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In light of change forces operating today, DOTs need people with new and different skills than in the past. General leadership and management skills are key to upholding morale in the face of change, and to managing an increasingly diverse workforce. Greater workforce mobility in particular means that hard line management styles of the past will increasingly become a liability, as new staff seek more sympathetic management styles and mentoring relationships.

Both “hard” and “soft” skills will be needed to handle changes in technology and the shift from capital intensive work to a more operations focus.

  • Hard skills: project, contract, and vendor management; systems engineering; data analytics and data management skills; and understanding federal rules and regulations.
  • Soft skills: collaboration; communication, including cross-generational and cross-cultural communication; adaptability; and good interpersonal skills.

Mission critical capabilities:

  • The capability to create a learning culture
  • The capability to create a culture of innovation
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