Do Your Project Managers Have the Right Skills?

The shift in the responsibilities undertaken by project managers isn't a new story: 30 years ago when I edited PM Network,  we published numerous articles arguing for the inclusion of so-called soft skills and business skills in project management education. This trend has amplified and speeded up with digital transformation, the spread of project management into new industries, and the pandemic which forced all of us to confront our communication skills--or lack thereof.

The skills referenced in this Fortune article have not traditionally been primary in project management, but the PMBOK Guide, 7th Edition, has elevated these aspects of project management by placing the emphasis on delivering value -- as opposed to merely managing projects. The demand for these higher-order, strategic and business skills has clearly outpaced the supply. To what degree to project managers possess the consultative, communication, and business skills now required of them? That's what our 2023 research study is designed to reveal.

The study closed last week, but after several requests from people who missed the window, we've reopened it. Please contribute your thoughts today; study closes again at EOD Friday, Feb. 24. Contributors receive an advance full-data copy of the final report.