Interpersonal Skills for Managers

The project is successful when there are great minds working behind it. If you wish to have a great project, then going to the right manager for the task becomes pivotal. And having certified management will ensure that project does not go south. There are various skills that are needed in project management, but there is a skill set that every project manager should have and that is having great interpersonal skills. We are sure that if you are also thinking of a career in project management then you definitely would have heard of increasing your interpersonal skills. If so, then this is the right page for you. Today not only we are going to let you know what are the various interpersonal skills that a manager should have but also let you know why these skills play such an important role in the project. This will help you understand why you should develop these skills and work on them continuously.

Furthermore, we will introduce the best pmp certification training course that will help you get insights into this field and keep on progressing with the skills needed.

What are interpersonal skills and why they are important?

First, if we understand what interpersonal skills are then we will be able to identify them and increase them as the time demands. These skills are the set of skills that are used to interact and communicate with others. These skills show how we engage with other people around us and how they determine our ability to build relationships and work with others. If you have a strong suit for these interpersonal skills, then you will be able to achieve so much in life and there will be so many benefits of these skills in both personal and professional lives. But here if we talk about project managers, these skills become very important, and to understand why to let us see why these skills play such a major role in any project:

• Team Building
• Decision Making
• Collaboration
• Motivation
• Negotiation
• Leadership

Team Building

There are many projects that might be going on for a long time and the chances are that you will need to manage a big team. But when the team members are more in the team, there needs to be a sense of team building and keeping them engaged with each other. If the project expands, it falls upon the shoulder of the project manager to increase the team size and make sure that there are the right recruits on the team. And when the number of members is going to increase, there are going to be conflicts. If the project manager has all the right skills to build that trust and communication in the team, then these conflicts can be managed very easily. With the trust built in the team, the management can become a go-to person for the team members. This will help in building the team and making sure that they are working together as a team towards a shared goal.

Decision Making

When working on a project, there are certain decisions that are needed to be taken for the course of the project. It is beneficial to include the core team in the decision-making process in the team but that is not required or possible all the time. And this is where the interpersonal skills for managers come into play. They should have the ability to weigh all the outcomes and the requirements before making any decision. Decision-making is very important in the project because almost at each step, a decision is needed and the project success is the series of right decisions which is taken by the project management. With the use of their intelligence and acumen, they can use various factors to come to a conclusion that benefits the project as well as the team working on it.

Collaboration and Motivation

There are a lot of people who are coming together for the project to be delivered on time. Collaboration is needed in the team and it is the duty of the manager to make sure that there is collaboration in the team. The team is working on various scenarios in the team and if they are not in the same direction then there could be some repercussions for the work that the team is putting in. So having them sailing in the same boat is needed over time. Moreover, if the team is motivated to achieve a certain goal, then they will put their best effort to make sure of that. A manager with good interpersonal skills can keep the team motivated from time to time.

Negotiation

This is one of the skills that need to be sharpened on the daily basis. The project manager is someone who has to keep both the stakeholders and the team members happy. And these interpersonal skills then can reduce the friction that may arise when the project is going on. The set of interpersonal skills for managers will help them to look into the criteria differently and come up with a solution that keeps everyone happy. If both the parties are happy then the project will go in the right direction otherwise this can lead to a bad outcome in no time.

Leadership

In a team when many people are working together, leadership is needed many times and this leader will be a project manager. The team needs direction from time to time and some hard decisions are needed to be made sometimes. So, to make sure that there is a leader in the team who is not only giving a good example but also making sure that there is trust and motivation in the team is very much needed. This will keep the team motivated, and on right track and also help them to bring the best out of themselves. A leader is someone who inspires and with the right skill set, the project manager can become that figure in the team.

Now, these are some of the benefits of having interpersonal management skills, but what are the skills that you should hone while working as a project manager in the team, let us find out!

