ProjectsAtWork

Power skills like communication and problem-solving play a leading role in project success. To reap rewards, organizations must prioritize these skills in hiring, training and assessment. 

Big data, AI and the metaverse may grab the headlines in a world zooming toward new ways of working and living, but when it comes to real-world projects, it takes people to deliver the results. And people with power skills often make the difference between project success and failure.

A new report from PMI — Pulse of the Profession® 2022: Power Skills, Redefining Project Success — reveals widespread consensus among project professionals that communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership and strategic thinking are the most critical power skills in helping them fulfill organizational objectives. Eight other power skills, such as empathy and adaptability, were also considered in the survey of more than 3,500 project professionals.

The Pulse report anchors a new Power Skills Resource Hub that features FAQs; a self-assessment template; and related content, including articles, infographics and podcasts.

The research shows a clear correlation between organizations that prioritize power skills and their top drivers of project success like project management maturity, benefits realization management maturity and organizational agility.

However, despite the strong connection between power skills and project success, many organizations have not made a concerted effort to help employees develop them. Talent decision makers report spending only one-quarter of their annual budget (25%) for training and development on power skills, but more than half (51%) on technical skills.

“Technical skills are important, but so is understanding interactions between people. At the end of the day, projects are done by humans,” said Luis Revilla, chief people officer at Softtek. “We need to appreciate that. We need to work on that.”

As for project professionals, they spend almost half (46%) of their professional development hours on technical skills but less than one-third (29%) on power skills. And nearly half (47%) say their organization didn't discuss power skills when they were hired or promoted.

Clearly, there is work to be done. For one, project management leaders can help shift these perceptions through coaching, mentoring and supporting talent development programs that emphasize power skills.

Some organizations have tackled the perception problem by framing power skills training as a benefit of employment during the recruitment process and incorporating power skills into individual employee development plans and performance goals. Has your organization taken these or other steps such as formal coursework, online learning and mentoring relationships when it comes to developing power skills?

When organizations do take these types of concrete actions, they demonstrate the value they place on power skills. And as the report shows, the benefits are substantial: more successful, profitable projects — and maybe a share of that spotlight.

To read the full report and learn more, check out PMI’s new Power Skills Resource Hub.

The best project managers are like the best coaches.

As a project manager, have you ever felt that you had to overcome a reputation that preceded you? Not your personal reputation, but rather the reputation—more like a stereotype—of that title of yours?

Clutching a schedule and budget, the “textbook” project manager is laser focused on the process, while other people are doing the “real” work. The project manager monitors and measures progress with cold precision at arm's length. Meanwhile, the team is making it all happen, and other folks oversee the strategic vision and the creative stuff.

But that rep is a bad rap. It's akin to saying coaches don't matter in team sports, or, worse, "get in the way.”

Yes, the players do the scoring, the front office makes the high-level moves. But someone needs to watch the game unfold, substituting at key moments, working with available resources, knowing each team member’s skills and weaknesses, adjusting to on-the-field developments — all with the common goal of helping the team win.

Now, it’s true that some project managers feed the perception that they're control freaks who hinder creativity and improvisation. Gripping the project plan like the Holy Grail, they react to the unexpected as if it were a sworn enemy instead of an opportunity to redefine the plan, adapt, and improve the outcome. They resist negative news instead of reshaping it.

But the best project managers shatter the stereotype. Documents and spreadsheets are part of the job, of course; but they succeed because they understand that projects are fundamentally uncertain, and the best way to manage them is to expect the unexpected and embrace it. These project managers look change straight in the eyes. After all, no project is worth doing without a potential benefit, and no benefit or reward comes without some risk.

Projects are many things. They involve many people with different talents. They require collaboration and problem-solving. They have budgets and deadlines. And they all do better with a leader — a “coach” — who can watch the clock, know the score and, most important, draw up a new play when circumstances require it.

Whether you’re leading a project or contributing to one, you are on the frontlines of your organization’s success. Do it with purpose, transparency and empathy.

“Ninety percent of employees in any organization work on the frontlines. That’s where companies interact with customers, solve the most problems, establish norms, and cultivate culture,” says Eric Strafel, author of The Frontline CEO. “Yet most organizations today cling to old-fashioned systems that keep senior leaders and frontline workers apart.”

That’s not an encouraging observation, but it sounds like a chasm that project leaders are well-positioned to bridge. After all, project managers are expected to understand their organization’s strategic goals and bring that vision to their project teams—the frontlines of getting things done.

From stakeholder engagement and customer requirements, to reporting and managing change, project leaders are continuously connecting their team members to the higher purpose and value of their work. They play an integral role in creating a can-do culture of collaboration and problem-solving. They inspire and stay on course—or adjust when needed. They connect the dots. Do you?

In his book, Strafel presents strategies that can help empower frontline workers to make decisions and solve problems on their own—again, something project managers should already be doing. “Frontline leadership pulls employees into the decision-making process, so that solutions are sought, found and acted upon in the area that matters most—where the work gets done,” he says.

Strafel presents a roadmap for implementing frontline leadership in his book. Here are three recommendations (or reminders) that will make you a better a project leader:

   > Know Your Purpose and Live It. Without purpose, project teams and individuals can veer off in different directions, impacting productivity, and undermining the goals of the organization and customer. That’s why it is so critical that project leaders keep the purpose of the project work front and center—from kickoff to closeout, and every interaction in between. This laser focus will not only help to ensure that everyone is on the same page, but it can serve as inspiration, especially when the going gets tough.

