TABLE OF CONTENTS One of the great ironies of project management is that project managers spend considerable time communicating. Yet, few can do so very well.
If project managers want to lead, not just manage, they must acquire and exercise good communication skills. This is a prime activity of an effective leader who expects to successfully complete a project involving the participation of other people. As John Gardner notes, two-way communication is an important ingredient in establishing and sustaining the relationship between leaders and followers. [1]
Leaders must not only establish good communication, but also sustain it. In People Skills, Robert Bolton agrees and acknowledges the importance of open, clear communication and says that when it deteriorates, it has negative consequences on the leader-followers. [2]
The job is not, however, getting done effectively. As Hersey and Blanchard observe, despite the fact that managers in general are doing so much, there seems to be so much room for improvement at the same time. [3] A report by the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters agrees, observing that improvement is needed in three areas: problem solving, communication, and teamwork. [4]
The importance of communication is substantiated in other research as well. For example, a survey of managers by Training magazine with The Center for Creative Leadership found that communication was the second most important leadership challenge. [5] Training and Development magazine identified ten skills that managers need to be a success, at least from a Human Resource manager's perspective. All contributed to...
