Developing Your People Skills

Advertisement [Limited time – Complimentary Gartner Report]( Don't miss out on this limited time offer! A complimentary download of the Gartner Report: How to avoid the '7 deadly sins' of a level 2 PMO. [Download this report]( to learn the recommendations for PMO leaders looking to optimize the value contributed by their PMO. [Contact Us](mailto:contactus@projectmanagement.com) [About Us]( [Update Profile]( September 20, 2017 On tap this issue: practical leadership skills, project manager accountability, dealing with cognitive bias and digital transformation. The Knowledge Shelf explores emotional intelligence, while our blogs help you deliver when your project budget is cut. Plus, readers ask for help with sharpening your skills and your communication in our forums! Advertisement [Project management tools are obsolete]( Dapulse is the next generation of visual tools for project managers. [Manage]( your projects and tasks with ease, [plan visually]( on a timeline, and [centralize communication]( in one place. "Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical." - Sophia Loren []PM HEADLINES [Beyond Charisma: Practical Leadership Skills for PMs]( An effective leader can inspire people, marshal resources and achieve difficult goals. But before you can put effort into growing your leadership skills, you need to understand yourself—and then develop your people skills. [Project Manager Accountability]( Project management is changing. Is it also time to change what a PM is accountable for and where that accountability lies? [Countdown to Leadership: 4, 3, 2, 1…]( It always helps to have a quick checklist, and this article provides a practical set of simple checklists for different approaches to leadership—and helps you put them into action. [Lessons Learned and Cognitive Biases]( Judgments about past events are modeled by our egos, beliefs, prejudices and expectations. This is known as cognitive bias. Therefore, since lessons learned sessions review past events, it’s important to be aware of bias risk. Here are some cognitive biases you can find during a lessons learned session. [Behind the IT Strategy: Digital Transformation]( If you are delivering an IT project, chances are you’re involved in a digital transformation program. This article explores the background of digital transformation, the needs and the approach. We will see where project managers fit in—and why it's important to have background knowledge on the overall company strategy. [PMI Global Conference: 5 Weeks Away!]( It’s more than a meeting. PMI Global Conference is part of a week-long celebration, bringing together thousands of project and program managers, chapter leaders and business professionals from around the world to share knowledge, strengthen community and lead the evolution of the profession. Make a difference and [attend Oct. 28-30th in Chicago](! Plus, get insights from attending experts and presenters in our [PMI Global Insights blog](! "The best way to forget oneself is to look at the world with attention and love." - Red Auerbach SPONSORED ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS WANT TO DELIVER PROJECTS BETTER AND FASTER? Nutcache's business-oriented approach helps you streamline your workflow by providing the complete project management cycle, from the initial estimate to the final billing, through project budgeting, time tracking and expense management, all within an Agile set of principle. [TRY IT FREE FOR 14 DAYS!]( Free Stanford Webinar - Oct. 3, 2017 Us vs. Them: Overcoming differences to inspire collaboration Learning how to work collaboratively with—and lead—diverse teams is crucial in today's global workplace. Don't miss Stanford Professor Pamela Hinds as she shares techniques for helping teams to integrate different perspectives and function more effectively. [RSVP today!]( [PMI Launches 2 New Pulse In-Depth Reports]( Did you know that successful organizations advance their business and achieve maximum value through a shift in thinking...that they manage unexpected roadblocks, risks and market changes more easily when "being agile" becomes part of their philosophy? These concepts are explored in PMI's 2017 thought leadership, starting with the release of two Pulse in-depth reports! []KNOWLEDGE SHELF [Emotional Intelligence for Leaders: Leading During Times of Uncertainty]( Project managers with high emotional intelligence, or EQ, are more likely to succeed while building great teams. Using the leadership style most appropriate for the situation is putting EQ in action. Three leadership styles are discussed: the intentional leader, the attentive leader and the iron leader, each emphasizing different aspects of EQ. The mission of [Knowledge Shelf]( is to help project professionals advance our practice by sharing their experiences and viewpoints. It is comprised of practitioners from a wide range of fields, covering both popular and niche topics. From lessons learned and case studies to opinion pieces and articles, this platform gives a voice to peers new to our online community, and allows for longer form contributions. For more information on how to submit your own article, please see our [Editorial Guidelines](. []THE PM POLL Is there a question you've been itching to ask? [Create a poll]( today to get some PM help from your peers! [Q; How important is a social media presence in obtaining a project