project management diploma...

Project Management Diploma Course – Unit Eight –

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

DIPLOMA COURSE

UNIT EIGHT

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

TUTOR TALK: The Learning Outcomes for this assignment are:

• Define the techniques that characterise listening and communication giving steps

to take to improve these techniques.

• Describe the five different methods of handling conflict.

• Summarise the three negotiating skills.

Introduction

As discussed in the previous lesson, leadership skills are closely related to the ability of a project

manager to listen, manage conflict, and negotiate successfully with the project team and anyone else

involved in the project cycle.

Listening and the art of communication

Although to listen and communicate sounds easy, it is often very difficult under certain

circumstances, such as when you are angry. Listening is a critical interpersonal skill which needs to

be developed by project managers in order to lower the possibility of conflict and to ensure that the

right ideas are being communicated to the relevant people during a project cycle. Consequently, it is

important to understand what listening and communication actually means.


What is listening and communication?

A good listener really hears what is being said!

Listening is the ability to hear what is being said and communication is the ability to explain one’s

own comments, ideas or suggestions clearly. An important aspect of good listening and

communication is the ability to be empathetic or show interest and understand what the other

members of the project management team are trying to say.

Listening and communication techniques

Listening and communication is characterised by a number of techniques which a project manager

should apply, namely to:

• Concentrate on what is being said,

• Withhold criticism until the whole idea is completed,

• Think about what has been said, and

• Respond to the issues raised.

These techniques can be improved by following a number of listening and communication steps,

namely:

1. Ask searching questions to show that there is active listening. By doing so the project

manager is able to direct the conversation and keep the issue in clear focus.

2. Repetition or repeating one’s own viewpoints or ideas ensures that important points made are

heard by others. By doing so the project manager can clarify confusing statements which

complicate the issue and could lead to further misunderstandings. Repetition should not be

overused and should only be applied when others have not understood what is being said.


3. Reiteration or repeating the views expressed by someone else is useful to make sure that the

project manager correctly heard what was being said.

4. Positive body language or showing interest in what is being by the way one looks or body

posture shows that every effort is being made by the project manager to listen. Positive body

language avoids negative signs and possibly destructive signs such as impatience, restlessness

or simple disinterest (such as yawning).

Despite these techniques to facilitate communication and general listening skills, the project manager

will often encounter certain pitfalls when applying these skills during the project cycle and are listed

below with some suggestions for their resolution.

• Anxiety: Where fears or some prior expectations are held by some. The project manager

should approach anxieties openly by acknowledging such fears and confronting them

directly.

• Bias or subjectivity: Where prejudice or other feelings of unfairness are present during the

communication process. The project manager should deal with bias by confronting it where it

occurs, keeping an open mind and being aware of possible criticisms which may emerge

during the course of discussions without taking them to heart.

• Language: Often the project manager may need to communicate with people in other

languages which can be frustrating if the other language is not well understood. The project

manager should be clear about important terms and actions that may have to be

communicated with other members of the project management team whose home language is

different. In addition, the project manager should be aware and patient with people of a

different language background and keep an open mind about poor expression.

These techniques can prepare a project manager for possible disruptions in communicating with

others. Despite such preparation, the project manager may often encounter conflict during the project

cycle and will need to resolve such issues properly so that a project can continue without mishap.


Managing conflict effectively

One of the main concerns in any working relationship is the element or

possibility of disagreement. The project manager, especially the project

leader, needs to be aware of sources of friction or such disagreements in

order to resolve them so that the project process is not disrupted

unnecessarily.

Managing conflict effectively has therefore become an important

interpersonal skill in order to ensure the continuation and successful

completion of a project. Subsequently, the project manager or leader

needs to have a clear idea of what conflict actually is and whether it is

such a bad thing.

He who stirs my

anger controls me!

What is conflict?

Conflict is the expression of disagreement or anger between two or more people. Conflict can be a

positive or useful source of energy to the project cycle as it can raise issues which need to be

resolved in order for a project to be successfully completed. Functional or positive conflict can

therefore be useful to project management by highlighting issues that need to be looked at in order

for a project to succeed. On the other hand, and more commonly speaking, conflict can be

destructive when it is not handled correctly or resolved in time. This situation can lead to a project’s

possible failure. Whether it is good or bad, the project manager should be well prepared for conflict

by being aware of its possible causes and knowing how to handle them if they occur.

What are the causes of conflict?

Before looking at the more common causes of conflict, it must be remembered that conflict is

inherent or a natural phenomenon. This means that conflict always exists but as long as it is not

destructive it does not need specific handling.


Some of the more common causes of conflict are:

• Feelings of alienation and loneliness,

• Poor working conditions,

• High stress,

• Concern over individual abilities,

• Dissatisfaction with management performance,

• Lack of confidence,

• Unfulfilled expectations,

• Different attitudes, values, perceptions and beliefs,

• A generally aggressive and competitive nature, and

• Poor communication (misinformation, miscalculations, uncertainty).

Conflict can be expressed in a number of ways. These range from criticism and avoidance of the

issue to confrontation and violence.

Handling conflict

There are a number of approaches to resolve conflict. The choice of a particular approach depends on

the circumstances of the conflict. In general, conflict can be resolved by one of the following

methods, namely:

• Withdrawal:

This is where a person or group will not admit to the conflict or does not think the issue needs

attention. The problem with this approach is that the issue can smoulder and reappear in a

more intensified form at a later date. However, withdrawal can be useful in situations where

dealing with the issue could result in more problems or where other issues need more urgent

attention. The project manager must therefore consider this approach if circumstances like

those mentioned before are not present, that is, that other more urgent issues need to be

attended to or that an attempt to deal with the problem may lead to further conflict.

