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Module Three Assignment

Emmanuel Mulenga

Graduate School of Business, University of Zambia

MAF6211: Project Risk & Quality Management

Dr. Raj Parikh

9th October, 2022

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INTRODUCTION

This paper is aimed at providing an overview of the soft skills that are required for effective

management of projects. It can be pointed out from the onset that soft skills can be applied to

all types of jobs. Organizations are social entities, and therefore, for one to be able to relate to

others, they will need soft skills.

Soft skills are defined by Kaplan (2022) as non-technical skills that describe how one works

and interacts with others; unlike hard skills, they are not necessarily something one can learn

in a course, like data analytics or programming. Instead, they reflect one’s communication

style, work ethic, and work style.

Ravindranath (2016) stresses that soft skills can be classified into various dimensions, which

include They include: (a) communication skills, (b) teambuilding skills, (c) flexibility and

creativity skills, (d) leadership skills, and (e) the ability to manage stress and conflict.

REVIEW OF SOFT SKILLS

Communication skills were among the important soft skills that were highlighted in the

article. Communication is a two-way thing; it entails listening skills and speaking skills. For

the project to be effectively managed, the project manager should be able to clearly and easily

express his or her ideas. Furthermore, it was also pointed out that project managers must not

only be able to explain complex ideas simply, but they must also clearly define expectations

so as to keep the team focused on a single objective. In addition, project managers should

strive to foster an environment that allows team members to communicate openly and

honestly, admit their own mistakes without losing respect, and be able to listen, negotiate,

and facilitate.

Another soft skill that was looked at was flexibility and creativity. Adaptation to changing

environments is a very critical quality required of every project manager. pertains to the
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ability for the project manager to be flexible and creative. The project manager should know

and understand the characteristics and personality of each team member.

Leadership is a soft skill that is required to persuade team members to act in a manner that

will contribute towards the achievement of the project objectives. Leadership is about

influence and persuasion and not always about authority. The leader should be able to have a

positive influence on project team members.

Time management is an imperative soft skill that each project manager should possess. In

fact, for each project team member or each employee to effectively manage the tasks

assigned to them, they should be able to manage their time efficiently. Kerzner (2013) argues

that time is not really a resource but a constraint that should be effectively managed in any

project. Soft skills factors that are associated with time include planning, organizing,

directing, delegating, and controlling.

Trustworthiness is a soft skill that refers to dependability, reliability, and the attribute of

being deserving of trust or confidence. For a leader to be able to effectively persuade team

members, he or she should be considered to be trustworthy. It becomes difficult for a leader

to convince team members if he or she is considered not to be trustworthy.

Conflict management is a central soft skill that should be cultivated by every project

manager. Conflicts are bound to arise in every work environment. Similarly, due to

competing needs between team members and amongst team members, conflicts can arise.

However, it is important to note that the project manager should be able to use conflict

management techniques that foster team spirit. It can be acknowledged that various conflict

management techniques apply to varying situations.

THE MOST IMPORTANT SOFT SKILL

The most important soft skill is communication. This is because effective workplace

communication creates a healthy work environment, guarantees that people have the
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knowledge they need to perform well, and gets rid of inefficiencies. Information should be

accurately transmitted through effective communication while preserving or enhancing

interpersonal relationships.

It is through communication that ideas can be shared amongst team members. In addition,

communication helps team members know what is required of them and be aware of the

project goals and expectations.

CONCLUSION

Soft skills are needed for all types of jobs. It is therefore important to note that soft skills

make a work environment good for everyone, both for the project manager and the team

members. Soft skills looked at in this paper include communication, creativity, leadership,

time management, trustworthiness, and conflict management. Other soft skills that were not

covered in this paper include teamwork, empathy, problem solving, and attitude.
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REFERENCES

Jena, A., & Satpathy, S. S. (2017). Importance of Soft Skills in Project Management.

International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 5(7).

https://doi.org/10.18535/IJSRM/V5I7.45

Gillard, S. (2009). Soft skills and technical expertise of effective project managers. Issues in

informing science & information technology, 6.

Kaplan, Z. (2022). What are soft skills? definition and examples. Forage.

https://www.theforage.com/blog/basics/what-are-soft-skills-definition-and-examples

Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and

controlling. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Ravindranath, S. (2016). Soft skills in project management: A review. IUP Journal of Soft

Skills, 10(4).