manager position? (Assume the social media presence is professionally appropriate)]( - Very Important: It's essential to landing a position in 2017. - Important: It's not essential, but it's very helpful. - Somewhat Unimportant: It can help, but it's a minor factor. - Unimportant: It has no effect on someone's ability to obtain a position. TOOL SPOTLIGHT Office Timeline is a free, award winning add-in for Microsoft PowerPoint that automatically creates professional timelines and Gantt charts in minutes. It makes presenting projects to colleagues, customers and management quick and easy. [Learn More]( [Search for your solution on our Tool Finder]( []BLOG IT PMI Global Insights by Lawrence Cooper and Dan Furlong//www.projectmanagement.com/blog-post/32750/Are-You-Ready-for-Your-Next-Project-- Can we do a better job of facilitating others to make a difference today so that our organizations benefit now and continue to do so in the long run? Lawrence reminds us that [Leaders are Everywhere...Waiting...](. Plus. how do you overcome stereotypes about project managers and, as importantly, our chosen field of expertise? Dan tells us in [Really...I Couldn't Care Less...](. Voices on Project Management by Cyndee Miller Check out the numbers in PMI’s [2017 Pulse of the Profession](: While plenty of project professionals said they relied on agile or waterfall for recent projects, 20 percent used hybrid. And 23 percent relied on something other than agile, hybrid or plan-driven approaches, which could be a further blend or customization of approaches. Cyndee shares more in [Mix & Match](. The Money Files by Elizabeth Harrin Budget cuts are something every project manager faces at some time in their career. Then you find that your project has generously "handed back" a sizeable amount to the corporate coffers. And yet somehow, you’re still expected to carry on. Read [How To Deliver When Your Project Budget is Cut](. I Wish I Had Me When I Was You... by Laura Barnard We think and talk about spring cleaning and new year’s resolutions, but what do we do later in the year to get ourselves refocused on what matters? We all get so busy in the day to day of doing our jobs, and sometimes that means we forget to do the things we know will help us be our most productive selves. [The One Hour Manager]( can help. Game Theory in Management by Michael Hatfield While overuse of statistical analysis techniques will not reduce the odds of project-killing events occurring, there are some things a typical PM can do to help avoid such failures. But Michael warns: [Beware the Butterfly's Wings](. Change, Agility and the Elusive "Typical Project" by Julia Shumulinsky The truth is that we all have the same basic challenges when it comes to projects. The struggle between clear requirements and value statements, accurate estimates and completion dates is ongoing. So why can’t we learn from the best practices of others? [Nothing New Under the Sun]( has more. []Q & A Did you know that help is just a click away? Our discussion forums give you access to the ProjectManagement.com community: more than 500,000 experienced minds and growing! Ask your question today or stop by to help out other members in need of advice, including these recent and ongoing discussions on... [Fear of Losing Skills]( "During these times, how can a management professional polish and develop his skills if his current job is not related with management? I am facing this crisis and I believe a talent not used is a talent lost. Any help?" [Your PM Love]( "What do you love about being a project manager? Talk about the reasons why you want to continue in this field." [Communication Style]( "What is your communication style with your team? How effectively do you handle communication in challenging situations? How do you engage with others and demonstrate good sense and judgement and the ability to use language effectively?" [Change Approach]( "Does anyone have a change management approach to share? My boss asked me to help our PMO manager with a change management approach for an internal project..." [Explaining PM]( "How do you explain what you do at work to your friends and relatives?" "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." - Upton Sinclair []PREMIUM PICKS Did you know that we have an extensive library of PDU-earning webinars? Here's just one of the latest valuable offerings you can check out! [Two types of thinking – one for generating and one for narrowing]( Project managers face the task of decision making in scenarios that are complex and/or ambiguous. Rarely are we provided explicit training in the divergent and convergent thinking tools and techniques that lead to a wider variety of options and, ultimately, strong consensus around the best solutions for achieving the desired objectives. This session will discuss the guiding principles of each and showcase how best to use them for maximum return. As always, your feedback and suggestions are welcome. How can we make your experience better? Is there something you haven't been able to find? Something you want to see that we don't have yet? [Let us know](mailto:cameron@projectmanagement.com). We'll handle it. If you do not wish to receive ProjectManagement.com's PM Insider Newsletter, you can [unsubscribe here]( or send an email to unsubscribe-pminsider@reply.projectmanagement.com and let us know. 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