Power Skills: The Human Edge in Project & Program Management
There is more to project and program management than just following a process. Success is not just about delivering on time and budget; it's about inspiring your team, navigating complexity with confidence, and creating work that matters.
Why This Book Matters?
In a world obsessed with certifications, methodologies, and the next big tool, a crucial truth is often overlooked: projects don’t succeed because of perfect processes; they succeed because of people.
Project management is more than a project charter, Gantt Chart, and risk register. Those tools matter, but they don’t deliver what matters on their own. What truly makes the difference is how you lead people, handle challenges, and bring clarity to complexity. In other words: your power skills.
These human skills turn plans into impact. They help you align people when perspectives clash, communicate in ways that inspire action, and guide teams through the uncertainty every project/program brings. While processes and tools can be copied, how you lead, influence, and connect with people is unique and that is what gives you the edge.
“‘Power Skills: The Human Edge in Project & Program Management’ is a timely and essential guide for professionals navigating the complexities of the project economy. Raquel Horta brilliantly reframes human capabilities - not as soft skills, but as the real engine of leadership, impact, and sustainable success. With practical tools, deep insight, and a values-driven approach, this book equips modern project leaders to inspire, adapt, and thrive - a must-read for anyone serious about elevating their practice in today’s dynamic landscape.”
Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez
Author HBR Powered by Projects, PMI Past Chair
“What I love most about Power Skills is that it recognizes something experienced PMs learn the hard way: your tools and processes will only take you so far. Real leadership lives in how you show up: how you listen, respond, guide, and adapt. This book gives PMs language, structure, and practical steps for building those capabilities with intention. It’s honest, applicable, and deeply human.”
Brett Harned
Author of Project Management for Humans: Helping People Get Things Done
“Reading Power Skills felt like having a heart-to-heart with a wise friend who truly understands what leading people means. Raquel doesn’t just teach concepts - she opens a window into how leadership really happens: in the way we think, listen, adapt, and inspire. She reminds us that projects don’t move because of perfect processes; they move because of people with purpose. What makes this book special is how she blends structure and soul. Raquel shows us that success isn’t born from isolated strengths, but from integration: Critical thinking without creativity becomes rigidity. Creativity without resilience fades into fragile ideas. Resilience without resourcefulness turns into stubbornness. Resourcefulness without decisiveness leads to endless improvisation. But when these qualities unite, we find the kind of calm, grounded leadership that navigates uncertainty with clarity and heart. Power Skills are beautifully human. It’s smart, sincere, and deeply practical - a book that reminds us that leadership is not about hierarchy, but about presence, empathy, and courage. It will inspire you to lead with more intention, more confidence, and more joy.”
Rocío Briceño López
Author of The Practice Guide for Enterprise Agility, Consultant, Speaker, and Expert in Transformational Leadership
“After many years of working on projects, I couldn’t agree more with what Raquel Horta expresses in ‘Power Skills: The Human Edge in Project & Program Management.’ This book perfectly captures what truly distinguishes exceptional project and program managers: not only their technical expertise, but also their ability to lead with humanity, authenticity, and purpose. Raquel explores the fundamental capabilities that define impactful leadership: creative problem-solving, effective communication, authentic leadership, strategic thinking, and a growth mindset, including real stories, thoughtful insights, and practical tools. The final section, ‘Reflect and Elevate,’ invites readers to pause, assess their growth, and consciously integrate these lessons into their leadership journey. It turns reading into reflection, and reflection into transformation: a powerful reminder that leadership is not a title, but a lifelong practice of self-knowledge and evolution. ‘Power Skills’ is an inspiring, practical, and deeply humane book that every project and program manager should always have at hand. It's not just a book to read, but one to live and apply.”
Cecilia Boggi
Author of Inducción a la Gestión Ágil de Proyectos and Inducción a la Dirección de Proyectos, International Consultant, Trainer and Speaker, Executive Director at activePMO
Get Your Copy
Currently available on Amazon in Paperback (US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, PL, SE, BE, IE, JP, CA, AU) and Kindle eBook (US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, IN) formats.
If you would like a copy in a different format, please contact me and let me know. I will be happy to help.
Preface
I’ve led countless projects and programs across industries, countries, and cultures, everything from cross-functional initiatives to massive global programs. I’ve seen it all or so I thought...
Since I started my career, the world hasn’t just changed; it’s accelerated. Complexity, uncertainty, and disruption are no longer occasional challenges; they are the new normal. As the world evolves, so does project management. I have lived through multiple “revolutions”: the 2000-year panic, the explosion of email, the rise of the internet, storage in the cloud, and now, AI reshaping everything we do. Each time, project managers rush to certifications and frameworks to prove how much they know.
What really makes a project or program manager stand out isn’t the number of courses you have taken or badges on your wall. It is what you do with your experience, how you lead people, how you think strategically, and how you turn uncertainty into opportunity. This book is not about certifications or methodologies. It is about what actually works in the real world - the skills, the mindset, and the choices that separate good project managers from truly outstanding ones.
Don’t get me wrong, certifications matter. Frameworks, methodologies, and credentials are useful tools. They validate knowledge, teach structure, and give us a common language, but most of the time, we put them on a pedestal they don’t deserve. They can’t teach you how to lead a team through chaos, how to influence stakeholders (who don’t care about your methodology), or how to make the impossible happen under pressure.
I have more certifications than I usually share on LinkedIn or on my CV (PMP, PgMP, Scrum Master, and some more letters that I could use for a game of Scrabble). They helped me consolidate my knowledge and gave me a strong foundation, but let me be blunt: the technical skills - the ones everyone obsesses over - don’t make you thrive. They don’t make you exceptional.
If you are looking for a guide on “how to pass an exam” or “check the right boxes”, you are in the wrong place, but if you want to understand what it really takes to influence, lead, and deliver in today’s complex world, then read on.
— Raquel Horta
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