文/Madhu Fernando 譯/趙克琛
當(dāng)一個(gè)項(xiàng)目成功時(shí),大家走到一起互相祝賀;當(dāng)一個(gè)項(xiàng)目失敗時(shí),只有一個(gè)人會(huì)被指責(zé):項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理。為了更好地處理這種要么成功要么失敗的情況,你必須提高你的軟技能。
“情商”這個(gè)概念正變得越來(lái)越流行,它可以幫助你成功地處理項(xiàng)目政治和人員溝通,而且情商還使你能夠在某種程度上表現(xiàn)自己,從而在每次項(xiàng)目成功時(shí)獲得認(rèn)可和嘉獎(jiǎng)。
“情商是指如何聰明地使用你的情緒?!蹦釥枴·貝徹瓦斯說(shuō),他是澳大利亞企業(yè)家研究院商學(xué)副教授、執(zhí)行導(dǎo)師和變革管理顧問(wèn)?!傲私饽愫螘r(shí)悲傷、高興、生氣或沮喪并不困難,但情商的確可以告訴你何時(shí)該謹(jǐn)慎地與老板或同事相處?!?br>
出色的經(jīng)理在艱難的時(shí)期必須要控制自己的情緒,然后根據(jù)當(dāng)時(shí)的環(huán)境、情況和人員關(guān)系來(lái)決定最有效的溝通手段,托尼·保羅這樣認(rèn)為。他是澳大利亞PicoNet咨詢公司的負(fù)責(zé)人和項(xiàng)目管理顧問(wèn)。“在項(xiàng)目和工作環(huán)境的背景下,我使用感覺(jué)去了解我的客戶、團(tuán)隊(duì)和同事如何理解我的觀點(diǎn)和行為?!彼f(shuō)?!爱吘?,我要制造些影響,感受工作場(chǎng)所的氣氛同傾聽(tīng)和閱讀報(bào)告一樣重要。盡管我們依賴于經(jīng)驗(yàn)來(lái)估計(jì)不同環(huán)境下合適的溝通方式,但理解個(gè)人期望對(duì)信息有效傳達(dá)的方式同樣重要?!?br>
認(rèn)識(shí)自我,提高自我
研究人員認(rèn)為自我意識(shí)、自我管理、社會(huì)認(rèn)知和關(guān)系管理是取得生活和事業(yè)成功的關(guān)鍵情商能力。
情緒的自我意識(shí)能夠使你理解你的感覺(jué),了解你所有的想法和行為,它可以使你更好地認(rèn)識(shí)自己作為一名項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理的能力,并且只承諾那些你能做到的事情。當(dāng)你了解了自己的情緒,你可以避免做出無(wú)效的決定。
我們每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該知道自己情緒的本性所遺傳的先天弱點(diǎn),大衛(wèi)·C·奈斯比特說(shuō),他是澳大利亞墨爾本市The TEMPORARY-Manager公司的負(fù)責(zé)人?!拔以诠芾眄?xiàng)目時(shí),如果我們?cè)谔幚砣粘J聞?wù)和項(xiàng)目上的困難上出現(xiàn)分歧,我必須能夠提高與團(tuán)隊(duì)成員、生產(chǎn)商和供應(yīng)商的社交能力?!?br>
奈斯比特已經(jīng)在許多項(xiàng)目中成功的應(yīng)用了情商,情緒的自我意識(shí)對(duì)項(xiàng)目成果有重大影響,他說(shuō)。“清楚地理解我們自己情緒天生的優(yōu)缺點(diǎn)的能力是非常重要的。我們要慶幸:我們沒(méi)有人孤立的發(fā)揮作用,我們要改正像過(guò)分自信這樣潛在的不利行為,以不至于使我們對(duì)團(tuán)隊(duì)其他成員過(guò)于專橫?!?br>
對(duì)于提高團(tuán)隊(duì)士氣和凝聚力,情商也扮演了一個(gè)重要的角色。“情商為我們對(duì)待特殊的人和事時(shí)所需要提高的那些方面提供了指引,還有我們那些擅長(zhǎng)的方面?!爆旣悺ぢ贰だ撞嫉抡f(shuō),她是PMI墨爾本分部的副主席?!拔覀兩踔量梢杂掠谕?xiàng)目團(tuán)隊(duì)進(jìn)行坦誠(chéng)布公的溝通,勇敢地揭露那些有待提高的方面以建立信任。
自我管理是一種保持自己誠(chéng)實(shí)正直品質(zhì)的能力。在逐漸認(rèn)識(shí)自我感受的時(shí)候,我們將會(huì)自信地面對(duì)大部分事態(tài),即使是在項(xiàng)目失控、政治斗爭(zhēng)激烈和意外的變更發(fā)生時(shí),我們的同伴也會(huì)把我們視為可靠的合作者。
如果你提高自己了解他人感受的能力,你可以變通你的反應(yīng)與對(duì)項(xiàng)目團(tuán)隊(duì)和利害干系人的影響。你可以知道在合適的時(shí)候說(shuō)合適的話,你也可以預(yù)見(jiàn)團(tuán)隊(duì)成員的期望、動(dòng)機(jī)和懷疑。而且,你可以認(rèn)識(shí)到如何推銷自己和如何建立一個(gè)可靠的關(guān)系網(wǎng)。
“那些鍛煉情商能力的經(jīng)理能夠經(jīng)常成功的建立關(guān)系和激勵(lì)他人。他們可以比別人更快地升到高層。”阿羅莎·費(fèi)爾南多說(shuō),她是跨國(guó)建設(shè)開(kāi)發(fā)商Sierra建設(shè)有限公司下屬的Sierra澳洲項(xiàng)目和Sierra全球網(wǎng)絡(luò)公司的CEO?!八麄兩瞄L(zhǎng)于管理項(xiàng)目并且與干系人建立良好的關(guān)系?!?br>
