This paper summarizes the results of a personal self-assessment focused on project management and leadership skills development. Drawing on both self-evaluation and peer-based feedback, the author identifies innate strengths — including communication, honesty, and adaptability in the face of knowledge gaps — alongside key areas for improvement such as management experience and technology knowledge. The paper highlights the value of structured self-assessment tools and 360-degree feedback as objective frameworks for professional growth. It concludes that continuous, long-term development guided by honest appraisal is essential for building a successful career in project management.
Using a self-assessment to determine innate and emerging strengths in the area of project management provides insights not easily obtained any other way. It is difficult for anyone to accurately and objectively assess their own strengths and weaknesses, which makes the self-assessment framework particularly valuable as a means of measuring one's abilities. An innate strength of any effective leader is the continual development of their Emotional Intelligence (EI), including an understanding of their innate strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement (Nicholas & Hidding, 2010). The assessment provided these insights and established a foundation for future leadership development through the continual addressing of weaknesses and the fine-tuning of strengths.
The experience of completing the assessment was insightful and very positive in that it offered valuable guidance on areas of weakness that need to be addressed, while also surfacing unexpected areas of strength. The assessment provided a roadmap for continual management and leadership skills development and offered guidance on how to balance the current level of experience as well. The most valuable aspect of the assessment is the long-term perspective it compels one to take in terms of development — an orientation that is also highly beneficial from a career development standpoint.
Peer-based feedback is equally invaluable in creating an effective long-term leadership development strategy. It is common for managers and leaders to presume that their intentions, actions, and words are delivered with clarity and complete fidelity, yet in the majority of cases this is not so (Roy, Bernier, & Danis, 2010). Periodic peer reviews help bridge the gap between intention and perceived action. The most effective strategies for improving project management and leadership abilities are predicated on 360-degree feedback that includes candid assessments from peers as well (Roy, Bernier, & Danis, 2010). Table 1: Analysis of Skills presents the results of the survey.
Table 1: Analysis of Skills
My areas of innate strength were rated higher by peers than by myself. These areas included the "Ability to recognize what you don't know and figure out how to get it." This assessment is very accurate, as I will often quickly admit to not having a complete understanding of an area and will immediately immerse myself in it in order to develop expertise. In the personal traits areas of "Communication Skills" and "Personal Traits: Honest/Tactful," these qualities rank in the A range in terms of leadership importance.
"Management experience and technology knowledge gaps"
"Assessment validates strengths and improvement priorities"
"Academic sources on IT project management leadership"
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