The Next Generation Project Manager

Are you tired being an average project manager, working on average projects, being passed over for promotion, and getting an average performance review? You need to understand something right now. Being a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), proficient in the PM knowledge areas and having successful projects under your belt, is not enough to be a top performing project manager. There are new challenges and expectations today that require every project manager to evolve to the next level. If you do not take action now, you will be left behind.

New Challenges

Think of all the challenges you face on a daily basis: Motivating teams who are harder to mould and direct than those in the past. Introducing new services more swiftly to keep up with competitors. Managing change in all its variations from new company regulations, methods, policies, etc. Managing higher customer expectations. Managing higher company expectations.

Being a project manager with a traditional "tyrannical management and control" management style does not succeed in this new business environment. This is one of the reasons why there have been so many project managers, from all industries, let go in the past three years. Business executives realised their traditional project managers were not adding value to the organisation. They could not meet new challenges and expectations. Traditional project managers are considered dead weight and on the endangered species list.

Meeting these challenges demands leadership. Why would you want to change your management style? Well, let's see. Who is the best motivator? A Leader. Who gets the greatest effort and most insightful thinking from people? A leader. Who always meets stiff challenges and goals? A leader. Who summons from people old-fashioned workplace virtues like loyalty, commitment, and on-the-job exuberance? A leader. Who gets promoted? A leader.

Traditional Project Manager vs. Leader

So why are there so few leaders? Many believe the traditional "tyrannical management and control" management style based on ordering people around, kicking butt, and taking names gets results quicker. This can work, but there is a huge negative impact to employee morale, team performance, and long term success.

Review the following list, A Leaders 13 Core Competencies, and see whether you are a traditional manager or leader. To keep your current project management position or advance your career, you need to understand the difference between the two and which leadership core competencies you will need to work on for future success.

A Leaders 13 Core Competencies

How To Become a Leader

Were you born a leader? Of course not. Can you be a leader? Yes.

Leaders are made rather than born. To be successful and meet the new business challenges, traditional project managers must concentrate on developing the 13 Leadership Core Competencies. Leadership training, mentoring, experience, and daily dedication to the core competencies will be the key to your success in the future.

To get started on your path to becoming a project management superhero, you need to take the first step.

The following is a list of my favourite project management and leadership web sites that will help you take the first step: www.ccl.org, www.pmi.org, and www.business.com.

My favourite leadership books include: "One Minute Manager," "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People," "Who Moved My Cheese," "Not Bosses But Leaders," "The Leader Manager - Guidelines for Action," "Enlightened Leadership," and "First Things First."

Good luck with your future success.

Dennis Sommer is a widely respected and world renowned authority on sales, business development and performance improvement. He is a leading adviser, author, and speaker providing clients with practical strategies that improve personal and organisation performance. Dennis can be reached at dennis@btrconline.com