均衡評(píng)價(jià)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)
情商除了有助于搭建成功的關(guān)系外,它還可以用作選擇合適員工和經(jīng)理的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。情商能力現(xiàn)在被許多企業(yè)采用來(lái)進(jìn)行招聘和提升?,F(xiàn)在許多公司錯(cuò)誤地認(rèn)為項(xiàng)目管理不需要什么正規(guī)培訓(xùn),這樣,應(yīng)該有一個(gè)均衡的方法來(lái)選擇項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理以確保他們擁有項(xiàng)目和管理能力,“軟技能”:情商和“硬技能”:技術(shù)。
愛(ài)立信澳大利亞公司采用了情商作為項(xiàng)目管理技能規(guī)劃的一部分。克里斯·卡特萊特是愛(ài)立信澳大利亞公司項(xiàng)目管理技能經(jīng)理,他曾協(xié)助PMI開(kāi)發(fā)項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理能力發(fā)展架構(gòu)(PMCDF)。他說(shuō):“我認(rèn)為相對(duì)項(xiàng)目管理的九大知識(shí)領(lǐng)域來(lái)說(shuō),情商提供了更寬廣的視角。但在這方面很少有經(jīng)驗(yàn)資料,我發(fā)現(xiàn)這好像要依賴于經(jīng)理們對(duì)此的理解?!?br>
熟能生巧
澳大利亞墨爾本市的摩西項(xiàng)目服務(wù)有限公司的主任顧問(wèn)琳達(dá)·伯尼特別欣賞提高情商能力的努力。她說(shuō):“如果傳統(tǒng)項(xiàng)目管理過(guò)程中的困難包括開(kāi)發(fā)一份合理的進(jìn)度表、WBS和掙值分析圖的話,那以我的經(jīng)驗(yàn),在各個(gè)層面上發(fā)展和維持與干系人有效的關(guān)系的工作、管理個(gè)人情緒,還有優(yōu)化對(duì)項(xiàng)目有利的組織內(nèi)部政治環(huán)境等這些工作會(huì)更加困難的?!?br>
一步一步提高情商
●自信。你是項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理,你管理著項(xiàng)目。主動(dòng)承擔(dān)責(zé)任。當(dāng)你了解自身的時(shí)候,你就會(huì)自信的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)項(xiàng)目。
●嘗試?yán)斫鈭F(tuán)隊(duì)成員的期望、動(dòng)機(jī)、志向和個(gè)人能力。
●對(duì)業(yè)務(wù)的人員方面給予足夠的重視。別指望技術(shù)可以搞定一切。把人作為項(xiàng)目里最重要的財(cái)產(chǎn)來(lái)對(duì)待。
●與團(tuán)隊(duì)成員建立感情。嘗試去理解和信任別人。讓他們知道你會(huì)提供幫助。與團(tuán)隊(duì)緊密團(tuán)結(jié)并提供支持。
●謹(jǐn)慎地處理沖突。在了解了事態(tài)之后再行動(dòng)。
●平易近人。定期地與團(tuán)隊(duì)成員談話,傾聽(tīng)他們的問(wèn)題和關(guān)注點(diǎn),討論他們的想法。
●激勵(lì)你的項(xiàng)目成員,幫助他們渡過(guò)難關(guān),給予他們支持和鼓勵(lì)。
●設(shè)法與項(xiàng)目干系人建立良好的關(guān)系。
●不要完全依賴于技術(shù)培訓(xùn)來(lái)取得項(xiàng)目成功。在規(guī)劃培訓(xùn)和發(fā)展計(jì)劃時(shí),集中精力在項(xiàng)目人員方面。
●不要過(guò)分依賴于流程。靈活地進(jìn)行變更并且要有創(chuàng)造性。
作者簡(jiǎn)介:Madhu Fernando是澳大利亞墨爾本市的管理咨詢公司Innova Strategies公司的總裁兼主任顧問(wèn)。
原文:
Strong Feelings
Manage projects, people and politics better by using your emotional intelligence.
By Madhu Fernando
When a project succeeds, everyone steps up for a pat on the back. When a project fails, only one person can expect the blame: the manager. To better handle these make-or-break situations, you must improve your softer people skills.
