I am studying in project management major. In our class, we have talked about soft skills in project management such as presentation skill, leadership skill, communication skill and others. We also discuss which skill (hard skill or soft skill) is more important than another. In my opinion, hard skill is more important than soft skill (around 70/30, hard skill/soft skill) because if consultant lacks knowledge in area, he/she cannot consult anything to his/her client. For soft skills, it can support consult skill to be more perfectly. For example, the communication skill can help him/her to make his/her client understand the solution clearly.
What do you think? Hard Skils or Soft Skills? Saving Changes...
Soft skills are the hard to master, the hard skills are more technical. Hard skills are more like science and soft skill like an art.
I would say that soft skill are making the project successes more than Hard skills. Saving Changes...
Edward DanielsProject Manager| IndependentGlen Burnie, Md, United States
80/20 rule shouldn't apply here!
Most questions in project management will have the answer "IT DEPENDS". There is no right or wrong, most challenges are situational. I have found myself on a project when i had to replace and configure a server when my engineer got sick. I have found myself training end users when my assigned trainer had bronchitis and couldn't speak.
Soft skills are harder to attain than technical knowledge. How do you deal with a recent 21-year old college graduate versus a 63-year old in the workplace under your supervision? How do you motivate your team to excellence or how do you manage conflict between men and women on your team? I can go!!!!!
It is great if a PM has skills to fill in when there is a resource shortage but our primary responsibilities is to ensure that the project plan is executed with little to no scope creep. Rather than worry about hard vs soft skills, try to be better at what would promote your projects and make them successful.
Don't forget we all have moments, there are many times when the headache of managing multiple cross-functional teams get to me and i wish that i was only responsible for a single line of business. I come in, do my little part and go home. PMs oversee the myriad of activities that ensure project success, develop your soft skills, it helps you get the best out of your team and if there is time, it doesn't hurt to gain more technical knowledge.
No knowledge is lost but we should stop advocating PMs take on multiple roles on projects. Saving Changes...
Kaustubh JoshiConsulting Analyst| FreelanceMumbai, Maharashtra, India
In my opinion, Hard skills are external to one's personality whereas soft skills are more a part of an individual's personality.
Hard skills can be learnt easy or difficult way. Soft skills are something that you possess. Soft skills can certainly be developed but will take some time as they are what you are.
Which is more important? Both. Hard skills might help you start something but soft skills will help you to achieve your objective.
It's like you are a PMP does not always make you a successful project manager. It is how you make use of the best practices in the PMBOK that determines your success. The implementation part is specific to the individual that is what makes everyone unique. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Project management is 80% of art and 20% of science. Soft skills belongs to art. But you can search for the PMI`s competence model to be aware about soft skills. It will depends on the environment where you are performed the project manager role. Saving Changes...
Lonnie PacelliAuthor & President| ProjectManagementAdvisor.comBellevue, Wa, United States
I look at it as hard skills being prerequisite for soft skills. As a junior PM, place strong focus on the hard skills, i.e. critical path management, risk management, then as the hard skills are mastered focus on the soft skills. That will yield the best rounded seasoned project manager. Saving Changes...
