The methodology and practice of project management has come a long way since Henry Gantt first hit upon the notion of his legendary chart. Such is the level of theory and data centred on project management that we could be forgiven for thinking that we knew it all by now. And yet countless projects still inevitably fail. Even if project managers (PMs) are working strictly by the book and fulfilling all the technical tasks that the experts state they must that is no guarantee that the project will be an unqualified success.

So what is it that we still need to learn? A slightly altered method of time management? A flurry of new, experimental charts and measuring tools? A fresh way of looking at the crucial time versus budget issue?

The answer is none of the above. It is altogether more abstract and intangible and it is precisely for this reason that project managers the world over are scared of addressing it, let alone implementing it.

The answer is good interpersonal skills.

There is no clear cut manual to follow to achieve the ability of motivating and communicating effectively with colleagues and stakeholders. Certainly many books have been published on the issue and they do contain valuable information but such is the nature of interpersonal relationships that every one will be subtly different and it is a measure of how strong the project manager as to whether they will be able to adapt to each relationship in turn.

Key to the establishment of these working relationships is effective communication. Again there is a disparity here between what managers (senders) and colleagues (receivers) imagine good communication to be.

Merely telling somebody what to do is not effective communication because it assumes that the receiver understands implicitly what needs to be done. But just because the sender has a clear understanding of the task at hand does not necessarily mean that the receiver will and the true test of how strong a communicator the PM is comes from how they frame and explain the command so that that specific colleague will best grasp it.

The same goes for sharing the overall vision and expectations of the project. If the PM has not adequately communicated the expected arc of the project and outlined exactly what is required of each team member at any given time then they are leaving themselves wide open to misunderstandings, confusion and costly ambiguities.

Colleagues can then feel resentful if they are criticised for not fulfilling expectations when, in their eyes, they were doing precisely what was required of them whilst there is also the risk that the project will careen down a blind alley because nobody was sufficiently sure what the overall goal for the project was.

And whilst a clear leadership style is essential it is important to be able to adapt that style to particular individuals. Some people respond best to praise and encouragement whilst others need more 'tough love' motivation. Equally, different individuals understand different types of language better than others; some more hardened employees will thrive on corporate jargon whilst others prefer the facts spelt out in plain English.

There are no absolute golden rules to ensure effective communication within business but by acknowledging the importance of strong interpersonal skills in the workplace you are giving yourself an excellent chance of leading a successful project.