ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

ASSIGNMENT 1
Question 1

What is meant by the term interpersonal skills? Give some examples of

interpersonal skills, and explain why they are important.

DEFINITION:

Interpersonal skills also referred to as people skills or soft skills- have

to do with the way we interact with the other people.
Examples of Interpersonal skills are listed below:

1. Listening Skills - How we interpret both the verbal and non-verbal messages sent by
others.
a. It is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the
communication process.
b. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen
effectively messages are easily misunderstood communication breaks down and
the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.
2. Verbal Communication What we say and how we say it.
a. Clarity of speech, remaining calm and focused, being polite and following some
basic rules of etiquette will all aid the process of verbal communication.
b. In many interpersonal encounters, the first few minutes are extremely important
as first impressions have a significant impact on the success of further
communication.
3. Non-Verbal Communication - What we communicate without words, body language is an
example.
a. Non-verbal communications include facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the
voice, gestures displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical
distance between the communicators (proxemics).
b. Non-verbal signals can give clues and additional information and meaning over
and above spoken (verbal) communication.
4. Cooperation - Working with others to find a mutually agreeable outcome.
a. Negotiation is a method by which people settle differences. It is a process by
which compromise or agreement is reached while avoiding argument and dispute.
b. The point of negotiation is to try to reach agreements without causing future
barriers to communications.
5. Delicate Solving - Working with others to identify, define and solve problems.
a. Everybody can benefit from having good problem solving skills as we all
encounter problems on a daily basis; some of these problems are obviously more
severe or complex than others.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

b. It would be wonderful to have the ability to solve all problems efficiently and in a
timely fashion without difficulty, unfortunately there is no one way in which all
problems can be solved.
6. Decision Making Exploring and analyzing options to make sound decisions.
a. Decision Making is the act of choosing between two or more courses of action.
However, it must always be remembered that there may not always be a 'correct'
decision among the available choices.
b. People often find it hard to make decisions - inevitably we all have to make
decisions all the time, some are more important than others.
7. Boldness Communicating our values, ideas, beliefs, opinions, needs and wants freely.
a. Assertiveness means standing up for your personal rights - expressing thoughts,
feelings and beliefs in direct, honest and appropriate ways. By being assertive we
should always respect the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of other people.
b. Assertiveness enables an individual to act in their own best interests, to stand up
for themselves without undue anxiety, to express honest feelings comfortably and
to express personal rights without denying the rights of others.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

Q: 2 describe some ways a PM can make a project more fun and team
members more committed.

Define your idea evidently.

Make sure that vision of PM is provided as a roadmap for his employees, and that he
know each twist and turn.

Interconnect healthy.
PM should conducts training sessions, memos, newsletters, FAQs, and regular meetings
that can all be used to present his vision to his employees. He should make sure to ask
questions, and if they are confused, redesign the way the information reaches them.
Perhaps the most important part of a good PMs job is communicating effectively.
Creating a culture of communication in which managers and employees share common goals
and work together to meet them can boost a company up and even save it from the gutter.

Involve everyone.
A good PM figures out a way to get all of his employees engaged in planning and
decision-making. That way the project becomes their baby, something theyre willing to fight
for business everyone engaged. To do this, whenever possible, he asks for input and use their
ideas. This way, they have a vested interest in seeing the project succeed. This can not only
empower and motivate employees, it can also lead to new and more productive ways of
working that normally would be overlooked during more stable times.

Coach for success, and practice random acts of kindness.

Feedback is another great motivator. Dont wait for the periodic reviews instead, offer
feedback as often as possible. Positive feedback should be given right away, to encourage
more of the same performance. Negative feedback should also be given ASAP so that workers
have the opportunity to self-correct. If you can, schedule weekly meetings with individual
employees, to provide an opportunity to discuss ongoing projects and issues. These meetings
dont have to take a lot of time, and they can build strong working relationships. And dont
forget to say Thank you! for a job well done. Its a powerful motivator, and should be done
oftenin person if possible.

Trust and verify, but also try to make work fun.

Good PM pay attention to the big picture and the details, and care about both the
product and the employees. A good way to show that is be involved in the creation process,
and to pay attention to what is going on. And remember to do this with a smile on your face.
Lighten up! Making work fun really pays off, since people often get a lot more done when they
enjoy themselves.

Give special attention to high-potential employees.

Even in a tough economy, high-potential employees have other opportunities. According
to a study, during an economic crisis, employees who are anxious about their future can
negatively affect a company. The reason is simple and obvious, they are less engaged in their
jobs, and they may be making plans to leave. To keep them engaged, consider putting more
resources into career development and training.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

3
The following question is based on a recently completed group
project that you have been involved in. This project may have been a
student project, a work project, or an extracurricular project.
Describe what made the PM for that project effective or ineffective.
How could the PM have done a better job?

