Track: People in Projects

In the 1990s Daniel Goleman introduced us to the little known but increasingly researched concept of Emotional Intelligence – the ability to recognize and manage our emotions, responses and behaviors. Over a decade later, Goleman raised the profile of Social Intelligence – the ability to perceive the needs of others and adapt our behavior to better connect with them. Humans are wired to connect.

Research by the VIA Institute on Character has identified 24 universally applicable character strengths that are at the core of what makes us our best selves and makes us tick. One of these strengths is social intelligence. We can measure it.

A recent study by ALLE LLC suggests that social intelligence is a character strength that project managers may want but often rank lower than the rest of the population – which includes their team members and stakeholders. (Study available here: https://projectmotivator.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Character-Strengths-and-Project-Managers-Final-092119.pdf)
Social intelligence combined with emotional intelligence is the glue that creates cohesive teams. The ability to connect. Having the strengths and skills to make those connections is a key part of being an effective project manager. We communicate We act as the central point of contact on a project. We work to influence others. All of these tasks are made harder when we don’t have all the tools we need – namely high levels of social intelligence.

The good news is that social intelligence can be learned, and this session explores both the reasons why it makes sense to develop social intelligence as well as practical and immediately applicable ways to do so.

Takeaways:
1. Name and apply your own character strengths
2. Spot, explain and cultivate character strengths in others
3. Develop social intelligence to create cohesive teams and a great place to work

PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership

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Abstract: So, you have a project to lead and manage and you need to put a team together, to drive an idea into reality. Now you may have the luxury of picking your own team members, but very often you have to comprise your team of people that are selected for you, from near and far, some you may know and many you do not.

How do you take this “rag-tag” team of potential superstars and turn them into one cohesive project delivery success story? Well, that’s what this session is all about.

Learn how to:

• Assess the talent you have in the first 30 minutes instead of the first 30 days. Let’s face it, you do not have that kind of time very often.
• Develop talents and skills that are lying dormant within every member on your team, that will make them better team members and create more highly capable individuals, with paths created to succeed long after your project ends.
• Determine what motivates your team members to do work on your project because they want to and not just because they must do it.
• Leverage the skills of influencing and negotiation to take your team members efforts and outputs to greater heights then when they first started your project, so they can be proud of their accomplishments and have the desire to work on another project with you in the future.

It has often been said that projects are all about processes and procedures, but the “true” reality of why project’s succeed while others fail, is the PEOPLE that the project manager surrounds themselves with and how well that project manager develops them and those on their teams into the very best at producing successful project outcomes. That’s what being a project manager is truly all about today.

PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership