Project Management Leadership and Interpersonal Skills: The Past, Present, and Future

The purpose of this research is to examine how interpersonal competencies have evolved in the project management profession and describe which additional skills will be needed in the future. Using an applied thematic analysis, the authors examined the past, present, and future of interpersonal skills in peer reviewed academic literature and project management textbooks. A gap analysis was used to compare the reviewed material vs. interpersonal competencies. This research concluded that project management interpersonal transferrable skills are the ones that will be most highly sought after into the future. The future of interpersonal skills will need to concentrate on those competencies that emphasize emotional intelligence, integrity, culture sensitivity, and interpersonal conflict. The academic value is that this research elaborates the interpersonal skills body of knowledge by categorizing skills as competencies. This offers a distinct viewpoint that can be used as a basis for future targeted and measurable interpersonal capability studies. The practical value is that by examining history provides a methodical mechanism to develop new knowledge and informed solutions to future problems. Examining concepts of longevity demonstrates competencies, which have stood the test of time, and therefore have been found to be of value for practitioners.