In the fast-paced world of project management, technical competence and methodological know-how are undeniably important. Yet what often separates the good from the great project managers isn’t just certifications or Gantt charts — it’s how effectively they communicate, influence, adapt, resolve conflict and build relationships. This is where investing in soft skills can yield major dividends. In this article, we’ll explore why soft skills matter for project managers, what kinds of courses (such as those offered via STL Training in London) can help, and how you can apply the learnings to your role.
Why soft skills matter for project managers
Project management is inherently a human-centric discipline. You are coordinating people, stakeholders, resources, risks, changes and often conflicting priorities. Some of the key reasons soft skills are critical:
- Stakeholder communication – As the project manager you need to convey vision, status, changes and risks to a diverse group: senior executives, project team members, suppliers, clients. Clear and persuasive communication helps ensure everyone is aligned.
- Influence & negotiation – Projects rarely run perfectly to plan. You might need to negotiate scope adjustments, resource commitments, budget changes or schedule shifts. A project manager with strong negotiation skills is better positioned to secure favourable outcomes.
- Conflict resolution – Differences of opinion, misunderstandings and tensions are unavoidable. Being able to resolve conflict early and effectively prevents derailment.
- Leadership and motivation – Even if you are not a formal line-manager over all team members, you still lead. Inspiring a team, maintaining morale, getting buy-in for tasks and adapting style to individuals is a soft-skill set.
- Adaptability and resilience – Projects change. Risks materialise. Requirements evolve. A project manager who is adaptable and resilient will steer the work through turbulence with less friction.
- Time management and prioritisation – It’s not just about the tasks: it’s about deciding what matters, eliminating or delegating what doesn’t and keeping the project moving productively.
In short: being technically competent is the baseline. What elevates you in the role of project manager is how you use soft skills to navigate the people-, process- and change-aspects of a project.
What types of soft-skills courses are available
If you recognise the importance of soft skills, how do you go about enhancing them? One excellent resource is STL Training’s soft skills portfolio. Their London-based offering highlights what to look for. From the course page: they deliver “soft skills training in London or at your offices UK wide” and run workshops in areas such as Effective Communication Skills, Time Management, Negotiating Skills, Building Confidence & Assertiveness, and more.
Here are some typical course types relevant to project managers:
- Effective Communication Skills: Enhances clarity, active listening, presenting complex ideas simply.
- Negotiating & Influencing Skills: Focuses on the phases of negotiation, win-win approaches, dealing with tough conversations. (STL’s example covers terms like BATNA, ZOPA, etc.)
- Time Management & Prioritisation: Helps you manage your own workload and steer your project team toward effective use of time.
- Dealing with Difficult Conversations / Conflict Resolution: A key skill when issues arise amongst stakeholders or team members.
- Building Confidence & Assertiveness: Project managers must often push back, ask for resources, say ‘no’ or negotiate scope changes. Confidence and assertiveness help.
- Leadership Development / Managing Teams Remotely: With hybrid and remote work more prevalent, managing virtual teams or remote stakeholders demands adapted soft-skills.
- Change Management & Adaptability: While more process-type, these courses also emphasise the human side of change: how to engage, persuade and help teams move forward.
How soft-skills training enhances your role as a project manager
Let’s connect the dots between attending soft-skills courses and the improvements you might see in your project-manager role:
1. Improved stakeholder buy-in & alignment
With better communication and influencing skills, you’ll find it easier to gain early buy-in, manage expectations and align stakeholders around project goals. A course in effective communication can translate into clearer status reporting, more effective meetings and fewer misunderstandings.
2. More effective negotiations
When you understand the mechanics of negotiation (preparation, bargaining, closing) you’ll be more confident in dealing with vendors, clients, staff and internal teams. As STL’s materials show, concepts like BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement) are covered to deepen your practice. That means you’re less likely to go into a negotiation unprepared, less likely to concede too much and more likely to secure mutually beneficial agreements.
