“Power Skills in Project Management: A Lifelong Learning Journey” “The Power of Soft Skills in Project Management: A Focus on Empathy and Relationship Building in South Asia”

Discussion Forum Topic:
Each year, PMI publishes its Pulse of the Profession report.  It always includes fantastic insights into our PJM world.  For this week, we will explore your transition from MS in PJM and your continued role as a life-long learner.  Using the attached 2023 PMI Pulse of the Profession for background and context, what thoughts do you have re: the power skills and how organizations should focus more on soft skills and why.?  Given the information shared in the report, what opportunities are there for you to continue to learn to be effective as a project manager? 
respond to one other.  In your response, offer suggestions for how what has been learned can be extended as well as options to meet those shared opportunities.
Post 1:
The emphasis on power skills highlighted in the PMI Pulse of the Profession 2023 report resonates deeply with me as I embark on my journey into the professional realm with an MS in Project Management. While technical proficiency forms the foundation of project management, it’s evident that power skills play a pivotal role in driving success. Communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and strategic thinking, as identified in the report, are universally acknowledged as vital attributes across industries and regions.
The report’s revelation that organizations with a focus on power skills exhibit higher project management maturity and organizational agility underscores the significance of prioritizing these skills. However, it’s disheartening to note that despite the clear advantages, many organizations neglect to allocate resources toward developing these competencies.
As a recent graduate eager to excel in project management, this report serves as a call to action. It inspires me to continually refine my power skills, recognizing them as essential components of my professional toolkit. The PMI Talent Triangle, with its emphasis on power skills alongside technical expertise and business acumen, provides a structured approach to personal development (Bell, 2022).
Moreover, the report highlights opportunities for me to enhance my power skills through mentorship, team assessments, and various learning avenues. By actively engaging in these opportunities, I aim to strengthen my ability to collaborate effectively and drive successful project outcomes.
In summary, the PMI Pulse of the Profession 2023 report underscores the criticality of power skills in project management success. It urges both individuals and organizations to prioritize the development of these skills to thrive in an increasingly dynamic business landscape. As a young professional, I am committed to investing in my power skills, and I encourage organizations to recognize and nurture these competencies for sustained success.
Thank you, 
Sowmya Nayak
References:
Bell, M., (2022). What are the Three Components of the PMI Talent Triangle®? Retrieved on May 20, 2024, from, https://projectmanagementacademy.net/resources/blog/what-are-the-three-components-of-the-pmi-talent-triangle/Links to an external site.
Project Management Institute. (2023). Pulse of the Profession 2023: Power Skills, Redefining Project Success | 14th Edition.
Post 2:
The power skills or the soft skills mainly include communication, problem solving, strategic thinking and collaborative leadership. I think that power skills can only be learned by trial and error. And the best way to encourage someone to try it is by creating an environment for it which is by organizing workshops and luncheons. The stakes are really low when working internally and there is always a safe exit. But while working cross organizations the stakes might go higher and communication errors can affect the company’s reputation. The alignment of project objectives to the company’s long-term goals can only be verified by focusing on the soft skills. Although the technical skills are essential to tackle the technical problems, but recognizing the problems can only be obtained by interacting with the people and understanding their problems. It is not only about communication, but it is combination of the strategic thinking, problem solving skills and leadership which gives the most power. I believe someone cannot lead a project being an unknown to the topic meaning having zero information about the project. Confidence comes with understanding a particular topic and/or researching till a certain depth where one can teach the same topic to other in less time.
It is fascinating to see South Asia having the most critical power skills by region. Literally, double money and time is spent on developing technical skills than power skills which seems valid to me. Other soft skills include accountability, adaptability, discipline, empathy, future focused orientation, for -purpose orientation, relationship building and innovative mindset. Moving ahead I would focus more on empathy as I think it could bring out more information. Although it is barely making to the top 5 most critical skills, I think building long term relationships on a project to facilitate smooth work is essential. Maintaining the adequate balance between technical and power skills is the key, so my goal would be to learn both side by side. I believe doing the above mentioned things would make me an effective project manager.
Reference:
PMI. (2023). Pulse of the profession 2023:. Pulse of the Profession ® 2023: Power Skills, Redefining Project Success | 14th Edition Pulse of the Profession ® . https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pmi-pulse-of-the-profession-2023-report.pdf?v=7933da8f-304b-4fe3-a655-78dace54174a&rev=427949fcdb684485a020cc72ea219f32Links to an external site.