Being able to manage a project is not always about technical ability. A project manager must be able to have what are often called soft skills. I would rather call them human relations skills. Projects are staffed by humans and so a project manager needs to be able to deal with humans. Probably the first of those skills is communication.
Project managers need to have strong communication skills. There communication skills include both oral and written communication. Project managers need to be able to talk to technical personnel and the to non technical personnel. They need to be able to explain the project to executives and to other stakeholders. Communication is a skill that will serve a project manager well throughout their career.
Human resources management is another area of human relations skills that a project manager needs to learn. There are many pitfalls that a project manager will find when navigating the maze that is employment law. There are the FLSA, ADA, EEO, FMLA, etc. All these laws might effect your project.
And there is human relations training that helps project managers and employees deal with each other. By recognizing the signs of workplace bullying, harassment, professional standards or other relationship issues, a project manager can help to nip these issues in the bud before they become lawsuits. This is an important thing to learn, because the project manager might have to give this type of training during a meeting or other gathering.
Lastly, there is performance and disciplinary counseling that has to be done, There is hiring and firing and knowing how these are done to limit the liability of yourself and the company. I can tell from experience, you always remember the first person you fire and it never gets easy...nor should it.
A project manager's human relations training never stops. These topics are always evolving, so these courses change every time they are taken. I suggest that project managers plan this training and make learning more a habit.
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