This part of the book is dedicated to presenting the primary project management skill sets you need in order to lead the several levels of projects that exist. It is assumed you already have the technical skills to either perform the technical task or appreciate and understand all the disciplines necessary to accomplish the technical task.

As stated in the preface, the first element of the success formula is knowledge. Knowledge is achieved in a three-step process: awareness, training, and education. Awareness is: What you need to do. Training is: How to do it. Education is: Why you need to do it.

This part of the book will create the awareness of the subject areas you need in order to perform at the various levels of project and program management. Once awareness is achieved, I direct you to the training that will support the early levels of the skill set needs. Chapter 7 in Part III will introduce expanded training and education in all these areas.

Part II is presented in two chapters. Chapter 5 addresses acquiring preparatory skills—that is, those skills every project manager needs at every level of performance. Preparatory skills are divided into two groups: Personal Skills and Company/Customer/Industry Skills. Chapter 6 addresses the subject area needs of the five skill groups that comprise the project and program management fields. Reading through this part of the book, you may ask: Who has time to read all these books or to attend all these seminars? My answer is that you need to make time. On long coast-to-coast flights or while waiting for your plane to load are good opportunities for reading. A boring evening in the hotel room is another good opportunity. Reading at lunch has a double return—you can gain some knowledge and lose some weight at the same time. Personally, I have two stacks of books that I call the “Takers” and the “Leavers.” Size dictates which pile a book ends up in. The “Takers” I take on trips. Reading time is pretty much up to you, so you need to work it into your schedule. Seminars are pretty much up to the company. You need to take the seminars offered as standard fare by the company and then expand your horizons by requesting to attend the applicable ones recommended by this book or others you come across in your own research.