“Are You Cut Out to Be a Project Manager? Haitham El-kott’s Post Puts Your Skills to the Test”

A human skills self-assessment invites professionals to discover if they’re ready for leadership—or where they need to grow.

Introduction

“Do you have what it takes to lead a project successfully?”
This simple yet provocative question opened a thought-provoking LinkedIn post by Haitham El-kott, a seasoned trainer in project management and consultancy services. His post quickly turned into a mini-workshop on self-awareness, sparking conversations about leadership readiness and the true demands of managing projects.

Background & Context:

Haitham El-kott, known for his work in training and human skills development, posted a practical self-assessment designed for professionals aspiring to become project managers.
With companies increasingly seeking leaders who excel in soft skills as much as technical expertise, his post couldn’t have been more timely. His focus: understanding that project management is more about emotional intelligence, leadership, communication, and resilience than technical prowess alone.

Main Takeaways / Observations:

1. Leadership Is More Than Technical Knowledge

Haitham emphasized that project management demands a complex mix of human skills—communication, active listening, emotional intelligence, negotiation, conflict resolution, and decision-making.

2. Honest Self-Assessment is Crucial

Through a 52-question scale (rating oneself from 1 to 5), participants could map their capabilities across key traits essential for leadership. Rather than passing or failing, the goal was to gain a clearer picture of strengths and areas needing development.

3. Five Candid Levels of Readiness

Depending on their score, individuals fall into five categories:

• Not ready for project management

• Needs significant development

• Promising but still requires effort

• Well-prepared

• Highly qualified for leadership roles

4. The Power of Transparency

The real value lay in Haitham’s advice to answer honestly—not to impress others, but to understand oneself better and build a personalized roadmap for improvement.

Community Reaction:

The post sparked a wave of positive engagement, with commenters thanking Haitham for the clarity and depth of the test. Some shared personal reflections, like noticing how the test revealed hidden gaps or reaffirmed existing strengths. Others praised the honesty and realism behind the levels of readiness described.

One user humorously remarked on how the test challenges “black and white” thinking, acknowledging that leadership often operates in the “gray areas” of decision-making.

Our Perspective / Analysis:

From a business and legal leadership standpoint, Haitham’s post highlights an essential truth:
Contract management, stakeholder engagement, and crisis resolution all demand sharp human skills.
Even the best-drafted contracts fail without leaders who can navigate conflict, lead diverse teams, and adapt strategically.

This self-assessment could easily be adapted for use in leadership development programs, contract negotiation training, or onboarding evaluations in industries where project execution success hinges on more than technical deliverables.

Call to Reflection or Action (Closing):

If you’re aiming for leadership, are you as skilled in empathy, influence, and resilience as you are in planning and execution?
Haitham’s post reminds us that developing the “human side” of leadership is not optional—it’s the foundation for sustainable success.

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