--- title: "General management skills and project management" subject: "ICT Project Management" chapter: 2 key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:general-management-skill" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/general-management-skill site: BCT Engineering --- # General management skills and project management ICT Project Management · Chapter 2: Project Management Body of Knowledge - Asked in: year not given - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/general-management-skill - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-2 ## Question What do you mean by general management skill? How is it inter-related with project management? ## Short answer General management skills are broad abilities like leadership, communication, planning, organising, controlling, negotiating, problem solving and finance. Project management is a specialised form of management, so these skills support project processes and are needed to work with people, money and time. ## Answer **General management skills** are the broad management abilities used in running any business or organisation: leadership, communication, planning, organising, controlling, negotiating, problem solving, finance and influencing. The PMBOK treats them as supporting knowledge that sits alongside project management knowledge and application area knowledge. #### Main general management skills - **Leading**: set vision, motivate, inspire the team. - **Communicating**: exchange information clearly with all stakeholders. - **Negotiating and influencing**: reach agreements and persuade without formal authority. - **Problem solving**: define the problem, analyse and decide. - **Planning and organising**: set goals and arrange resources. - **Controlling / monitoring**: compare actual with plan and correct. - **Team building and conflict handling**. - **Finance and accounting, marketing, HR basics**. #### Relationship with project management ```text +---------------------------+ | General management | | +-------------------+ | | | Project management| | | | knowledge | | | +-------------------+ | | Application area (IT) | +---------------------------+ ``` - A project manager's technical knowledge is not enough; the project is carried out through people, money and time, which need general management. - Project management is a specialised form of management, so its processes (planning, monitoring, closing) apply general management ideas to temporary efforts. - Leadership and communication are used to align the sponsor, customer and team. - Financial skills are used for budgeting, cost control and ROI calculation. - Negotiating helps with vendors and with changes in scope. **Example:** A manager of an ICT project uses technical knowledge to judge a design, project management tools to prepare a Gantt chart, and general management skills to motivate a tired team and negotiate extra time with the client. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. General management skills are: A. Skills used only in IT B. Only technical coding skills C. Broad abilities used in running any organisation, such as leading, communicating, negotiating and problem solving D. Skills only for senior executives Answer: C. They are broad management abilities useful in any business. (Key point: Definition) 2. How is general management related to project management? A. They are unrelated B. Project management is a specialised form applying general management ideas to temporary efforts C. General management replaces project management D. Project management has no need for money skills Answer: B. Project processes such as planning and monitoring apply general management ideas to temporary efforts. (Key point: Relation to PM) 3. Why is a project manager's technical knowledge alone not enough? A. Technical knowledge is irrelevant B. Because projects have no technical content C. Because only the sponsor needs it D. Because projects are carried out through people, money and time that need general management Answer: D. Project work depends on managing people, funds and schedules. (Key point: Why technical knowledge is not enough) 4. Negotiating skill helps a project manager mainly with: A. Vendors and changes in scope B. Writing code C. Drawing network diagrams D. Testing Answer: A. Negotiation is used with vendors and over scope changes. (Key point: Use of negotiation) ## Related in ICT Project Management - [Essential interpersonal and managerial skills](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Ainterpersonal-managerial-skills) — ICT Project Management, chapter 2 - [Project management body of knowledge](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Adefine-pmbok) — ICT Project Management, chapter 2 - [Project portfolio management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aportfolio-management) — ICT Project Management, chapter 3 - [Define project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Adefine-project-management) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4 - [System view of project management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Asystem-view-three-parts) — ICT Project Management, chapter 5 - [Project management methodology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Apm-methodology) — ICT Project Management, chapter 7 ## Related in other subjects - [Levels of management and managerial skills](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Amanagement-levels-skills) — Organization and Management, chapter 2, asked 3× - [Managerial skills; importance of management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Amanagerial-skills-importance) — Organization and Management, chapter 2 - [ER diagram: employee, skill, machine](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Fdatabase_management_system%3Aer-employee-skill-machine) — Database Management System, chapter 2 - [Function of project management in Nepal](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Acpm-function-nepal) — Construction Management, chapter 1