tells him to relax and talk to the vendor. Charlie’s vendor gives him a free scoop.
The lesson? First, everyone likes ice cream when they’ve been good. Many employers forget this, though. Nothing demotivates, like doing something good and not getting ice cream. Remember to reward your team for their hard work to manage attitudes. Whether that’s an email, a pat on the back or something more extravagant varies. Sincere, timely, value-based, personalised praise is what matters.
Finally, good things happen when you keep your metaphorical cone up. It’s human nature to give up when things go wrong. So it’s crucial what employees do after making mistakes. Sometimes you must be Charlie’s mom and remind him that misbehaving makes things worse.
Past-present-future model
Tackling poor performance is tricky, but you can do it using the Past-Present-Future Model. Unfortunately, ice cream doesn’t always work. Employees who avoid work, complain, put things off, make excuses, and say they’re doing a great job even though they’re not meeting goals are expected. As a team leader, handling them will be difficult.
Many managers avoid it at all costs. Why? In 2012, UNC’s E. L. Perkins surveyed 68 local government supervisors. 59% feared confrontation, 49% couldn’t handle awkward conversations, and 41% didn’t want to get people in trouble. It’s a perfect example of the author’s maxim that people’s problems are like minefields.
Someone must address the issue. Bad behaviour can’t be rewarded and ignoring it will harm your team’s projects. There’s a way to win back troublemakers. Past-present-future model. How does it work?
The model has three stages, as the name implies. First, an employee has a problem. His struggles and depression affect his motivation. Your job is to step-by-step guide him. Imagine shooting a scene, then moving on.
The first scene is historical. Active listening is needed to identify the issue. Let your team member tell you his story.
Second scene: diagnose. Is it a personal or resource issue? Next, you offer a reality check, putting the problem in context and reminding the employee of the rules and regulations.
Third scene: future tense, ask your team member, “what can you do to improve?” and set concrete goals to evaluate progress.
Active listening, asking the right questions, and evaluating the progress of your team members are very important people skills for Project Managers.
Ends don’t justify means.
Ends don’t justify means, and sustainable success depends on team behaviour. For example, Marty was hired to oversee a telecommunications company’s regional expansion. He was enthusiastic about winning new contracts. The firm seemed well-established and had many new clients after two years. An audit followed. Marty’s team gave new clients such generous terms that bankrupted the branch office.
Marty’s error isn’t unusual. Poor team management causes companies to lose direction. So how do you avoid it?
Behaviour isn’t automatic; it must be inspired. Marty communicated his dream of landing new contracts well, and he told his employees that the end justified the means. So they disregarded ethics and bankrupted the new branch.
Defining your core values and expected team behaviour from the start is the easiest way to get everyone on the same page. You can use your company’s policies and regulations to define expected behaviour. It’s about setting rules to encourage good values and behaviour.
If tardiness is an issue and meetings are running late, ask repeat offenders to give their presentations first – a gentle nudge toward arriving on time. It would be best if you were tough on problems, not people.
But enforcing the rules is also necessary. If you disregard the rules, consequences follow. To motivate an employee, you can praise good behaviour and encourage people to repeat their actions. Next, there’s negative reinforcement, like an email reprimanding someone for being late.
Non-response; this shows you’re comfortable leaving neutral issues, like work attire, to others’ discretion. Punishment; is the harshest response for ethical or legal company policy violations.
Having high standards for work and setting a team culture to follow company processes early are some of the most important people skills for Project Managers.
Managing Risks
People who take risks know that you can’t get rid of fear, but you can deal with it. Business is risky. No matter how much you study the market before investing, there’s always a risk. Normal and unavoidable, but can hinder a project. Why? Uncertainty causes fear and anxiety, which affects your willingness to take risks.
Black Box Effect: No matter how carefully you look, you can’t tell what’s inside. You don’t know if it’s a trick, a trap, or a treat before opening it. Humans are cautious because of their hardwired survival instinct. That’s useful when fighting lions on the savannah, but not in the boardroom.
Why is that box frightening?
- Unpredictability: You can’t predict the difficulty of a risky move.
- Doubt: If you don’t know what’s ahead, you worry about your abilities.
- Failure: Fear of failure
Risk-takers aren’t fearless; they manage anxiety. For Firefighters, risk-taking is part of their jobs. They’re not indifferent to fire and crumbling buildings. They are aware of how dangerous it is. Firefighters don’t just hope for the best in emergencies; they train and prepare.
Let’s take a scenario you’ve been asked to give a speech, but you’re terrified. You can set yourself up for success. You could visit the venue beforehand to familiarise yourself with the equipment and feel the place. Understanding and managing risks and planning accordingly are crucial people skills for Project Managers.
Managing expectations
Influential team leaders understand the importance of managing their bosses. You face tough decisions and awkward situations as a team leader. Dealing with difficult employees is hard but dealing with a demanding boss is worse. Twenty thousand employees across industries were surveyed by Harvard Business School in 2014. People who felt like their bosses respected them were healthier and happier with their jobs. In addition, Gallup surveyed 7,272 American adults in 2015 and found that one in two quit their jobs to get away from bad bosses and improve their lives.
How can you improve your boss’s opinion of you? Your relationship isn’t as one-sided as it may seem. Project Managers depend on their superiors for funding and other resources. Your knowledge, skill, and insight help them finish projects. The power imbalance doesn’t have to affect respect, honesty, and trust.
Managing up equalises relationships. While you can’t control your boss’s behaviour, you can control yours. In these situations, making yourself visible is most effective.
That means acting on your beliefs. It can be as simple as being on time for meetings, being proactive and speaking up, or attending optional work events like team drinks and seminars. These may seem trivial ways to support your boss, but they’re effective.
A can-do attitude is contagious. When your superiors know you’re on their side and willing to help, they’ll come to you with problems or new assignments. Managing expectations by following a simple rule of thumb to underpromise and overdeliver can be a very important people skills for Project Managers which will help you grow in your career and make you stand out.
Key Takeaways
Project Managers constantly run up against people’s problems. As a result, project management can be a psychological minefield. You have to deal with whether you have underperforming employees or employees trying to be your friend rather than treating you as a supervisor or a tricky boss. You can use the hands-on tools and methodologies discussed to navigate such situations expertly. By learning these essential people skills as a Project Manager, you’ll be able to deal with your fears, give your team a stronger sense of purpose, and put your relationship with your boss on an even keel.