Interpersonal skills needed as a project manager

Verbal communication

This is undoubtedly one of the most important skills that a project manager should have. This includes how you are delivering your point, how you are using your words eloquently, and how well they are received by the audience in front of you. You should be aware of your audience and how they like to communicate. The project manager needs to communicate with the team and stakeholders on the daily basis and this should be made precise and concise at the same time. Miscommunication can lead to misunderstanding, missed timelines, and much more. So, to have a grasp over all the issues, having good communication skills while delivering thoughts verbally is very much needed. If this skill is used perfectly, then the right message will be delivered and things will go in the right direction.

Non-verbal Communication

While most part of the conversation is how you are speaking, studies have shown that nonverbal communication also plays a great role when you are interacting with someone. How you are using your body language, what are your hand gestures, your eye contact, and your voice play a major role when you are talking to someone. If you are engaged in the conversation, have a strong foot, and show confidence, then half of your work will already be done. If you are getting weak at this, then the person you are communicating with will notice and this will leave a bad impression. So always be at your best and talk to everyone with confidence.

Conflict management

This skill covers a lot of interpersonal skills. When you are working as a manager, there are times when you have to become part of conflict management. With the right skills in your pocket, you will be able to resolve the conflict. You should have great listening skills because only then you will be able to know what is happening and how you should proceed further. When the team is coming together to deliver the project, there could be some conflicts that may arise in the team. So as a project manager, it is your responsibility to listen to everyone, weigh all the factors, and then make a decision on that issue. This will show your decision-making skill as well. You will need to communicate with people involved in the conflict and then after having all the things on the table, you can resolve the conflict. You should come up with creative and diplomatic solutions so that there are no differences in the team and work is not hindered at all.

Constructive criticism

When you are working as a manager in a team, you need to make sure that the work done is of optimum quality and to make sure that the team is giving their best, you should provide them continuous feedback. One thing to be noted here is that you should always provide constructive criticism if things are not going as you planned. There could be some reasons and if you are able to provide them the positive feedback, then the team will be able to understand their mistake and this will also motivate them. Using this feedback, you can make sure that the end product is matching with the expectations. You do not need to be rude to others, instead provide them with the solution so that the project goes on and these mistakes are never repeated again.

Build trust and honestly in the team

Human resource plays a great role in any team and to manage these resources there are many skills needed. If you are using your interpersonal skills to build honesty in the team, then you can ensure that the team will work in the direction of their goals. Interpersonal skills can be very helpful here as with your skills, you can meet with them, have an open conversation with them, negotiate in their favor and provide them with a safe environment where they can feel their best and hence give their best. If there is an understanding of mutual trust in the team, then that team can go very far. They will understand the objectives and goals of the project and will make sure that they can achieve those with other team members.

Strong Leadership

Every team needs a leader to show them direction. If the teams do not have a strong leader, then things will not be done in the right way. Strong leadership is needed so that the team works in the same direction and whenever there is some issue in the process, there is someone who can lead them to resolve them and make decisions for the team. They are responsible for the project deliverables and the leadership skills; they can motivate the team to give their best. The team will learn from their leaders and make sure that they are giving their best to the project as well. The interpersonal skills in leadership will help the project manager to see what is going on in the team, what is needed in the team, and how they can provide the same in the team. You will get to know the people who are working on your team, and you can then approach them from the right standpoint.

Well, these are some of the skills that are very important when you are working as a project manager in a team.

Conclusion

In this blog, we have come across various interpersonal skills that are needed in project management. Interpersonal skills make us who we are and they are not only needed in the workspace but all time. When you are interacting with someone, you are exhibiting your interpersonal skills and you should always try to sharpen them. On this page, we have particularly learned about the interpersonal skills of a manager and see how you can benefit the team and project with those skills. These skills can help the team to reach the end goal and with the rightly skilled managers and their certifications, the product will be as per the requirements. The team will also be motivated and work together with each other.

If you also have an interest in this career and want to find the best jobs in project management, then going for certifications can open many doors for you. With pmp certification, you can get these skills along with the technical skills required to become a great manager. A certified manager is preferred over anything. So, if you choose the right online pmp training, then you can ensure that you are learning from the best and giving the best shot to your career as well. With StarAgile, you can have your dream come true with the best teachers who are experienced in this field and will help you learn practically. So, choose today for a better tomorrow.