Last week I attended a panel discussion called Survival Skills for Project Managers in Uncertain Times at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was a pretty full house, and from the conversations going on around me, it was clear that many of the attendees had recently been laid off--or they were scared of that possibility.
I wouldn't say the presentations covered exactly what I had expected, which was something more along the lines of making yourself attractive to employers, improving your skills, job hunting, etc. Instead it focused on topics like re-evaluating project risk in the current economic climate and capturing the real business perspective.
The most interesting portion, however, was the question and answer with the panel of three instructors from the school's project management program. The discussion seemed to center around how executives don't truly understand the importance of the project manager role. In fact, the crowd seemed utterly frustrated with this. And one of the presenters, Joe D'Mello, PMP, argued that MBA programs need to focus more on project management and execution. "All these executives come out of business schools who think they can do project management, but they can't," he said.
How can we continue to build interest in project management education for business students?
I wouldn't say the presentations covered exactly what I had expected, which was something more along the lines of making yourself attractive to employers, improving your skills, job hunting, etc. Instead it focused on topics like re-evaluating project risk in the current economic climate and capturing the real business perspective.
The most interesting portion, however, was the question and answer with the panel of three instructors from the school's project management program. The discussion seemed to center around how executives don't truly understand the importance of the project manager role. In fact, the crowd seemed utterly frustrated with this. And one of the presenters, Joe D'Mello, PMP, argued that MBA programs need to focus more on project management and execution. "All these executives come out of business schools who think they can do project management, but they can't," he said.
How can we continue to build interest in project management education for business students?
I know how those audience members feel. I'm in export compliance which is not traditionally associated with project management. I manage the flow of information and product between the U.S. company and any foreign company or foreign national. My critical path is to ensure that we have the appropriate approvals and mechanisms to ensure an unimpeded flow. If there's an illegal export the project and the overall company may be slapped with huge fines and in the worst cases, those involved may be sent to jail.
My point being that to get better visibility and education at the graduate school level and within a company, we as Project Managers need to start by expanding what we include under the umbrella of project management.
Best Regards
Linda Mills PMP