In this episode, hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome begin the discussion into the significance of emotional intelligence (EI) in project management that will span several upcoming episodes. They discuss why technical skills alone aren't enough to deliver exceptional project results and emphasize the importance of human factors like communication and relationship-building. Merv and Tim outline five important aspects of EI (though there are many more that could be considered): self-awareness, self-regulation (self-control), motivation, empathy, and social skills. The hosts explain how EI can enhance decision-making, conflict resolution, and stress management. They also introduce the plan for upcoming shows dedicated to each EI aspect, starting with self-awareness.

Main Take-Aways

Information Technology (IT) project management – and indeed the IT career path in general – stresses technical skills over the essential human factor skills. But project managers ignore the human factors at their own peril, particularly at this time when so many businesses are looking for employees that exhibit strong people skills and abilities to work more effectively and collaboratively with others.

 

That’s where emotional intelligence can help you as a project leader:

• to become self-aware as well as others focused
• to improve communication with teams and customers
• to enhance your relationships with teams and customers
• to improve your ability to handle conflict situations
• to make better decisions
• to have a stronger sense of improved customer service
• to manage stress more effectively

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: The Emotionally Agile Project Manager – An Introduction into the Importance of Emotional Intelligence for the Project Manager

 00:39 Introducing the topic of the importance of emotional intelligence in project leadership.

01:52 Merv and Tim provide a definition of emotional intelligence from their perspective as experienced project managers, both from self-awareness and others-focused viewpoints.

03:17 Why less experienced project managers (though this is sage advice also for highly experienced PMs) would want to improve their emotional intelligence skills.

04:42 An introductory summary of some of the extensive benefits of emotional intelligence in project management:

05:11      – improved communication with teams and customers

05:33      – stronger relationships with teams and customers

06:21      – improved ability to handle conflict situations

07:30      – better decision making

08:46      – stronger sense of improved customer service

09:47      – better stress management

10:27 An outline of how Merv and Tim will be segmenting various aspects of emotional intelligence for future podcasts to be able to delve deeper into the topic. The higher level of this breakdown will involve

·       self (self-awareness, self-control)

·       others (motivation, empathy, social skills)

18:05 Using emotional intelligence in an IT career to enhance your essential human factor skills, and to offset the emphasis on the technical aspects of IT project management.

19:53 A brief summary of the importance of emotional intelligence to conclude this episode.