ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the extent to which ‘soft skills’, also known as human or ‘people skills’, can influence the performance and success of construction clients. It is predominantly focused around a research study conducted by H. Baban which investigated those critical skills required by construction clients, can have a positive influence on achieving successful project outcomes. The chapter focuses on determining the right balance of human skills compared with the technical skills that are perceived to be widely sought after and developed by construction clients. It aims to critical success factors for construction clients have been explored together with the project’s success criteria. The chapter explains the nature and the scale of the problem within the context of the ‘Skill Approach’ by Robert Katz. It explores aspects of human and soft skills within the context of personality, knowledge and skills that construction clients need to have if they were to succeed in achieving the goals and objectives of their projects.
