George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
This topic is often left aside...
In today's virtual team environments, with multicultural stakeholders, with increasing number of technical components, the crave for cost reduction, need to minimize the human resource in projects and the use of automation, and seek of perfection in project execution, project managers have to be almost magicians.
To cope with all this it is IMPERATIVE to master our Emotional Intelligence within our Projects. Easy to say, but it's not a gift given to everyone, so it needs to be developed. Saving Changes...
I totally agree George. It is perhaps in the top 5 things a PM must/should possess to have a successful project.
...
1 reply by George Lewis
Jun 09, 2018 11:37 AM
George Lewis
...
Sante - also agree!
Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
I strongly agree with you George that Emotional Intelligence must be developed; and for one to develop these skills they must come to the personal realization that it provides direct value to their day to day activities as a PM.
I’ve also learned (as you mentioned) that these skills are vital in virtual team environments – unfortunately, I had to learn many of those lessons the hard way through my 5-year sentence in virtual team management many years ago.
So, when I can I also share the importance of this subject as well by trying to show its practical relationship to PM life, for instance, empathy: “… Recognize that empathy is a form of understanding, that understanding is a form of knowledge, and this one, you know: knowledge drives projects. Therefore, empathy is valuable not just to the nature of relationships, but to the nature of projects.”
With my current day knowledge, I would make emotional intelligence / soft skills basically equal in importance to the understanding of our core PM Processes.
Well said George, I wonder how we can develop that skill !
...
2 replies by George Freeman and George Lewis
Jun 09, 2018 10:48 AM
George Freeman
...
It’s an interesting problem as just about every PM believes they are Emotionally Intelligent as the contra statement would be, “I lack or need improved e.intelligence”. As you can imagine, such a statement or thought is not likely to be rendered by most as it contains the sacro-saint “I” word (i.e. Intelligence) that we all hold dear to our being. Therefore, we all speak to it as though we have attained its qualities.
Maybe we should consider rebranding the phrase “emotional intelligence” in such a way that removes the “I” word. Any thoughts or ideas?
Jun 09, 2018 11:42 AM
George Lewis
...
Kevin - I think it all depends on each person, but for sure there needs to be a big BLOCK between stress and re-activeness and stakeholders around us. We need to separate our daily work stress with who we are interacting with.
Saving Changes...
Alok PriyadarshiProject Manager| Tata Consulting Engineers LimitedJamshedpur, Jharkhand, India
Emotional intelligence is one of the key for success in present day project management practices.
...
1 reply by George Lewis
Jun 09, 2018 11:42 AM
George Lewis
...
Alok - I agree
Saving Changes...
Dinah YoungProject Manager / Software Asset Manager| Prince William CountySpringfield, Va, United States
Emotional intelligence involves letting go of your ego and focusing on other people. You need to take time to pay attention to others. It involves empathy and find out what motivates each member of your team.
A project manager who is emotionally intelligent will be able to task the right team member for the job, will be able to see potential conflicts and address them early, and will be able to make team member feel appreciated thereby getting the best work from them.
...
1 reply by George Lewis
Jun 09, 2018 11:43 AM
George Lewis
...
Dinah - you're right! ego and e-intelligence do not get along.
Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Jun 09, 2018 1:13 AM
Replying to Kevin Drake
...
Well said George, I wonder how we can develop that skill !
It’s an interesting problem as just about every PM believes they are Emotionally Intelligent as the contra statement would be, “I lack or need improved e.intelligence”. As you can imagine, such a statement or thought is not likely to be rendered by most as it contains the sacro-saint “I” word (i.e. Intelligence) that we all hold dear to our being. Therefore, we all speak to it as though we have attained its qualities.
Maybe we should consider rebranding the phrase “emotional intelligence” in such a way that removes the “I” word. Any thoughts or ideas?
...
1 reply by George Lewis
Jun 09, 2018 11:44 AM
George Lewis
...
George Freeman - can you expand your comment a bit, I'm trying to understand... It sounds really interesting...
Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Jun 08, 2018 10:38 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
...
I totally agree George. It is perhaps in the top 5 things a PM must/should possess to have a successful project.
Sante - also agree! Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Jun 08, 2018 11:31 PM
Replying to George Freeman
...
I strongly agree with you George that Emotional Intelligence must be developed; and for one to develop these skills they must come to the personal realization that it provides direct value to their day to day activities as a PM.
I’ve also learned (as you mentioned) that these skills are vital in virtual team environments – unfortunately, I had to learn many of those lessons the hard way through my 5-year sentence in virtual team management many years ago.
So, when I can I also share the importance of this subject as well by trying to show its practical relationship to PM life, for instance, empathy: “… Recognize that empathy is a form of understanding, that understanding is a form of knowledge, and this one, you know: knowledge drives projects. Therefore, empathy is valuable not just to the nature of relationships, but to the nature of projects.”
With my current day knowledge, I would make emotional intelligence / soft skills basically equal in importance to the understanding of our core PM Processes.
George - Interesting co-relation... Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Jun 09, 2018 1:13 AM
Replying to Kevin Drake
...
Well said George, I wonder how we can develop that skill !
Kevin - I think it all depends on each person, but for sure there needs to be a big BLOCK between stress and re-activeness and stakeholders around us. We need to separate our daily work stress with who we are interacting with. Saving Changes...
George LewisProgram/Project Manager| DXC Technology CompanyHeredia, Costa Rica
Jun 09, 2018 1:31 AM
Replying to Alok Priyadarshi
...
Emotional intelligence is one of the key for success in present day project management practices.
