1.
Developing our Project Management Careers
some experience, some ideas, some suggestions, some reflection
Richard Tulley
Director of Programme & Project Management
Programme Director | Mentor | Coach | APM Fellow | D & I Ally

2.
A project is a unique, transient endeavour, undertaken to achieve
planned objectives,
which could be defined in terms of outputs, outcomes or benefits.
A project is usually deemed to be a success if it achieves the
objectives according to their acceptance criteria, within an agreed
timescale and budget.
The Association for Project Management (APM)
what is a project?
projects are delivered by people
with people
for people

3.
I want to develop my project management capability
I want to develop my project management career
“I have some control”
“I need to make an investment”
“I need to take ownership”
“I need some support”
two perspectives

4.
why develop people?
so that they
can realise
their full
potential
so that they
feel more
engaged
so that they feel
more
fulfilled
“growing”
confidence
belonging
engagement in their work-place
performance in their role
retention (& attraction)
(positive) impact on others
a “win … win”

5.
many project managers only take advantage of 80% of their learning & development opportunities
Exploit
the time that we spend in our work-place
the vast majority of our time – the “day job”, “learning on the job”
“interactive learning”
Make training count
“formal learning”
The 70 20 10 Model … as developed by Morgan McCall and the Centre for Creative Leadership
how do people learn & develop
20
%
Optimise
the opportunities to be coached, be mentored, to network, to
interact
“social learning”

6.
“training” is not development
in our working environment doing our “day job”…
this is where we spend the vast majority of our professional lives
this is a developmental environment
learning is largely directive
training …
is important too, it is not development, though
10
%
70%
until knowledge is practically applied in your work-place, it is called theory
competence … proficiency … expertise … becoming an effective project manager
o come with the practical application of knowledge
o are enhanced over time through experience
o get refined through feedback, or ‘trial and error’

7.
within the (wider) industry
the outside-world
There are opportunities here as well
opportunities
constraints
within our
organisation
within our
work-place
this is where the opportunities are to develop…
where do people learn & develop

8.
learning & development foundations
acquire, develop, maintain Knowledge
an increasing breadth of Experience
start with how you communicate
… self awareness is massively important
developing Behavioural Skills
empathy

9.
development is further enabled through:
o training
o being an active part of professional communities
o professional accreditations that confirm a level of knowledge and (sometimes) competence
o role models in your work-place
o raising your professional profile
o developmental assignment/roles
learning & development foundations, enablers & accelerators
acceleration comes thru’ social interaction
o coaching … and being coached
o mentoring … and being mentored
o networking
20
%

10.
the (wider) industry
the organisation
learning & development … how & where
the work-place
o your interactive learning
o knowledge
o experience o your training
o knowledge
o your social learning
o behavioural skills

11.
?
Any questions / discussion points?

12.
I want to develop my project management capability
“I have some control”
“I need to make an investment”
I want to develop my project management career

13.
“I have some control” “I need to make an investment”
you need a clear vision …
the learning & development environment
attract talent
develop talent retain talent

14.
sense of Community
Practice mentality
professional standards
method & ‘ology
career pathways
professional communities
thought leadership
shared values
collective identity
belonging
emotional attachment
create a great place to work

15.
is this development?
be clear about what you are aiming for
no, not if you are striving for
growth
Focus on the ways that you enable people to become increasingly …
o comfortable in their surroundings
o confident in their ability to fulfil their role and meet the expectations of
their position
o fulfilled in their work-place
o feeling like they belong
spoiler alert … promotion is more of an outcome than a goal

16.
one size does not fit all
o each is always important
o but the relative importance changes during your career

17.
project manager development – two different roles to illustrate
breadth of experience
lead by example, delegate, direct;
seen and act as programme & project management exemplars
high level of direct accountability
understand and implement business strategy
optimise profitability and support growth;
maintain effective programme/project controls; manage senior stakeholder relationships (including client & subcontractors)
coach and mentor
display Commercial/Financial/Risk Management acumen
senior project managers
relatively low level of accountability for project delivery
work much more task-oriented (than outcome-based or delegated)
largely supervised and directed
more ‘specialist’ knowledge is important – but “now” more about awareness
their day-to-day work covers a relatively limited breadth of project management competences
at an early stage of their career

18.
positive benefit of structured learning in the immediate-term (such as APM PFQ)
positive benefit from being mentored
engagement in the work-place is the most significant development factor
formal learning
informal learning
acquiring and developing project management knowledge most important
gain “broad & shallow” project management experience over time;
o benefit from a consistent (familiar) work-place environment - longer-term assignment
o fewer “moving parts”, more focus on the fundamentals
developing behavioural skills is largely by observation and through experience and coaching - it is
a future focus
project manager development – two different roles to illustrate
at an early stage of their career

