Professional Development for Project Managers

Peter Taylor

VP Global PMO

Keynote speaker and coach Peter is the author of the number 1 bestselling project management book ‘The Lazy Project Manager,’ along with many other books.

He has built and led some of the largest PMOs in the world with organizations such as Siemens, IBM, UKG, and now Dayforce, where he is the VP Global PMO.

He has also delivered over 500 lectures worldwide in 26 countries and has been described as ‘perhaps the most entertaining and inspiring speaker in the project management world today.’

There was a time when you became a project manager (by intention or by accident) and combined learning on the job with a project management course (or two). Maybe you took a recognized certification (if you were keen) and were an official project management professional. Do all that, and you then have a job for life.

These days, it is not so easy. Why is that?

Here are two reasons why the project manager career path has become more complex:

• The impact of artificial intelligence
• Progression from manager to leader

The impact of artificial intelligence

It is impossible to avoid the rise of artificial intelligence in general. As a project manager, a thorough understanding and application of AI technology is now critical.

Pierre Le Manh, CEO and President of the Project Management Institute (PMI), states that AI will augment project managers’ abilities to make data-driven decisions, streamline communication, and enhance overall project success.

The current challenge is identifying good project manager training that supports this new skill set. Typically, project manager learning and development is on a slow-paced development path. With the speed of AI growth, such a slow-paced approach no longer works.

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Therefore, if anyone is seeking project management professional training that fits this rapidly evolving future core skill, then they need to be proactive and seek it out:

• Books cannot keep pace – my book ‘AI and the Project Manager’ challenges project managers to think about the impact of AI but many of the AI examples I used in the 2020 publication have been superseded.
• Quality online and in-person courses are rare (there are some for sure) – the ‘experts’ out there are often anything but real experts. Courses are ‘sold’ on the back of the AI wave, which lacks depth of content.
• Conferences and events can offer insights and learning – but such a learning opportunity is not a regular occurrence, and your needs may be more urgent.
• Networking with other professionals can undoubtedly add value.
• Self-experimentation is currently the most advantageous option – see what AI technology is in the market and test it out for your needs.

The key here is to future-proof your career and invest in your project management professional development by mastering AI in the project world.

Becoming a leader, not a manager

The second key area is the expected progression from that of a manager of projects to a leader of projects. Today’s project management skills must also include this ‘leadership’ aspect.

Successful project managers of today elevate their roles and responsibilities from task managers to strategic leaders. They focus on leadership, decision-making, and a long-term vision rather than just meeting deadlines and deliverables.

Part of this is driven by the growth in the project-based culture of organizations, and part is fed through opportunities offered by the digitally partnered world, where much more will be available to project managers.

By 2030, 80% of the work of today’s project management (PM) discipline will be eliminated as artificial intelligence (AI) takes on traditional PM functions such as data collection, tracking, and reporting. According to Gartner, Inc., this bold statement was made in the 2019 article ‘How AI Will Reinvent Program and Portfolio Management,’ while we are not exactly on track to be surpassed by that date, I believe it will come soon after.

The new focus on professional development

This places today’s ambitious project professionals in a place that demands two streams of new skills – AI and leadership.

The AI part has been addressed, but what of the leadership?

• There are numerous books on leadership and many inspiring presentations (such as TED talks) on the same topic.
• Many inspirational quotes on leadership and many leadership courses are offered through universities, colleges, and business schools.
• For the average aspirational project manager, the most accessible path to acquiring leadership skills is through mentorship.

Identifying someone who already demonstrates the leadership mentality (and it doesn’t have to be only in project-based activities) and willing to share their time and knowledge is the most valuable asset anyone can secure. It goes beyond simple project management training. You benefit from their wisdom gained through experience. It is about thinking, acting, and inspiring in a very different way.

The key here is that you invest your time in the development of skills that you will need to become a leader. This will offer the most lucrative and rewarding career progression and allow you to deliver maximum impact.

The days of essential project management ‘101’ style training providing the basis of a project management career of any depth or longevity are long gone.

Here’s to a bright leadership future in the digital project world.