Dale Carnegie had it right: Applying Soft Skills for Effect

Clay Springer, PMP The Rossch Group LLC

What we’ll cover today

Today we’ll move from Carnegie to project management and discuss:

Soft Skills and their importance in project management

Team Development and the timing/context for Soft Skills

How to lay the foundation and leverage Soft Skills

Afterwards, lets talk about some of the “real-life” challenges you face

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So why Dale Carnegie?

Cheesy title, beefy advice!

The organization of “How to Win Friends…” “How to Win Friends…”is a well-structured manual for cultivating relationships Four Major Sections:

1. Fundamental Techniques in Handling People 2. Six Ways to Make People Like You 3. How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking 4. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving

Offense or Arousing Resentment

The progression of the book is VERY relevant to the world of project management

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Carnegie is just the beginning

“How to Win Friends…” endures because of its recognition of the importance of the relationship in achievement As project managers we can: Build deeper and more nuanced variants Extend concepts from individuals to teams Craft ourselves to more effectively

leverage soft skills

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THE WHAT AND THE WHY OF SOFT SKILLS

Understanding and Context

Authority vs. Influence

One of the most common complaints of project manager is “I don’t have the authority to get things done” “Authority” is the power to command

thought, opinion or behavior “Influence” is the capacity of causing an

effect in tangible or intangible ways

Soft Skills is ALL about influence!

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Impact of Soft vs. Hard Skills

Balancing Project Management Hard Skills and Soft Skills Anne Murando Brandeis University February, 2012 9

So what are “Soft Skills”?

Communication is the core soft skill

80%+

20%

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9% writing 16% reading 30% speaking 45% listening

“Communications Skills” are a vehicle that are the basis for all relational (i.e. “Soft”) skills

Soft skills aren’t fuzzy

Some highly valued soft skills

1. Deal making and meeting skills 2. Ergonomic sensitivity 3. Great team player 4. Political smarts 5. Teaching, mentoring, and knowledge sharing 6. Resolving "gray" issues 7. Vendor management

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from techrepublic.com Mary E. Shacklett

President, Transworld Data

What these skills accomplish

1. Deal making and meeting skills – Move the project forward

2. Ergonomic sensitivity – Uncovers stakeholder “wants”

3. Great team player – Builds energy and enthusiasm 4. Political smarts – Avoids pitfalls, cultivates support 5. Teaching, mentoring, and knowledge sharing –

Grows the team 6. Resolving "gray" issues – Reduces conflict 7. Vendor management – Controls cost, builds team

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Why Soft Skills are so important

A strong set of Soft Skills are critical for project success. The help the PM: Connect and Communicate Learn and Explore Facilitate and Influence Motivate and Lead

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CONSIDERATIONS OF WHEN IN APPLYING SOFT SKILLS IN TEAMS

Timing

Four Stages of Team Development

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Autocratic Participative Laissez Faire

Your management style should adjust over the life of the project

The PM in the Forming Stage

Forming is a time of beginnings and can feel awkward and unfamiliar. Things the project manager can do:

Look for problems before they’re problems Keep meetings short / informal Keep communications clear and concise Show hands-on leadership Make it safe

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The PM in the Storming Stage

This stage can be challenging and is probably the point where the project manager is most needed. Things the project manager can do:

Keep responsibilities/accountability clear Separate ideas from individuals Manage the power balances Let it happen

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The PM in the Norming Stage

This is where the team starts to feel like a team. Be mindful to keep momentum… Things the project manager can do:

Move from direction to facilitation Introduce team / mission building activities Find opportunities for team members to lead

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The PM the Performing Stage

This is the team in an optimized state, and teams don’t always get here. The biggest challenge to PMs is to release control. Things the project manager can do:

Delegate profusely Watch for backsliding Reinforce with sincerity Be careful with new additions or departures

to/from the team

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Timing is everything

We’ve used the Team Development Lifecycle to illustrate the dynamism of projects and how Soft Skills need to be adjusted

Let’s turn now to things you can do to apply soft skills with greater effect

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TECHNIQUES IN HOW TO APPLY SOFT SKILLS

Tools and Application

So let’s get back to that Dale guy…

Carnegie had it right

Compare Carnegie’s structure to the Team Development progression: Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

• Foundations in forming Six Ways to Make People Like You

• Breaking through storming How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking

• Consensus and norming Be a Leader: How to Change People Without

Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment • A critical component of performing

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Some thoughts about motivation and influence

Motivation and influence go hand-in-hand

Motivation is personal and individualized

Teams AND Team members have personalities and different motivational levers

The myth of money as a motivator 26

Factors that motivate

Purpose Challenge Camaraderie Responsibility Growth

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The most important project management

tool

Building a solid tool set

Three components of solid soft skills:

1. Attitude – the foundation 2. Engagement – the world view 3. Approach – the application

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Laying a solid foundation

Sincerity is at the core of all effective Soft Skills practitioners. These attributes need to be a fundamental component of who you are: Be optimistic and positive Be consistent Be tuned-in Be focused on the goal

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Engage and connect

Your outlook on the world extends from your core beliefs provides context for how others view you. As a Soft Skills practitioner you should: Desire to learn Commit to those around you Frame challenges as opportunities

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Wielding your toolset

Your core values and outlook manifest themselves in your physical actions. Here is where Soft Skills acquire velocity and impact: Project energy Listen with your body Listen to other bodies

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Summing it all up

A project brings a thousand opportunities to connect to the world around you. It’s not how you communicate, it’s how

you connect It’s not how you argue, it’s how you

influence It’s not how you direct, it’s how you

inspire

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Thank you!

What are some of the challenges you face?

About the Rossch Group

The Rossch Group (TRG) is an airline-focused consultancy providing Excellence in Execution to clients nationwide. In addition to airline services, TRG provides training, coaching, and mentoring to select clients.

ofc: (571) 295-5855 cell: (808) 741-6953 URL: www.rossch.com twitter: @therosschgroup skype: therosschgroup