Project managers work with people to complete projects. However, project managers are usually not formally trained in human relationships. Many project managers come into the profession based on superb technical skills and excellent technical skills can hinder human relations on a project.

The way to address this deficiency is through a structured workshop where participants become aware of their own perspective on the world and realize how it differs from the perspective that other people have on the world. A non-threatening workshop is the most powerful vehicle to fully appreciate the different ways that we interpret our worlds.

As a leader in a professional association for project managers, you must schedule workshops that deliver pragmatic results to your attendees, if your association is going to survive. Too many professional associations offer workshops that are a pleasant alternative to a "day in the office", but have no practical benefits to attendees. Learning how to reduce conflict and improve relationships has great value to association members in their professional and personal lives.

When you are evaluating a presenter for a workshop to offer your association members, here are the criteria:

1. Is the speaker engaging, or will he merely read his PowerPoint slides to the audience? How can you find someone who has observed the speaker in action?

2. Is the speaker engaging, or will he merely read his PowerPoint slides to the audience? How can you find someone who has observed the speaker in action?

3. Is the speaker's content credible? Are there case studies substantiating the speaker's content and testimonials?

4. Has the speaker published articles and books on the topic? When you read the speaker's published work, are you impressed with the speaker's content?

5. Does the speaker have a track record of success in the field? A university professor might have credentials, but can he actually manage a project or engage an audience. Is his classroom budget the biggest project he ever managed?

6. Is the speaker walking her talk? If she is talking about human relationships, does she develop good relationships with you, as a leader of the association?

7. Is the content relevant to your audience? A workshop on Lean Six Sigma is not relevant to an organization that does not utilize Six Sigma.

Let us assume that you have decided to coordinate and present a workshop for your association members on "How to improve project outcomes by improving relationships and reducing conflict." In a nutshell, here is the content of a workshop that I provide on this topic, applying Relationship Awareness Theory.

1. Workshop participants complete a short questionnaire to identify their default perspective on the world. A key source of conflict between people is the fact that we don't realize that other people see a situation differently to the way we see it.

2.  Discuss the premises and background of Relationship Awareness Theory.

3. Understand that motivation changes when people go into conflict and that conflict can be reduced and in some cases avoided altogether, when you understand what is important to another person.

4. Acquire pointers to aid in communicating and complimenting people that you work with, using language and behaviors that they identify with. This improves relationships and ultimately improves project outcomes.

My workshops focus on helping audiences to apply their learning. Many times, we don't need more information. We need help to apply what we learn in workshops and conferences.