PDU Code C011-082306

Earn 2 PDUs by attending the 2-part session:

'Essential Soft Skills for Project Managers' - Speaker: Don Gottwald

Presentation materials

Presentation Abstract

More and more organizations recognize that, in order to gain a competitive advantage, they also need to make sure their people know how to handle themselves at work and how to relate with their customers, peers, and project team members. Soft skills, such as empathy, optimism, self-awareness, communications (oral and written, as well as presentation), leadership, tactful and diplomatic negotiations, listening, emotional maturity, among others are in high demand. People possessing these vital competencies are an integral part of a progressive organization and have an almost unlimited career path available to them.

Soft skills are the underlying principles that trademark a company for professionalism and excellent customer service. In today's project environment, where stakeholders and clients are demanding more, instilling the use of soft skills in your project leaders and team members is something you simply can't survive without.

The presentation will cover:

• Definition of soft skills
• Integration of soft skills in the project environment
• How does one go about getting those soft skills
• Do you have to be born with them or can you acquire them?
• Steps for PM's to acquire essential soft skills
• Training suggestions
• Finally - next steps...... and a hands-on soft-skills exercise

Speaker Biography

Werner Don Gottwald, Ph.D., CCP, PMP

Professor, Business Information Technology

Walsh College

Dr. Gottwald has been with Walsh College since 1992 serving in a variety of positions, including department chair of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, Director of the M.S. in Business Information Technology, and currently Professor of Business Information technology and Project Management. He has held several IT management and technical positions in Health Care, Medical Insurance, Telecommunications, Automotive, Retail, and K-12. Dr. Gottwald earned his Ph.D. degree from Wayne State University and is Certified Computing Professional and Project Management Professional.

He has experience in Enterprise Resource Planning systems, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, Business Process Management, Technical Project Management and Leadership, and Network Architecture and Information Systems Security.