How can you balance technical and interpersonal skills in IT project leadership?

1 Why are interpersonal skills important?

Technical skills alone are not enough to succeed in IT project leadership; interpersonal skills, such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence are also essential. These skills can help you to better understand the needs and expectations of your clients and stakeholders, build trust and rapport with your team members and other departments, manage conflicts and challenges that arise during the project, motivate and inspire your team to achieve the project goals, and provide feedback and recognition to your team and yourself.

2 How to improve your communication skills?

Communication is an essential interpersonal skill for IT project leadership. You must communicate effectively, concisely, and respectfully with various audiences, such as technical experts, non-technical users, senior managers, and external partners. To enhance your communication skills, you should use language and terminology that is suitable for each audience. Additionally, it is important to avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical details that may be confusing or off-putting. Furthermore, you should listen actively and empathetically to comprehend the perspectives and emotions of others. Asking open-ended questions and paraphrasing can help to verify understanding. Lastly, visual aids such as charts, diagrams, or screenshots can help to illustrate your points.

3 How to foster collaboration and teamwork?

Collaboration and teamwork are essential for IT project leadership, requiring you to work effectively with your team members and other departments to coordinate tasks, share information, and solve problems. To foster such cooperation, you should establish clear roles and responsibilities for everyone involved, set realistic and measurable goals and milestones for the project, use online tools like project management software, chat platforms, or video conferencing for communication, encourage feedback and suggestions from your team and other stakeholders, as well as celebrate successes and acknowledge contributions.

4 How to handle conflicts and challenges?

Conflicts and challenges are an unavoidable part of IT project leadership. Whether it’s technical issues, budget constraints, scope changes, or personality clashes, you need to be prepared to deal with them. To handle conflicts and challenges effectively, it’s important to identify their root causes and impacts. Involving the relevant parties and stakeholders in the discussion is also essential. In addition, use a respectful and constructive tone when talking to others, avoid blaming or criticizing them, and focus on finding solutions that benefit the project and the relationships. Finally, learn from the experience and apply the lessons to future projects.

5 How to motivate and inspire your team?

Motivation and inspiration are essential for IT project leadership. To ensure your team remains engaged, enthusiastic, and committed to the project, it's important to communicate the vision and purpose of the project, while providing autonomy and flexibility. Additionally, offering support and guidance to team members, recognizing and rewarding their efforts, and sharing your passion and enthusiasm for the project are all great ways to motivate and inspire them.

6 How to provide feedback and recognition to yourself and others?

Feedback and recognition are essential for IT project leadership, so it's important to give and receive feedback and recognition to yourself and others in order to improve performance, enhance skills, and boost morale. When providing feedback and recognition, use the SMART criteria to set and evaluate goals and outcomes. Additionally, the sandwich method is useful for delivering constructive feedback. The STAR method can be used to highlight achievements and successes. Appreciation and gratitude should also be expressed for contributions and efforts. Finally, seek feedback and recognition from your clients, managers, and peers to improve your skills and confidence.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?