19.
knowledge largely a given – focus more depth & specialism
(but it has to be maintained, and enhanced)
increasing breadth of project management experience remains important
developing and refining behavioural skills is the most significant development factor
project manager development – two different roles to illustrate
senior project managers
if there is a compelling need … will be ‘specialist’ in nature
positive benefit from being coached or mentored … expected to mentor and coach others
developing leadership skills is of paramount importance;
ditto effective coaching, communications (in the widest sense) … influencing, negotiating
formal learning
informal learning
knowledge and experience are not enough to get you here…
behavioural skills get you here

20.
o training and accreditation standards
o based on roles … and measurables
o preferred providers
o development programmes – based on roles
o apprenticeship programme
o early careers ‘boot camp’
o art of negotiation
o art of management
o being an active part of professional communities
o create within an organisation (“SIG” approach)
o APM (Corporate Partner) --- promote individual memberships
learning & development foundations, enablers & accelerators
o coaching foundation
o mentoring programme
o promote networking

21.
you have to get the work-place right
secure foundations
o building knowledge …
not just training … time for self learning
consider shadowing and buddying
establish role models
o gaining an increasing breadth of experience
this is about developmental assignments …
o developing behavioural skills
o building Confidence
o building Belonging
o facilitating Networking
it’s not enough to develop your project managers …
you have to develop their line managers too

22.
?
Any questions / discussion points?

23.
I want to develop my project management capability
I want to develop my project management career

24.
you are here
developing your project management career …
is a journey
Your current reality
Your future possibilities

25.
so, where are you heading??
developing your project management career is a journey

26.
What is your work-place like?
o you are busy
o you are often under pressure
o you are multi-tasking
o your mind-set is “doing” … “delivering” … “reporting”
o you are focused on others (client, team, stakeholders)
o the professional environment is moving at pace
You are getting …
o work to do
o direction
o instruction
o coaching
o shadowing
o training
o feedback
fix your project manager work-place
10
%
70%
You spend all of your working time here
You need to know:
1) what you have to do and what is
expected of you
2) how to do what is expected of you
3) that you have people around you who
work with you and support you
You need to feel:
1) comfortable in your surroundings
2) confident in your ability to fulfil your role
3) like you belong
 yes
× no

27.
developing your project manager career
take and retain ownership …
it is your journey
you will need support,
guidance and encouragement
on the way…
you have already covered a lot of ground
celebrate your successes
you need to be clear about
where you are going
you need to stick with it

28.
Where?? (do you want to get to)
why is it important to you?? how will it feel to you??
can you visualise what will it look like?? how will it be different to now??
how will it benefit you?? how will it benefit people around you??
your project manager career goals
Why?? (do you want to get there)
spoiler alert … the answer is “fulfilment”

29.
How?? (will you know that you have got there)
Think about your expectations of how things are when you arrive
your project manager career goals
??
Have you thought about the things that you most enjoy doing … the things that enthuse you
More importantly, do your goals enable you to do more of the things that you most enjoy doing
Things are going to be different … do you understand all the ways??
o “better” has probably had a lot of thought …
o any down-side??
Beware the unintended consequences
Be ready for the change

30.
you are here
your development opportunities
Needs
Opportunities
Be objective
Be candid
Seek insightful feedback
Work-place / Role

31.
your boss will have a view too …
and a need
organisational objectives
your “fit” to your role description
feedback from your performance appraisal
the requirements of your role
you are here
your
development needs
materiality
your
objectives
performance mgt.
actions
your project manager career journey
your
development
opportunities

32.
“test”
explore
fix
enables you to grow
… and be fulfilled
Practice??
Community??
some of the way, or all of the way??
building a strong network
knowledge & insight thru’ others
mentors
‘connections’
your project manager career environments

33.
most of your time is spent here
you can’t always see where
you are trying to get to….
your work-place your future possibilities
your career goals
make time and make space
you need to make time to get over
here …
take time
create space …
space to think, to focus …
on your development
make time
it won’t happen
by itself
but your network might
…
your mentor will

34.
if you only do five things …
taking ownership is critical … your approach will make a significant difference
(make it a positive difference)
o be prepared to ask for help / guidance / support
o seek out informed feedback … and moderating accordingly
… not just the day before your appraisal
o look objectivity and be really candid about your development needs
o maintain focus on your development and your goals
… making time and space
o saying “yes” to opportunities that bring something new and stretch you
if you want to focus on one thing that will make the biggest difference…
self awareness

35.
I want to develop my project management career
You can’t go back and change the beginning
but you can start where you are and change the
ending
C.S. Lewis
(British author and lay theologian)
will you change your ending??