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Training New Generations of Project Managers: Part II

Posted by [email protected] on Aug. 19, 2022  /  Announcement  /  Subscribe 0

In our last blog post about training new generations of project managers, we talked about the Strategic Project Leadership framework. To recap, SPL is all about viewing project managers as leaders.

This blog post will discuss how to train the next generation of project managers to be leaders.

Balancing Leadership with Technical Capability

It is vital to have a true leader leading the project management process. It is also important for this leader to have the technical abilities necessary to help execute projects.

Having technical skills can boost your credibility in the field, but ultimately leadership skills are required to follow through with a project and to encourage your team members to make appropriate decisions regarding the project. At the end of the day, it is important to gain the respect of your team members in order to bring a project to its finish line.

How to Help the Next Generation of Project Managers Develop Leadership Skills

There are many ways that you as an experienced project manager can guide the next generation of project managers. Here are some tips on how to guide the next generation to become leaders.

1. Teach negotiation skills: In order for the new generation to thrive as not only project managers but as leaders, it is critical for them to have negotiation skills. This is crucial in being able to manage opposing views within a project management team.
2. Teach communication skills: Interpersonal communication skills should not be underestimated. Teach the next generation about understanding their audience and best practices for communication.
3. Teach conflict resolution: Effective leaders can anticipate potential conflicts, as well as manage any that may come up unexpectedly. We must teach the next generation of project managers important conflict resolution skills, including taking conflict offline and maintaining composure.
4. Teach the ability to anticipate issues: Not only is it important to be able to handle conflict when it arises, it is also important to be able to anticipate conflict before it even happens. This is a true quality in a leader.
5. Teach the importance of perspective: Not only is it important to understand what is happening presently, it is also important to look ahead to the future. Let’s teach our next generation of project managers how to be forward-thinking in their work.
6. Teach the importance of understanding team dynamics: Knowing a team member’s strengths and weaknesses is critical to the success of a project.

What other advice do you have when it comes to training our next generation of project managers to be true leaders on their teams?

To learn more about training the next generation of project managers, be sure to visit this article from Harvard.

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