• Smoothing:

This is where a person or group capitulate or change their views to settle the issue.

Smoothing does not resolve the conflict but can be useful if more urgent issues need

attention. The project manager can consider smoothing so an issue can be temporarily

“resolved” and returned to at a latter stage to be explored further. Reasons for this approach

can include time limits or cost pressures which need to be monitored and applied closely.


• Persuasion:

This is where a person or group convince the other person or group to agree with their views.

Persuasion resolves conflict in that the issue is dealt with but depends on the project

manager’s abilities to persuade the other party to agree to their view. This approach can be

useful if the project manager is persuasive and knows when to consider others views and not

just convince them to totally change their views.

• Compromising:

This is where a person or group seek to find mutually acceptable solutions which partially

satisfy those in conflict. Compromising therefore involves finding a quick middle ground or

an exchange of concessions. This approach is useful to the project manager where both

individuals are prepared to find a solution which is a compromise between the demands or

views of these parties.

• Joint problem solving:

This is where a person or group are prepared to resolve their differences by exploring each

others concerns and ideas. Joint problem solving is a form of exploring the disagreement and

finding an alternative that both parties can agree to. What is useful about this approach is that

it allows both parties to learn about each other. This approach is useful to the project manager

where there is mutual interest in this approach in order to avoid large-scale or more

destructive confrontation. It is essential however that the project manager be aware of the

need for honest discussion and that there is time available for this approach (which can be

very time consuming).

Choosing an appropriate approach largely depends on the project manager’s experience and reading

of the particular circumstances in which the conflict occurred. The project manager should consider

the possible effects of the chosen approach on the time and costs of the project. Often the best

approach is one which resolves the conflict long enough for the project to be successfully completed

within the time schedule and costs calculated at its launch. Other considerations for resolving

conflict are:

• Finding an appropriate venue (usually away from the place of conflict or a more “neutral

territory” so that those in conflict feel more comfortable and the conflict can then be resolved

more quickly), and

• Having a willingness to discuss the issues which led to conflict in the first place.


Negotiating successfully

Although often used to resolve conflict, negotiation is perhaps the most popular approach for finding

common solutions to ideas held by people. Negotiation provides an opportunity to accommodate

different interests and views without the need to resort to conflict or other destructive processes. In

project management, negotiation skills may be useful for resolving different issues or views held by

project team members, for example deciding on the most appropriate project strategy during the

course of project planning, or for getting an acceptable deal with suppliers and outside contractors in

terms of project costs and materials.

Before outlining some useful negotiating skills for project managers, a brief description of

negotiation follows.

What is negotiation?

To negotiate means to trust in others for a more lasting solution!

By definition, negotiation is a voluntary process which involves joint decision-making. Negotiation

is a process where two or more people with different views or interests meet together to find a

common solution and agenda of what to do and how to go about it. In this way an agreeable common

ground or solution can be found, and in the case of a project, a possible conflict of interests can be

avoided so that the cycle can be completed successfully - on time and within the original estimated

costs. Importantly negotiation only takes place between people who have different ideas or views

which they would like to see implemented during the project cycle but in a consentient or fair

manner.


Negotiation skills

A number of steps can be taken to prepare the project manager for negotiations, namely:

1. Preparation: The project manager needs to be clear about ideas and views held and identify

the position of others before beginning to negotiate (and clarify where a common ground can

exist).

2. Strategising: The project manager needs to determine what is vital for the project’s success

and keep these points in mind when going into negotiation. However such a person should

remain realistic and consider both the ideal agreement or conclusion and the worst possible

settlement which might have to be accepted.

3. Commitment: The project manager needs to be firm yet flexible, choose the order of priorities

and avoid posturing. Negotiation is about listening and exchanging views not winning!

Subsequently, it is crucial that trust is formed and prevails throughout this process and honest

and open communication is maintained. It is critical that neither party takes over the

discussions and puts their own views forward without the consent of others.

Finally, it should be remembered that just because negotiations take place an agreement does not

have to be found. Rather, negotiations are useful for finding a middle-ground voluntarily or where

responsible parties can reach a common arrangement and remain committed towards it during the

project cycle. In the case of negotiating with project members, it must be noted that such a process is

only useful in circumstances where no clear delegation or division of duties and responsibilities

exists.


Review

• Interpersonal skills, notably the ability to listen, manage conflict effectively, and negotiate are

critical for a project’s success.

• Poor listening skills, the inability to handle conflict effectively and a lack of understanding of

what negotiation is truly about can threaten a project’s chances for completion.

• Since people make a project work, the project manager needs to develop interpersonal skills

in order to make sure a project proceeds smoothly and fulfils its original target on time and

within the budget scheduled.

TUTOR TALK: Again, well done on all your effort. We hope that you are enjoying the

course. Now move on and complete your question paper relating to this unit.

© Copyright Reserved

“The goal you set must be challenging. At the same time, it should be realistic and attainable, not

impossible to reach. It should be challenging enough to make you stretch, but not so far that you

break.”

Rick Hansen


STUDENT NOTES: Please use the space below for recording what you consider to be

any pertinent information or notes. You may find it helpful to refer back to it later on!

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