The (not so) Soft Side of Project Management

I’ve never liked the term “soft skills.” The ability of a leader to successfully build and manage a unique relationship to achieve a shared goal takes practice, training, and plenty of patience. It can be very hard to accomplish. Those who believe “soft” refers to personal attributes that cannot be tracked with metrics may not be aware of the quantitative assessment a stakeholder analysis provides when properly done.

In short, there’s nothing “soft” about proactively starting and then managing a relationship with someone new in our lives. It can be difficult, unpredictable, and uncomfortable. Just ask someone in recruitment, HR, or any client facing role. The same is true for PMs. Building relationships with new project team members requires strength, courage, communication skills, and, yes, even metrics. A PM can write a thorough project charter, the most accurate timeline, and the most detailed risk mitigation plan. But, if no one on the team trusts the PM, those deliverables will not contribute to project success.

Projects will encounter unexpected shifts in scope, requirements, resources, and stakeholder needs. Effectively managing these changes through team relationships (aka change management) becomes paramount for the PM and project success. Change management is key for teams to mitigate risks, enhance stakeholder satisfaction, and ensure project outcomes align with organizational objectives.

The Nature of Change in Project Management

Change is inherent in the lifecycle of any project. The terms “scope creep,” “updated financials,” and “revised timeline” are all common to PMs as changes are incorporated into project plans. Whether driven by internal factors like evolving business priorities or external ones such as new regulatory requirements, projects and their PMs must adapt to changing circumstances to remain relevant and successful. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), 58% of organizations identify managing change effectively as a high priority to achieve business goals (“Pulse of the Profession,” PMI, 2020). The recognition of change highlights it as a challenge project managers must address.

Mitigating Risks and Uncertainties

Effective change management must be a proactive approach to mitigate risks and uncertainties during the project lifecycle. Led by the PM, team members brainstorm, discuss, and begin anticipating potential threats or opportunities to the project. The PM’s soft relationship skills create an environment of trust and cooperation, which the team requires to successfully minimize disruptions to their timelines, budgets, and deliverables. To reinforce this, a study published in the International Journal of Project Management found that organizations with well-established change management processes experience higher project success rates and lower instances of cost overruns and delays (Shah & Bhatti, 2016). Thus, integrating change management into project management methodologies is vital to team-oriented risk management practices.

Enhancing Stakeholder Satisfaction

It can be argued that stakeholder satisfaction is the most critical measure of project success. Accurate or not, stakeholders, including project decision-makers, can decide whether projects succeed or fail based on their opinions. Effective change management plays a pivotal role in meeting stakeholder expectations, which helps ground their opinions in project success criteria. Projects create change, and, therefore, by engaging stakeholders early in the change process, soliciting their feedback, and addressing their concerns, project managers can foster a sense of alignment among the stakeholders. They will understand their role in project success, feel committed to the project, and strive to achieve its success. Research by McKinsey & Company highlights the correlation between stakeholder engagement and project success, with engaged stakeholders significantly more likely to support and champion project initiatives (McKinsey & Company, 2015). When PMs incorporate change management principles and metrics, they cultivate positive relationships with stakeholders, maintaining their support throughout the project.

Aligning Project Outcomes with Organizational Objectives

Projects add value because they are aligned to larger organizational objectives. However, without effective change management, projects can easily deviate from strategic goals and priorities. Many of us have managed projects that begin with one set of goals and deliverables but evolve to a different set during the project. With change management, the PM ensures project outcomes remain aligned with organizational objectives by facilitating clear communication, managing expectations, and resolving competing priorities. A report by Prosci indicates that organizations with a structured approach to change management are more likely to meet or exceed project objectives and realize anticipated benefits (“Best Practices in Change Management,” Prosci, 2018). What is highlighted here is the strategy to develop relationships is in place before the project team is even assembled.

Conclusion

Successful PMs understand change management is relationship management. It is not merely a style or type of project management methodology. It is building trust one relationship at a time. By integrating change management principles into project management practices, PMs can effectively navigate uncertainties, enhance stakeholder satisfaction, and align project outcomes with strategic objectives. As projects continue to increase in complexity and volatility, prioritizing change management is essential for fostering resilience, innovation, and sustainable growth. Ask any CEO, and they’ll tell you there’s nothing “soft” about that.

References

“Pulse of the Profession.” Project Management Institute, 2020.
Shah, S.A., & Bhatti, T. (2016). Change management practices and project success in Pakistan: A mediation analysis. International Journal of Project Management, 34(7), 1119-1133.
McKinsey & Company. (2015). Delivering large-scale IT projects on time, on budget, and value. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/delivering-large-scale-it-projects-on-time-on-budget-and-on-value
“Best Practices in Change Management.” Prosci, 2018.