Lists – Why you need to create more than 1

In project management, intangible skills are the subtle yet powerful skills that influence your project outcomes, team dynamics, and stakeholder relationships. These skills—often difficult to measure or quantify—are crucial both in business and in personal interactions.

While they may not have direct metrics, intangible skills often appear in feedback or performance reviews, and future employers will look for evidence of them on your resume.

For project managers, developing and showcasing these abilities is essential.

Intangible skills include interpersonal and creative skills. The best way to start to improve your intangible skills is to create lists.

Don’t know where to start?  Create a list.  Do you have a goal, a dream, a huge project and don’t know where to start?  Think about your intangible skills to help you brainstorm. Brainstorm your top ten ideas, thoughts, goals, and outcomes.  

Visualize Success

Picture where you want to be in 5 or 10 years and set goals that align with that vision.

Get them out of your head and onto paper.  Organize them by goal (or due) date.   

Dream big.  Write down your dreams.  Look at them every day.

“God calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans. 4:17).  This refers to the fact that God can speak of things that do not exist yet, as if they do exist.  His Word never returns void but accomplishes that to which he sent it to do.

But first, here are 2 skills you can think about improving:

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills focus on how you interact and build relationships with people across your organization. As a project manager, you’ll collaborate with team members, supervisors, stakeholders, and sometimes even external clients. Scanning your organization’s chart can give you an idea of the range of these interactions, which often reach every department and function.

EXAMPLE:  In my previous roles as a public servant, communication was key to my success. My responsibilities included talking with the public, team members, and other departments to keep them informed and aligned with project goals. Even though “communication” was not a formal metric in my performance evaluation, its impact was visible in my ability to drive projects to completion and build trust with stakeholders.

Now, you do this

One practical way to foster strong interpersonal connections is to maintain an open-door policy, regardless of your official position. By creating a space where team members can openly discuss their concerns or seek advice, you can help resolve conflicts before they escalate and mentor others toward solutions.

EXAMPLE:  I set a rule for my team: if they came to me with a complaint, they also needed to bring potential solutions. This approach encouraged proactive problem-solving and saved valuable time.

Creative Skills

Creativity in project management goes beyond generating ideas; it’s about cultivating an innovative culture and encouraging your team to look for solutions that improve processes or solve specific project challenges. Often, people have ideas about how to make their work easier but are hesitant to share them. As a project manager, inviting their input can lead to significant improvements.

Example: In one case (also in a past role), I noticed that the senior administrative assistants’ team was struggling with compiling monthly departmental achievements. This report was critical as it was requested by top management.  It was also time-consuming and inefficient, taking about five full days each month. After hearing their complaints, I used my intangible skills, bravery and confidence, and scheduled a meeting to outline challenges they faced and talked about potential solutions.

Leveraging my expertise as an MS Excel superuser, I created a multi-sheet Excel workbook with automated formulas and clear formatting that streamlined data collection and presentation. This tool reduced the time required for the process from five days to just one, with minimal training needed. By taking the time to understand the team’s needs, experimenting with solutions, and collaborating on an innovative approach, I delivered a product that was highly valued by both my team and upper management.

Now, you do this

Be brave.  Take it to the next level and add confidence.  Show your skills to others and act on them.  These actions will position you as a proactive problem-solver who brings tangible improvements to your projects.

Don’t know where to start?

Create a list. 

Do you have a goal, a dream, a huge project and don’t know where to start?  Think about your intangible skills to help you brainstorm. Brainstorm your top ten ideas, thoughts, goals, and outcomes.