   > Practice Radical Transparency. Radical transparency requires a dramatic shift from top-down leadership style which assumes that only senior management can be trusted with vital information and the ability to make decisions. Not only does this impede decision-making, but it causes an “us-versus-them” mentality. Radical transparency, on the other hand, builds trust. Project leaders foster transparency when they behave authentically, discuss what is really going on, solicit feedback, and take appropriate action. This transparency should extend beyond the organization, guiding the way you work with customers and stakeholders as well. 

   > Show that You Care. Strafel urges leaders to stop valuing performance over people. “Get to know [them], learn how they want to build their careers, what they care about, and then help them move toward their goals,” he advises. He also notes that when it comes to caring, many leaders talk about the value of diversity, seeing it as a source of strength. Yet they fail when it comes to inclusion. Part of caring is making sure that everyone, no matter who they are, feels welcome within the project team.

Purpose. Transparency. Empathy. Three powerful pillars to lead by.

You know, we’ve all been schooled about the triple constraint—the project management triangle of scope, time and cost. But there should be no constraint when it comes to leading your project teams with a sense of purpose, radical transparency and genuine empathy.

Honor that leadership triangle on the frontlines and you’ll be circling success more often than not.

Decision-making is an important part of what project leaders do. But that doesn’t mean they should make all the decisions.

You have talented people on your project team. Right? They have the technical skills and knowledge needed to execute the plan, to deliver value, to make stakeholders happy. But the other day, a couple members of the team asked you if they should go with technical option A or B. What do you do? In many cases, the best answer is to choose neither.

That’s because there are times when you should not decide, specifically in areas of expertise where the decision is better delegated. By making the decision in these situations, you are practicing "reverse delegation," and it can cause problems down the road.

When you make a decision that someone else has the expertise or experience to make, you are diminishing their ownership of the solution—and their investment in the entire project, for that matter. Worse, you’re shutting down an opportunity to build confidence in your team members that will help when other issues need to be faced in the future.

It's easy to fall into the reverse delegation trap, though—especially if you came up from a technical background. If you’ve become a project leader after years of working on technical issues, you might want to continue to oversee those decisions on your team. But remember, those technical folks on your team are like you once were, and they probably have more current knowledge about certain aspects of the project than you do.

So, make a conscious decision to delegate more decisions.

First, recognize that team members have a natural inclination to consult you. They know the project manager is the one person putting their reputation on the line for the project, and they want to know what you think. But remind team members of their role and value on the project.

Of course, it is still your responsibility as a project leader to examine whether there is an underlying problem that might hinder your team’s ability to make decisions. Ask yourself these questions and correct accordingly:

1. Do team members understand stakeholder values and project priorities? Set the stage early for good decisions by communicating clearly about the project charter, scope and stakeholder expectations—and how they relate to the decision criteria of cost, schedule and quality.

2. Do team members feel empowered to make decisions? Consider whether they are comfortable with and confident in their position. Some people want to give decisions back to the project manager so that they are free of the consequences.

And there will always be cases when you should still be the decider.

If the team can't agree, you need to break the deadlock so the project can proceed. Does one approach carry more risk than another, for example? But do this as infrequently as possible because ultimately it takes away some of the empowerment you had hoped to use to your project’s advantage.

You’ve been on teams, so you already know from experience that many, if not most, decisions are best made closest to where the actual work is being done. Now’s your turn as a leader to make sure that happens on your projects.

Five megatrends will shape our world in 2021 and beyond. Are your projects in the mix?

There is still so much to do (and not do), and millions upon millions more vaccine shots to administer, but citizens and businesses alike are starting to contemplate a post-pandemic reality—one in which schools and restaurants are open; movies, concerts and ballgames are back on the calendar; and, yes, project teams are sharing a pizza and collaborating in person.

2020 was as chaotic as it gets, with COVID-19 a constant shadow. And yet, there was more—much more—going on, from political and social unrest to economic upheaval, from artificial intelligence to natural disasters. These realities are all intertwined with the global pandemic, but they won’t go away when the masks come off. And no organization, no matter how laser-focused on its market or service, can afford to ignore them as they move forward with existing and future projects.

To that point, Project Management Institute has released Megatrends 2021, a timely report that identifies five global trends reshaping our world:

• COVID-19
• Climate Crisis
• Civil, Civic and Equality Movements
• Shifting Globalization Dynamics
• Mainstream Artificial Intelligence

In the report’s introduction, PMI president and CEO Sunil Prashara states: “As this year made clear, change is inevitable. But by understanding the drivers behind the volatility, organizations and their leaders can thrive in the Project Economy, delivering positive social impact at a time when it’s needed most.”

Based on research, industry data and interviews with project leaders, the report summarizes each of the five megatrends and then offers guidance on ways that organizations can address these developments through their projects and their approach to executing them. In short, organizations must:

• Make social impact projects a strategic priority
• Foster open, innovative partnership ecosystems
• Rethink relationships with customers and wider stakeholders

To do any of this, we need change-makers—project leaders, the report concludes, that rely on three critical capabilities:

1. New ways of working, including agile, waterfall and hybrid approaches; microlearning apps, and AI-driven tools.

2. Power skills such as collaborative leadership, innovative mindsets and empathy.

3. Business acumen, including an understanding of how work relates to strategy.

Be sure to check out the entire Megatrends 2021 report—and share it with your teams, your CEO, your clients, your friends and family. We’re all in this together. And projects can make a difference on what the future looks like.