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In today’s newsletter we will be exploring a question commonly asked:

What does it take to develop into a great project manager?

Both new and experienced project professionals rightly want to get a better understanding of their potential career trajectory. And how best they can effectively progress from where they are currently, to to where they want to be.

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules, there are industry indicators, which can provide some level of guidance, as to what an individual might expect. The chart below shows a common progression route from a junior project role to the highest industry position.

Prospects for those within the project management sector remains positive and according to a report from the Project Management Institute, “Demand over the next 10 years for project managers is growing faster than demand for workers in other occupations.” The report anticipates that there will be almost 214,000 new project management-related jobs per year in the United States. _.

However, ensuring progression through the sector is less easy to predict. And is all the more complex when individuals are faced with the myriad of options of further qualifications, skill specific training and developing on-the-job experience in the field.

Despite there appearing to be an explicit career path for individuals to follow, this is rarely the reality in practice. And many within the profession are often frustrated by the length of time that it can take to progress through the ranks.

Individuals are often unclear on how to navigate through profession hierarchies or have hit a career ceiling within their career path.

Project managers face the challenge of having to balance the need for gaining varied project experience, increasing their technical knowledge, and identifying opportunities to increase overall responsibility for delivery outputs. Successfully achieving all of these goals is essential to enabling promotion and career progression.

Several development frameworks have been created to support professional development, and bring transparency to what is required in terms of both effort and time.

Some of these structured frameworks have a formal opportunity for recognied accreditation, whilst others are more informal and can be actioned directly by the individual.

If you are a project manager working within a mature project organization, it is likely that there will be some form of a career map. But for those in less defined roles, working as a freelance professional or based in a less mature project firm, a clear development path from one level to the next may not be available.

The recently published research by the APM is a great place to start if you do not currently have access to a formal career guidance pathway.

But what can an individual do to improve their chances of moving through the PM ranks and avoiding career atrophy?

Through my role as a mentor and coach I have sought to implement a simple 5-step approach to career progression. I refer to them as the core principles for growth.

📌 Continuous Improvement - Be hungry to take on new challenges and see everyday as an opportunity to learn. Consider applying 70-20-10 learning.

📌 Network, network, network - Develop your network both within your industry, but importantly with others outside your sector.

📌 Information - Embrace technology, tools, procedures, delivery frameworks and methodologies to support efficient and productive project delivery and decision making. Make effective use of project lessons, harnessing best practice and common operating procedures.

📌Communication - Develop your abilities to communicate effectively. And get comfortable doing this through all mediums. Your confidence to deliver your message in a formal meeting, should be as effective as when talking to a subordinate, peer or senior. Communication is the most effective way to demonstrate competence.

📌 People - And finally to recognise that people are both your great asset and one of the biggest risk for success for any given project, and to leverage and mitigate accordingly. Develop yourself but also your team around you. Ensure that you do not neglect the importance of gaining soft skills. This is inextricably linked to the development of technical skills.

I decided to embark on a mini-experiment to reach out to project managers in my network to ask them: What does it take to be a great project manager?

Here were my 3 favorite pieces of advice:

Act the Part and Appreciate Others:

“While dressing professionally is important for influencing others, it is equally important to act professionally. This means maintaining professionalism in your interactions with colleagues, even if they are your friends. Distinguish between work friends and social friends and be mindful of blurring the lines between the two, as it can affect your professional judgment and others' opinions of you. Show respect to your colleagues, but avoid compromising your professional standing by participating in inappropriate jokes or behavior”.

Stretch your abilities and Apply Before You're Ready:

“If you follow the ‘never settle’ rule, you’ll keep yourself on your toes and stay on the frontfoot of your career. Moving regularly means you’ll likely have even more challenges allowing you to constantly test your ability to succeed in dynamic situations. You will also stay tuned to do the next big thing. Applying early for new roles isn’t about wasting interviewers’ time because you’re applying for something too out of reach. It’s about identifying where you want to go next and what the most appropriate route for getting there is. Applying early gives you greater time to prepare. And even if you are unsuccessful on an initial attempt you will learn valuable insights that can help you in your current role. As well as what else you need to do before you get to your next role”.

Strive to achieve a decent level of Work-life balance:

“Despite the importance of working hard and staying focused, it's also essential to take time out for yourself. Spending time each morning planning your day and focusing on your personal goals can help you stay focused and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Taking breaks throughout the day can also help you stay productive and focused when you return to work. Remember to prioritize your own well-being and mental health. Project Manager burnout is real, but is often recognised too late.”

I hope the tips and guidance in this newsletter provide you with inspiration on how to find your way through to the project management position that you are destined for!

If you need help or advice with planning your transformational career journey, why don’t you join the PMCW community.

Supporting you on your journey to career greatness!