Datasheet

Key Project Management Skills

Forcing Forcing is just as it sounds. One person forces a solution on the other parties. This

typically occurs when one of the stakeholders has more authority than the others or more

power to exert their influence. While this is a permanent solution, it isn’t necessarily the best

one. People will go along with it because, well, they’re forced to go along with it, but it doesn’t

mean they agree with the solution.

Smoothing Smoothing is where one of the parties attempts to make the conflict appear less

important than it is. Everyone looks at each other and scratches their head and wonders why

they thought the conflict was such a big deal anyway. As a result, a compromise is reached

and everyone feels good about the solution until they get back to their desk and start think-

ing about the issue again. When they realize that the conflict was smoothed over and really

is more important than they were led to believe, they’ll be back at it and the conflict will

resurface.

Compromise Compromise is achieved when each of the parties involved in the conflict gives

up something to reach a solution. Everyone involved decides what they will give on and what

they won’t give on, and eventually through all the give and take, a solution is reached. Neither

side wins or loses in this situation, and it could result in apathy from all the participants. If

compromise must be used, make certain firm commitments to the resolution are made by all

parties to help assure that the solution is permanent.

Confrontation This technique is also called problem solving and is the best way to resolve

conflict. A fact-finding mission results in this scenario. The thinking here is that one right solu-

tion to a problem exists and the facts will bear out the solution. Once the facts are uncovered,

they’re presented to the parties and the decision will be clear. Thus the solution becomes a per-

manent one and the conflict expires. This is the conflict resolution approach project mangers

use most often and is an example of a win-win conflict resolution technique.

Withdrawal Withdrawal occurs when one of the parties gets up and leaves and refuses to dis-

cuss the conflict. This never results in resolution. It’s probably the worst of all the techniques

because nothing gets resolved. Withdrawal is a lose-lose technique.

General Management Skills

General management skills, as mentioned earlier, involve accounting, marketing, procure-

ment, human resources, international business, and so on. From a project management per-

spective, they involve what A Guide to the PMBOK calls the nine knowledge areas. These are

specific areas of knowledge that bring together information and processes by commonalities.

For example, the Cost Management knowledge area involves budgeting, estimating, and cost

control. The nine knowledge areas are as follows:

Project Integration Management This knowledge area involves identifying and defining the

work of the project and combining, unifying, and integrating the appropriate processes to com-

plete that work. The information developed and documented in this knowledge area includes

the project charter, the project scope statement, and change control processes.

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