Caareers in Project Management

Reflections on Week One Outcomes - An Accidental Profession

In reflecting on this week’s reading, especially the article by Pinto and Kharbanda, the literature on project management has diagnosed the situation in the field with unerring accuracy. Capable project managers are on the future trend of the business world. As the global economy becomes more diverse and complex, it will requires specialized skills – in leadership and management – to handle the complexities of organizational requirements (Meredith, 2009). This is a decided change from the past treatment of project management in the business world.

As our authors note, most project managers come to the title “accidently.” My association with organizations has shown any individual with strong management skills and a stake in the successful completion of the project can be designated a “project manager.” In turn, it was their responsibility to fulfill their regular duties while heading a “committee” of participants charged with completion of an endeavor defined by management as a positive change to the course of the organization or specific product.

Pinto and Kharbanda confirm this when they state, “few formal or systematic programs exist for selecting or training project managers” (Pinto, 1995). The field is “neither well-defined nor well-understood” so people do not aspire or seek the academic or experiential background to qualify as project managers. This leads to a “sink-or-swim” mentality for individuals place in this position, rather than recognition by management that project management is both a “human and technical” challenge.

In education, individual with convincing academic credentialing enlist, or become drafted as Subject Matter Experts or SMEs. ...

... middle of paper ...

... complex products and processes” involved with global business. However, organizations are now recognizing they also need individuals with “cross-functional” expertise and a deep understanding of the stakeholders – both interior and exterior to the group – who affect the success of the project (Meredith, 2009). It will be fascinating to see - and be part of - how this strategic and necessary skill-set evolves as an essential, for success in the twenty-first century.

References:

Jutte, B. (2008). 10 Golden rules of project risk management. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Project Future: http://www.projectfuture.net/10_golden_rules_project_risk_management.pdf

Meredith, J. M. (2009). Project Management A Managerial Approach. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Pinto, J. &. (1995). Lesons for an Accidental Porject Profession. Business Horizons .