Known as the increasingly popular “emotional intelligence” (EI), these skills help you successfully handle project politics and human interactions and enable you to present yourself in a way so you can be recognized and reworded every time you achieve a project success.
“EI is about using your emotions intelligently,” says Neil E. Béchervaise, executive mentor, change management consultant and adjunct professor of business, Australian Graduate Institute of Entrepreneurship. “Knowing when you are sad, happy, angry or frustrated doesn’t take great smarts, but it does tell you when you need to be careful about how you react with your boss and your work team.”
Competent manager must control their emotions during trying times and determine the most efficient method of communication, which depends on the environment, the circumstance and the relationship between people, according to Tony Paul, a project management consultant and principal of PicoNet Consulting in Australia. “ I use my senses to read how my clients, team and colleagues perceive my views and actions in the context of the project and the working environment,” he says. “After all, I am there to make a difference, and reading the mood of the workplace is as important as listening to what is said and reading the brief. Even though we use our experiences to expect communication in certain manner for each circumstance, and understanding of the individual’s expectation is critical to the way in which a message is most effectively delivered.”
Keep It Real
Researchers suggest self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management are the key emotional competencies you should practice to succeed in you personal and professional lives.
Emotional self-awareness allows you to understand what you feel, to be aware of all your thoughts and actions, and as a project manager, to better understand you capabilities and to commit only to what can be delivered. When you recognize your emotions, you can avoid making ineffective decisions.
Each of us must understand “the innate weaknesses that are inherent to my ‘emotional’ nature,” says David C. Nesbit, principal, The TEMPORARY-Manager, Melbourne, Australia. “When I am managing projects, I must be able to improve my social interactions with team members, vendors and suppliers in such a manner that communications are as efficient as possible given that we all have differing attitudes and opinions when dealing with the day-today issues and difficulties experienced in our projects.”
