A Quest for the Future of PM: Day Three @PMO Symposium

November 5, 2019 | by Matt Crawford

Day 3 was fantastic; a blend of what's happening now in digital transformation and aerospace with how we can not just brace for the future but thrive in it. The first session I attended was "Preparing Project Managers for the Big 5 Digital Disruptors" by Jeff Freeman from Cisco. Urging project managers to invest in improving their digital transformation skills, Freeman discussed how 4G/5G, Cloud Computing, IOT, Big Data and AI are disrupting business as usual. The common foundation for managing all these disruptors, he said, is security. We can benefit from these disruptors if we manage the programs and projects that implement them with a focus on security. So, his key message ran, these big disruptors won’t replace project managers, but will increase the need for project managers who understand and have experience in each of the areas.

What does the project manager of the future need to do?

1. Adapt (skillsets, awareness) to digital transformation and technologies
2. Integrate the PMI talent triangle and digital skills into repertoire
3. Invest in updating the top six digital-age skills for project delivery:
   • Data Science
   • Innovative mindset
   • Security & Privacy
   • Legal & Regulatory
   • Data-driven decision making
   • Collaborative Leadership

In the morning general session, "Questions are the Answer" by Hal Gregersen, MIT Leadership Center, he shared a quote by Elie Wiesel:

“In the word question, there is a beautiful word – quest.”

Gregersen encouraged us to ask better questions by composing and waiting.  And encouraged leaders to be okay with being "unexpectedly wrong, unusually uncomfortable and reflectively quiet."  He encouraged the audience to constantly be thinking “what are you doing to actively figure out you don’t know what you don’t know before it’s too late.”  Mr. Gregersen then led the audience through a question burst activity.  We shared a specific challenge with a neighbor, they spent the next four minutes, just asking questions.  We weren’t allowed to respond or answer, just write down the questions word for word.  He encouraged attendees to use this technique anytime there were challenges that seemed insurmountable. The energy that's generated by simply framing question after question about your issue is surprising!

I also attended the learning excursion to Lockheed Martin to learn about the fascinating projects they’re working on and how they’re managing them.  We got to experience their Pulsar simulation center, tour the deep space exploration mission operations center and visit the manufacturing facility for the GPS III program, including seeing several of the satellites in production. 

From the inspirational idea to the practical boots-on-the-ground example, that was a day well-spent.

On to Day Four.

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