PMcrunch

Fresh perspectives on the world of project management

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Entries Tagged as 'Soft Skills'

Leadership skills: A Never Ending Quest

February 15th, 2010 · 1 Comment

We never really arrive at the end of the road in our quest to become leaders. We may achieve [tag-tec]leadership[/tag-tec] status in some way but it is always a moving target. Indeed, I believe it is our own movement on a continuous basis that can enable us to maintain ourselves as a leader. One way that we can do this is by continuously evaluating our own leadership capabilities.

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Tags: Soft Skills

Are You “Knowledge Seeking” or “Problem Solving” - or Both?

February 3rd, 2010 · No Comments

Many professionals are either “knowledge seeking” or “problem solving” - but, to their detriment, not both. You can create a one-two punch for professional effectiveness by combining “knowledge seeking” and “problem solving”. Let me show you what I mean by looking at some details of some popular bodies of knowledge today.

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Tags: Soft Skills

When Making Choices, Fewer is Better

January 25th, 2010 · No Comments

As [tag-tec]project managers[/tag-tec], we are often called upon to present choices to our [tag-dir]stake holders[/tag-dir]We are often called upon to present options for solutions, scenarios, and items for discussions, priorities and more. There is a well proven rule that when it comes to choices, less is better.

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Tags: Soft Skills

Sustainability and the Living Roof

January 7th, 2010 · 1 Comment

Sustainability is a hot topic today. Many potential projects may have the appearance of socially responsible but in some cases are not sustainable. [tag-tec]Sustainability[/tag-tec] in and of itself is a key aspect of [tag-dir]social responsibility[/tag-dir]. The growing presence of [tag-dir]living roof project[/tag-dir] is a good example of sustainability in action.

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Tags: Soft Skills

Leveraging Your Strengths When Building Your Project Team

December 23rd, 2009 · No Comments

There is a great deal written on the subject of building teams including, building [tag-tec]project teams[/tag-tec], however one thing that is very notable about this process is it is of a very personal nature. Two people that might build a project team or the same exact project might very likely to do it differently just as every person is different every [tag-dir]project team[/tag-dir] that they build will be different.

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Tags: Soft Skills · Main

Gold Plating: Is It Ever Okay To Over Deliver?

December 16th, 2009 · 1 Comment

[tag-tec]Gold plating[/tag-tec], or the idea of delivering more or better than requested is generally not accepted in [tag-dir]project management[/tag-dir] doctrine. However, I think we need to take this with a grain of salt and consider how to discern when and how we might over deliver.

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Tags: Soft Skills · Main

Learning By Both Experience and Education

November 22nd, 2009 · No Comments

We all want to learn more and indeed [tag-tec]“speed learning”[/tag-tec] is a requirement in today’s fast paced world. I recently heard an interesting quote from an entrepreneur who said that he looks it what he has learned as an entrepreneur and he realized that he already been taught that in business school but he wasn’t paying attention.

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Tags: Soft Skills

Nurture Unseen Relationships

October 30th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Most good managers in project and program management know the importance of maintaining relationships with team members and stakeholders. Basic human relations can go a long way in improving overall program and project quality. However, I have learned that there is a community beyond our immediate team members and stakeholders that are worth considering in everything we do.

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Tags: Soft Skills

Here’s a Quick Checkup: Where Do You Stand on the Three Elements of Delegation

October 26th, 2009 · 3 Comments

Whether new or experienced managers, we need to always be mindful of our delegation skills. Most important to remember is that not only can our delegation style change, but the people, tasks, and circumstances can change also. Thus, it is important to periodically ask ourselves “How are my delegation skills right now?” because the answer may have changed!

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Tags: Soft Skills

The Power Of Pushback

September 23rd, 2009 · No Comments

There is no better dose of reality, than the power of pushback.  It occurs in every walk of life and, utilized properly, can be our friend in the project management process.  It comes in most handy when dealing with uncertainty.  It also keeps us honest about our prospects.

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Tags: Project Management Process · Soft Skills