Nesbit, who has successfully applied EI to a variety of projects, says emotional self-awareness will have a significant impact on a project’s outcome. “The ability to clearly understand the nature of our [own] emotional strengths and weaknesses is vital,” he says. “We must appreciate that one of us function in i9solation and that potentially adverse behaviors such as strong assertiveness or over-confidence need to be modified so we are not too over-bearing to other team members.”
EI also plays a significant part in building team moral and cohesion. “EI provides a guide for those areas we need to improve and also areas in which we are strong and know that we will be good at dealing with a particular person or issue,” says Mary-Lou Raybould, PMI’s Melbourne chapter vice president. “We might even be brave enough to open up to our project teams and disclose areas where we are not so strong as a way of being open and honest on the path to building trust.”
Self-management is the ability to control you emotions with honesty and integrity. In identifying how and what you feel, you will be able to manage most situations confidently, and your peers will view you as a trustworthy collaborator, even when projects get out of control, politics become heated and changes occur unexpectedly.
As you improve your ability to understand how others perceive a situation, you can modify your reactions and any subsequent interactions with project team members and stakeholders. You will know what to say and when to say it, and you can foresee team members’ expectations, their motivations and their uncertainties. In addition, you’ll see how to market yourself and how to build a strong peer network.
“Managers who practice emotional competencies are always successful I building relationships and motivating others. They climb to the top much faster than the others,” says Arosha Fernando, CEO of Sierra Projects Australia and Sierra Global Network, a subsidiary of Sierra Constructions Ltd., a multinational infrastructure development company. “They are good at managing their projects as well as building successful relationships with all the stakeholders.”
Balance the Scales
In addition to making for successful relationship building, EI helps in the proper selection of staff and managers. Emotional competencies are now used by many organizations to hire and promote people. While some organizations mistakenly assume project management requires little formal training, there should be a balanced approach in selecting project managers to ensure that they possess project and management skills: both ‘soft’ EI skills and hard technical skills.
Ericsson Australia uses EI skills as part of its project management competence mapping. “I find it gives us a broader view than just looking at the nine knowledge areas,” says Chris Cartwright, Ericsson Australia manager of project management competence, who worked with PMI to help develop the project Manager Competency Development Framework. “While it is difficult to provide empirical data in this area I have found that it seems to be in line with the perceptions of the managers.”
Practice Makes Perfect
Lynda Bourne, PMP a principal consultant for Mosaic Project Services Pty Ltd., Melbourne, Australia, especially appreciates the hard work involved in perfecting emotional competencies. “If the traditional project management processes of developing a good schedule, a work breakdown structure and an earned value chart are considered hard,” she says, “then in my experience, the job of developing and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships at all levels, managing one’s emotions and optimizing the internal politics of major organizations to the benefit of the project is much harder.”
EI Step by step
●Be confident. You are the project manager, and it is your project. Take ownership. When you understand yourself, you will be able to lead with confidence.
●Try to understand you team members’ expectations, motivations, aspirations, and individual capabilities to perform the job well.
●Give right priority to the human side of the business. Do not rely on technology to do everything. Consider people the most important asset in your projects.
●Be empathic toward members. Try to understand and trust people. Show them you are there to help. Work closely with you team and show you support.
●Manage conflicts carefully. Do not react to situations before you understand them.
●Always be approachable. Talk to the team members regularly, listen to their problems and concerns and discuss their ideas.
●Motivate your project team members and help them get through difficult situations, while providing support and encouragement.
●Work on building better relationships with all stakeholders.
●Do not rely on technical training completely to achieve project success. Focus on human aspects of projects when you plan training and development sessions.
●Don’t trust the process too much. Be flexible to changes and be innovative.
Madhu Fernando is president and principal consultant with Innova Strategies, a management consultancy based in Melbourne, Australia.
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