Upright PM are reliable; they are honest, can be relied upon, and tell the truth. They are
loyal, especially to the members of their team. PMs are helpful, pitching in to ensure progress
and working to build up favors with others against the inevitable need that they will need a
favor in return some time soon.
Potentials of effective PMs includes leadership by example, visionary, technically
competent, decisive, good communicator, good motivator, stands up to upper management
when necessary, supports team members, encourages new ideas. On other hand, Ineffective
PMs sets bad example, not self-assured, lacks technical expertise, poor communicator, and
poor motivator.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

Question 2:

i. Check out the Project Management Institutes home page at

www.pmi.org.
a. Review general information about PMI as well as membership
information.
b. See if there is a PMI chapter(s) in Pakistan.
c. Visit the link to the PMI chapter(s) in Pakistan and browse to see
their current activities.
c. Use the search function at the PMI home page to find information on
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). What are the major
knowledge areas of PMBOK?
d. Explore other links that PMI provides. What do these links tell you
about the nature and future of project management?
Prepare a summary of above (a-d).

INTRODUCTION:
Project Management Institute is the world's leading not-for-profit professional
membership association for the project, program and portfolio management profession.
Founded in 1969, PMI delivers value for more than 2.9 million professionals working in nearly
every country in the world through global advocacy, collaboration, education and research. PMI
advances careers, improves organizational success and further matures the profession of
project management through its globally recognized standards, certifications, resources, tools,
academic research, publications, professional development courses, and networking
opportunities.
MEMBERSHIP:
PMI membership signifies that youre serious about your project management career and
your professional development. It highlights this dedication to employers, colleagues and
stakeholders, giving you an edge in the job market. It also provides you with access to valuable
knowledge, networks and resources that help you improve and advance.
As a PMI member, you gain exclusive access to PMI publications and our global
standards, networking options with our chapters and online communities of practice, and
leadership and volunteer opportunities. Youll also receive discounts on certification exams
and renewals, as well as our professional development offerings.
It offers individual membership, student membership, and retiree membership.
Current Projects:

Construction Extension to the PMBOK Guide - Recently started an activity to update the

current Construction Extension.

Practice Standard for Requirements Management - PMI is in the process of developing a full
consensus, practice standard on the topic of requirements management.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

PM Competency Development Framework - Third Ed. - The goal of the PMCDF is to ensure
that PMI and its members, both individual and corporate, have support in the area of PM

competency development.
The PMCDF Third Edition is currently under development, with an expected publication
date in Q3 2015.

Current Projects in Pakistan:

Currently there are three chapters in Pakistan of PMI i.e. Karachi, Lahore, & Islamabad.
Planned Events of 2014 have been placed on website to show the upcoming workshops,
events at different places in Karachi chapter.

PMBOK GUIDE:

The PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition is the preeminent global standard for project management.
It provides PMs with the fundamental practices needed to achieve organizational results
and excellence in the practice of project management.
Like previous editions, this standard presents generally recognized good practices and
reflects continually evolving knowledge.
A 10th Knowledge Area has been added; Project Stakeholder Management expands upon
the importance of appropriately engaging project stakeholders in key decisions and

activities.
Project data information and information flow have been redefined to bring greater
consistency and be more aligned with the Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom

(DIKW) model used in the field of Knowledge Management.

Four new planning processes have been added: Plan Scope Management, Plan Schedule
Management, Plan Cost Management and Plan Stakeholder Management: These were
created to reinforce the concept that each of the subsidiary plans are integrated through
the overall project management plan.

ABDUL HANAN (CE-143) PMFT WEEKEND EM-504

ii. Search the web for Effective Project Leadership. Based on your
search, briefly describe some of the suggestions you found.

1. Motivate action.
Try to paint a vision of the future that inspires your people to do whatever it takes to get
there. The best leaders also clear away the organizational roadblocks that constrain
employees natural creativity and initiative, unleashing a tremendous amount of energy in the
process.
2. Be hopeful.
We all want to work with and for people who lift us up into the clouds instead of
dragging us down into the mud. Make sure to seek out the positives in your people, helping
them overcome their own feelings of self-doubt and spreading optimism throughout your
organization.
3. Have honesty.
Research shows that the top thing that employees want from their leaders is integrity.
Be honest, fair, candid and forthright, and treat everyone in the same way that you yourself
would want to be treated.
4. Support and facilitate your team.
For people to do their very best work, they need an organizational environment that
supports them by making it safe to take risks, to tell the truth, and to speak up ... without
being punished for doing so. Support your employees by creating this kind of environment, and
it will facilitate their progress toward attaining your organizations goals.
5. Sureness.
Highly effective leaders know deep down inside that they and their team can accomplish
anything they set their minds to. Failure is not an option. Tentative leaders make for tentative
employees. If youre confident, your people will be too.