Reference no: EM131693433

A project manager must be well rounded with many competencies and skills in order to help ensure the success of the project. One may argue that some of these competencies and interpersonal skills are more important than others. My opinion of the top three are performance, influencing, and conflict management. The first is most obvious, performance defines “what the project manager is able to do or accomplish while applying his or her project management knowledge” (PMBOK GUIDE, 2013). If the PM lacks knowledge or is unable to apply it to a project, the project will be set up for failure. Skill is a necessity due to the highly complex and detailed steps in project management. A manager’s competency is not the only key ingredient to move toward success, they also need people skills. Heagney (2012) said, “It’s about People!...It is about getting people to perform work that must be done to meet the objectives of the project…So the first skills that a project manager needs are people skills.” For this reason, I believe influence is highly important. If the leader is unable to create change and influence those involved, no tasks would be completed. Influence encompasses aspects of other interpersonal skills listed, including motivation, leadership, decision making, and negotiation. The last of the three top skills is conflict management. This is essential to any project or team. When a group of individuals are working together, it is only a matter of time before a conflict arises. We all have our own perception and opinions and at times become too involved to see another view. Successful uses of conflict management can defuse the situation quickly before it derails the project and redirect the focus to the task at hand. Without these inputs, a project manager may become lost in the project and inadvertently lead all others to failure.