Negotiation in Project Management part 1

Summary

The script from a training session highlights the importance of negotiation skills in project management, emphasizing the need for effective communication with stakeholders. It introduces emotional intelligence (EQ) as a crucial competency for project managers, suggesting it's more significant than technical knowledge for leadership success. The session uses the movie 'Inside Out' to illustrate emotional intelligence in action, showing its impact on interpersonal dynamics and the importance of recognizing and managing emotions in professional settings.

Takeaways

• 🙌 The speaker expresses gratitude to various teams and individuals, including the Institute of Maintenance and Michael, for their contributions to the event.
• 🍽 Mention is made of lunch provisions being available after the session, indicating that the event is well-organized and considers attendees' needs.
• 📚 The speaker introduces Si Si, who is conducting training courses and is a senior trainer at the School of Management, highlighting the expertise that will be shared during the event.
• 🤝 The importance of negotiation skills is emphasized, not just for project management but also for personal and business contexts.
• 🌟 The speaker uses a relatable example of a child negotiating with their parent over eating vegetables to illustrate the universality and early emergence of negotiation skills.
• 📈 A report by PMI in 2013 is cited, which identifies effective communication with stakeholders as the most crucial success factor in project management.
• 📚 The PMBOK's fifth edition introduced a new knowledge area of stakeholder management, showing the growing recognition of its importance in project management.
• 🤝 The speaker points out that managing stakeholders is a key challenge for project managers, often cited as one of the top five difficulties.
• 👥 Stakeholders often have different agendas and priorities, which complicates the project manager's role in coordinating and negotiating with them.
• 💡 The necessity of negotiation skills for project managers is underscored, as they must influence stakeholders without direct authority over them.
• 🧠 Emotional intelligence (EQ) is highlighted as a critical competency for negotiators, with Daniel Goleman's research suggesting it is twice as important as technical knowledge for leadership success.
• 🌟 The speaker breaks down emotional intelligence into competencies such as self-awareness, interpersonal skills, adaptability, stress management, and mood, which are all skills that can be developed.
• 🎬 A trailer from the movie 'Inside Out' is used as an example to illustrate the concept of emotional intelligence and its impact on interpersonal interactions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the session described in the transcript?

The main topic of the session is negotiation skills, particularly in the context of project management.

Why is negotiation considered a critical skill for project managers?

Negotiation is critical for project managers because they often need to work with stakeholders who do not report to them and may have different agendas or priorities.

What does the speaker suggest is innate in people from a young age?

The speaker suggests that the ability to negotiate is innate in people, as it starts manifesting at a very young age, such as in the example of a child negotiating to eat vegetables.

What is the significance of the PMI report mentioned in the transcript?

The PMI report highlights that effective communication with all stakeholders is the most crucial success factor in project management.

What adjustment did the PMBOK make in its fifth edition regarding stakeholder management?

The PMBOK introduced a new knowledge area of project management stakeholder management in its fifth edition, emphasizing the importance of engaging stakeholders.

Why is managing stakeholders difficult for project managers?

Managing stakeholders is difficult because project managers often lack authority over them, yet they need their cooperation to successfully implement projects.

What is emotional intelligence (EQ) and why is it important in leadership and project management?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own and others' emotions. It is important in leadership and project management because it helps in building effective relationships, adapting to change, and managing stress.

Who is Daniel Goleman and what is his contribution to the concept of emotional intelligence?

Daniel Goleman is an author and psychologist who popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. He conducted research showing that EQ is twice as important as technical knowledge or ability in leadership success.

What are some of the competencies that Daniel Goleman identified as part of emotional intelligence?

Daniel Goleman identified competencies such as self-awareness, interpersonal skills, adaptability, realistic problem-solving, and stress management as part of emotional intelligence.

How does the movie 'Inside Out' relate to the concept of emotional intelligence?

The movie 'Inside Out' personifies a person's emotions, providing a visual representation of how emotions work inside a person's head, which is relevant to understanding emotional intelligence.

What is the role of emotional intelligence in the workplace, particularly for project managers?

Emotional intelligence in the workplace helps project managers to effectively communicate, empathize with stakeholders, manage conflicts, and lead teams, contributing to better project outcomes.