3. Better time and resource management
Soft-skills training in time management helps you, but also your team: you learn to prioritise the right work, manage interruptions and ensure resources are deployed effectively. For a project manager juggling multiple streams, this is vital.
4. Stronger team leadership and morale
Change, pressure and risk are the norm. A project manager with strong leadership soft skills will maintain team morale, foster collaboration and navigate change. Courses focusing on confidence, assertiveness and leadership equip you to lead under pressure.
5. Lower conflict and faster resolution
When issues arise (and they will), being adept at holding difficult conversations, understanding different perspectives and resolving conflicts means fewer delays and less disruption. That alone is a compelling reason to invest in soft-skills.
6. Enhanced adaptability to change
Projects often pivot: scope changes, new stakeholders appear, remote working conditions shift. Soft-skills training builds mental agility and resilience so you respond proactively, rather than reactively.
Why choose a provider like STL Training?
Using the example of STL Training’s soft skills courses in London and across the UK, there are several factors that make such an offering compelling:
- They have a large portfolio of soft skills courses (50+ topics) including those very relevant to project management.
- They deliver in flexible formats: face-to-face in London (Bloomsbury and Limehouse venues) or online or at your offices.
- Their training is practical and context-rich: they emphasise hands-on workshops, real-world experience of trainers and practical frameworks.
- The post-course support is significant (STL mentions up to “2 year post-course support”).
- Their testimonials and client base (large number of events scheduled, high recommendation rate) show credibility.
For a project manager, being trained by a provider that understands business context, emphasises real-work application, and offers flexible delivery modes makes uptake and application more likely.
Practical tips for applying soft skills learning to your project role
Here are some practical suggestions once you’ve attended a soft skills course:
- Reflect on specific situations: After the course, identify 1 – 2 real project situations you’ll handle differently (e.g., stakeholder meeting, contract negotiation, risk-conversation).
- Build an action-plan: Use the frameworks from the course (e.g., for negotiation: preparation, opening, bargaining, closing) and apply them to upcoming project interactions.
- Practice deliberately: Soft skills are not “learn once and done”. Find opportunities: volunteer to lead a status meeting, take on a difficult conversation, practise remote-team leadership.
- Seek feedback: Ask your team or stakeholders: “How did our meeting feel? Was it clear? Did you feel heard?” Use the input to refine your approach.
- Embed in your project processes: For example, insert a communication check at key milestones, build a negotiation readiness checklist before supplier contracts, schedule a conflict-scan review mid-project.
- Measure impact: Soft-skills improvements are sometimes less tangible, but you can still track metrics: stakeholder satisfaction scores, number of escalations, time spent in meetings, project schedule adherence improvements.
- Keep learning: Soft-skills training often comes in modules (communication, negotiation, influencing). Choose the next one based on your biggest challenge.
Addressing some common questions
But I already know how to communicate – why do I need a course?
Even experienced managers often fall into default patterns of communication or negotiation. A structured course surfaces blind-spots and gives fresh tools and frameworks that translate into better outcomes.
How long does the training take and how much will it cost?
For example, STL’s one-day workshops are typical for many soft skills topics; some deeper topics run two days. Price will vary by delivery format (public, in-house, online) and by group size. As with all training, to get ROI you need to apply afterwards.
Is it applicable to project management specifically?
Yes. While many soft skills courses are generic, the themes (communication, negotiation, team leadership, conflict) align strongly with project management challenges. You should look for courses that either have a project-context or can be tailored to your role.
Conclusion
In summary: yes, soft skills courses can significantly enhance your role as a project manager. While technical frameworks and methodologies (such as scheduling tools, risk registers, agile practices) remain essential, the human dimension of projects often dictates success or failure. By choosing a provider like STL Training and undertaking relevant soft-skills training in effective communication, negotiation, time-management, leadership and conflict resolution, you equip yourself with additional capabilities that allow you to lead more effectively, adapt better and deliver stronger outcomes.