Soft skills training is needed for success

Communication and non-technical skills are vital to business change project success

CIOs need to improve leadership skills for business change success

Nearly three-quarters of IT leaders say a lack of skills in their department is impeding change management projects.

A survey by user group CIO Connect found 64 per cent of IT managers had to change the people in charge of projects to ensure success.

CIO Connect managing director Nick Kirkland says specialised training in project management, leadership and communication skills is needed.

‘Putting communication skills, team building and inter-team communications first will make it happen,’ he said.

Birmingham City Council chief information officer Glyn Evans is retraining staff to improve skills.

‘We’re taking systems and business analysts and giving them the additional skills to support business change,’ he said.