1. Get on the right track Are You a 97 Pound PM Weakling? Exercise Your Soft Skills 1 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com

2. Get on the right track Session ObjectivesBy the end of this session, you will be able to: Recognize your soft skill deficiencies Express your core values Defend them with confidence Exercise your soft skills Provide useful counsel2 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 3. Get on the right track Agenda Why we lack soft skill muscle An unconventional definition of soft skills Describe your core values Defend your core values How to give useful counsel 3 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 4. Get on the right track You Lack Soft Skills* Its true I know things4 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 5. Get on the right track You were told that your job is to create a thing 5 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 6. Get on the right track The truth is that your job is to develop the team that delivers the thing 6 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 7. Get on the right track How much time do you spend developing your team? 7 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 8. Get on the right track Then you deserve the team youve got 8 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 9. Get on the right track Heres a few more reasons that your soft skill muscles are flaccid* Classes put more focus on hard skills Performance appraisals put more emphasis on results than teaming We assume that we are born with soft skills (or not) Practicing soft skills can make us feel uncomfortable * Flaccid: soft, mushy, weak9John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 10. Get on the right trackAn UnconventionalDefinition of SoftSkills 10 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 11. Get on the right trackSoft skills are the ability to defendyour core principles without theother guy getting too mad. * Johns unorthodox definition in a nutshell11John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 12. Get on the right trackThis is notsoft skills 12 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 13. Get on the right track What are your core values? 13 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 14. Get on the right track Can you describe the core values you want to defend? 14 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 15. Get on the right track Jot down your PM Philosophy Dont waste my time. This team is a decision making body. I feel comfortable using directionally correct data tomake decisions. The whole team commits every deliverable. You are expected to provide headlight warnings if wecould potentially miss an important milestone ordeliverable. You are the single focal point for your entire function. You are empowered to schedule side meetings and talkdirectly to anyone else on the team. I expect every person on this team to provide tangiblevalue to the project.15John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 16. Get on the right track You cant access my Team workspacewithout seeing my PM Philosophy 16John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 17. Get on the right track This gives us the foundation to exercise our soft skills 17 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 18. Get on the right track Defend your core values 18 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 19. Get on the right track Practicing soft skills doesnt mean being Soft 19 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 20. Get on the right track Call violations every time you see one 20 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 21. Get on the right track Put a Team Tune-up item on your agenda 21 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 22. Get on the right track Dont permit bad behaviors to becomeinstitutionalized on your watch 22 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 23. Get on the right trackTalk Openly About Your Pet Peeves Stop attacking me with your instantmessage Tommy Gun! Dont embed massive files in emails orcalendar invites Stop inviting me to useless meetings. Stop pressing these keys 23 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 24. Get on the right trackYoull be surprised how many otherpeople share your frustrations andwill be receptive to change. 24John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 25. Get on the right track How To Give Useful Counsel 25 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 26. Get on the right trackJot down a list of Good and Badbehaviors* * Deliverables and results will follow behaviors26John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 27. Get on the right trackLets prep for a performance reviewGood BehaviorsNot So Good His attendance is regular and he actively His attendance is spotty and he is consistently late participates in the meeting to the meeting. This means that I sometimes have to repeat things to bring him up to speed. He strives to reach consensus with other team members. He tends to take a functional point of view on decisions. He should strive to reach a team He is the single point of contact for his functionconsensus on all matters. He closes actions promptly He sometimes redirects other core team members to He provides crisp, clear status reports other people in his function. This extends the lines of He considers the customers in every decisionHe talks about communication and sometimes results in delays in closing actions.project team decisions. I expect AFTER problems him to keep his He keeps his management team well informed His management team is sometimes surprised by He manages his stakeholders so that there are few function well appraised of project issues and surprises during checkpoint meetingsdecisions. they become an He schedules sub team meetings to resolve issuesHe does not assume ownership of change requests issue. He drives sponsored change requests through the initiated by his function. He depends heavily on the established process.PM to call sub team meetings to collect change request impact assessments and to secure other He uses directional data to make decisionsteam member votes. These are things he should do He provides tangible value to the project on his own. He raises risks He has a sharp mind and he provides critical He does not highlight risks early. They tend to be raised after they become an issue. analysis.early and often He raises risks early and often and he crafts Hes bogged down by data paralysis. He requires effective mitigation plansmultiple iterations of cases when the first sizing was sufficient to make the decision. He defines a well constructed plan He resists direction from the project team He shares his functions vision / strategy with the team He provides little value to the team. He solves problems27 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 28. Get on the right track Provide useful counsel Steve exhibited this positive behavior _____ The impact on your team Steve could improve in this area ______ The impact on your teamLove, John28John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 29. Get on the right trackWrite a note every week make it a part of your regular routine 29 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 30. Get on the right trackTeach PositiveBehaviors 30 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 31. Get on the right track Teach Positive Behaviors Tie recognition / awards to a behavior Write a pithy note and copy the manager Use a template so its fast and easy Do it every Friday Read this:http://projectez.com/blog/2008/07/06/chuckies-not-a-monster/ 31John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 32. Get on the right track Practical Application Jot down your PM PhilosophyCommunicate itDraft a list of good/bad behaviorsShow it to your teamDevelop a routine [set time] to givecounselGive your worst rep counsel todayGive your best rep praise today32John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 33. Get on the right trackConclusions Its up to YOU to develop your team Our soft skill muscle is weak Its not our fault We can bulk up our soft skill muscle by defending our core values Counsel team members every time they attack your core values Praise positive behaviors 33 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 34. Get on the right track Pass it on!Three things to remember and whythey are important to share1. _________2. _________3. _________Why should I remember these?___________________________34 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 35. Get on the right track Pass it on!Heres my three things I want toremember (yours can be different)1. Defend my core values2. Stick to a soft skill exercise routine3. Focus on behaviorsWhy should I remember these?I will sleep betterMy team will respect meMy team will be high performing35 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 36. Get on the right trackReview of ObjectivesNow that youve completed thissession, you are able to: Recognize your soft skill deficiencies Express your core values Defend them with confidence Influence positive behaviors Exercise your soft skills36 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 37. Get on the right track Your next actions* Visit my website for more useful tips www.projectEZ.com Learn the Secrets of Project Management http://www.projectez.com/Reading_Railroad.html Join the discussion http://projectez.com/blog/* Do it. Do it now. 37 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 38. Get on the right track If YOU thought this presentation was useful / cool / nice, let me know. Post your comments hereThanks forthe support!38 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com 39. Get on the right trackPresentation Author The contents of the presentation are soleintellectual property of John Langlois and are notto be distributed without prior written approval.Sources for pictureshttp://www.projectez.comhttp://www.istockphoto.com39 John M. Langlois, PMP, SCPM projectEZ.com