Communication skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the most important skills to communicate effective in the management of a project. Communication is not an area of Project Management, but only an element. Communication is actually the crucial element that links the elements together and is the golden thread in project management. The Methodology was a research questionnaire circulated by the department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management of the University of the Free State, to a convenient group of clients, construction project managers, architects, contractors, engineers and quantity surveyors. The focus of the questionnaire was on the communication skills, of a project manager in terms of importance to the successful management of projects. The results of the survey were compiled and analysed. The findings/results from this research illustrate that which skills are important for communication of management of building projects. Problems are experiences and skills that lack the most, were indicated in the research. The practical implication of this provisional study may be in respect of understanding the communication skill that is the most important for the building industry. It may indicate to developers and construction companies that they should give more attention to the development of project managers' communication skills and with the continuous training of project managers, the construction industry as a whole will benefit and improve the outcome of projects.