Project Management

a reputation as someone who will follow principles, even in the
face of adversity or temptation.

Together, the combination of hard skills, soft skills, function-
al competencies, and personal traits compose the raw material
for your overall capability as a project manager. But how should
you develop that capability? Figure 3-2 below reveals that
there’s no single answer to this question.
As this figure illustrates, skills that are somewhat mechani-
cal can be learned or developed through self-study, reading, or
facilitated training and practice. Many of the hard skills fall into
this category. However, as you migrate toward the soft skills,
the preferred mode of development moves from programmed
learning to coaching or mentoring. Here, soft skills are best
developed through observation and feedback from others—
preferably those in a position to do so. Further to the left in
Figure 3-2 are personality traits. At the far left are those traits
that make up the very fabric of your personality and affect your
behavior and conduct on a very basic level, such as your belief
system and moral values. On this end of the development con-
tinuum, the prospect of self-improvement becomes very per-
sonal. In fact, as you approach the far left, it’s likely that you

40 Project Management

Morals

Values

Beliefs

Personality

Traits

Attitudes/

Willingness

Personal

Conduct

Behavioral

Competency

(”soft” skills)

Technology

Management

Skills

Technical

Competency

(”hard” skills)

Mentoring, Assessment, & Practice

Self-Discovery/Self-Awareness

Self-Study

Facilitated Training

Primary Vehicle for Development

Continuum of Personal Attributes and Competencies

Figure 3-2. Personal attributes and their development