STARWEST 2004: Interpersonal Skills for Working with Business Stakeholders

As a professional test manager or test engineer, you must keep up with the latest test techniques, management practices, and systems technologies. But that is not enough. You also must interact with and, more importantly, learn to influence executive managers and other non-technical project stakeholders. Even today in many companies, testing and test management are not well understood, and their work is unappreciated by non-technical people. Now, it is time for you to take action and do more than simply "get along" in your organization. Join Robert Sabourin for a lively session on developing your hidden and interpersonal skills, including communication, persuasion, problem solving, and teamwork. Find out new ways to work harmoniously with non-technical people while getting your important testing job done efficiently and effectively.

• How to use individual differences and perspectives to your best advantage
• Ways to handle difficult and confrontational people
• Positioning and posturing your project, your team, and yourself for success