The Balance of Technical, Interpersonal, and Leadership Skills
PMBOK v8 Definition
Having relevant technical project management skills is an important aspect to delivering successful projects, but possessing the interpersonal and leadership skills to work effectively with stakeholders is just as important, if not more so. The skills of the project management team are a mix of different skills such as ways of working, power skills, and business acumen, with the sole aim of accomplishing tasks without compromising professional and social responsibility.
Why It Matters for the Exam
This concept appears frequently in situational and behavioral questions on the PMI exam, particularly those asking about stakeholder engagement, team development, and project manager competencies. Questions often test your ability to distinguish between technical skills (ways of working) and interpersonal skills (power skills), and to recognize when leadership and political acumen are more critical than technical expertise.
Key Points to Remember (for the exam)
- Three Skill Categories: The project management team's skills are a mix of ways of working (technical), power skills (interpersonal/leadership), and business acumen (strategic).
- Interpersonal Skills Required: Initiative, integrity, honesty, collaboration, respect, empathy, and confidence are essential for team members and stakeholders.
- Political Navigation: Having the ability to deal with enterprise politics involves using skills such as influence, negotiation, autonomy, and power.
- Competency Development: The project management team fosters a learning culture by strategically mixing team members of different seniority levels and expertise.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Project practitioners should engage stakeholders to understand, consider, communicate, and respond to their interests, needs, and opinions.
- Expanding Role: Project managers should be skilled strategists and change managers, capable of driving value to their organization, industry, and situation.
- Knowledge of Organizational Structures: Being aware of various configurations and relationships among project tasks and organizational procedures is important for building an empowered culture.
Typical PMI Exam Example
A project manager is leading a complex cross-functional project. While the team has excellent technical expertise, stakeholder resistance is increasing. The project manager spends time understanding stakeholder interests, uses negotiation skills, and leverages influence to align expectations. Question: What skill set is the project manager primarily demonstrating? Answer: Power skills (interpersonal and leadership skills).
PMI Exam Traps
- Trap: Confusing "power skills" with "authority" → Reality: Power skills include influence, negotiation, autonomy, and power—not just formal authority.
- Trap: Thinking technical skills are sufficient for project success → Reality: Interpersonal and leadership skills are equally or more important for working with stakeholders.
- Trap: Assuming competency development is only the project manager's responsibility → Reality: This responsibility may also be taken by functional managers, PMOs, line managers, or individual team members.
- Trap: Believing political navigation is unethical → Reality: Enterprise politics require skills like influence and negotiation, which are legitimate project management competencies.
Important PMI Connections
| Related Concept | Relationship Type | Exam Attention Point |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder Engagement | Complements | Power skills are essential for understanding and responding to stakeholder interests, needs, and opinions |
| Team Development | Output of | Competency development blends different seniority levels and expertise across the team |
| Organizational Structures | Input to | Knowledge of structures helps build an empowered culture and navigate politics |
| Change Management | Complements | Project managers should be skilled change managers, driving value beyond technical delivery |
Quick Review Questions
- What are the three categories of skills that make up the project management team's competency mix?
- Name five interpersonal skills that project team members and stakeholders should develop according to PMBOK v8.
- Who can be responsible for competency development within a project team?
- What skills are involved in dealing with enterprise politics?
- Why are interpersonal and leadership skills considered as important as technical project management skills?
PMBOK v8 Reference
Section 2.5.1.2 - Competency Development in Project Management