Leading Project Managers: A Guide to Success

Course Duration: 2 Days (8:30am-5:00pm)

Professional Development Units (PDU): 15

Continuous Professional Development Points (CPD): 15

You'll Learn How To:

Define management's role in each phase of the project life cycle
Outline reasons for project successes and failures
Use key performance indicators to monitor ongoing project progress
Support project managers and project teams Apply best practices in project management
Select the tools and techniques of project management that will help your organisation be successful
Develop strategies to increase effectiveness of an organisation's approach to project management

PMBOK® Knowledge Areas:

Project Integration Management Project Risk Management Project Scope Management Project Human Resource Management Project Quality Management Project Procurement Management Project Time Management Project Communications Management Project Cost Management

Program Objectives:

As organisational hierarchies give way to dynamic, cross-functional project teams, senior managers find themselves challenged with adopting a "new economy" approach to managing project managers. The manager of project managers must bring order and rationality to a chaotic environment, identify opportunities to influence the direction of projects and provide the means for project managers to succeed. In addition, the manager of project managers must be skilled at managing project portfolios, allocating resources, reviewing projects and communicating appropriately. Above all, the manager of project managers must know the right questions to ask!

Before this workshop begins, the facilitator conducts interviews with key stakeholders in your organisation and uses this information to customise the delivery to match your unique organisational needs. In this highly facilitated workshop, you will learn the soft and hard skills and approaches that lead to managerial success in the "management by projects" environment. You also will get expert perspectives and review best practices on issues critical to those who manage project managers. You'll enjoy lively debate and stimulating conversation that reinforces what you know and what you've learned.

This workshop provides you with a new way of thinking about the best way to manage people in conjunction with the underlying process of project management. It is a "must-have" for anyone responsible for leading and managing project managers.

Reminder: Participants should have a basic understanding of project management before taking this workshop.

Course Outline:

The Project Life Cycle Managing the Stage Gate process The project/stakeholder environment The role of management in each phase of the life cycle
Organisational Impact on Project Management Defining project success within the organisation Organisational factors affecting project management Knowing the organisation's project management process Assessing the organisation's project management commitment level
Managing in a Multi-Project Environment Portfolio management The importance of rank ordering project across the organisation Project interdependencies Managing multiple project issues Resource allocation Issue resolution Program communication and reporting Resource pool considerations
Managing Project Managers Challenges of managing project managers Identifying, developing, evaluating and retaining project managers Rewarding success
Managing Relationships Communication across the organisation Managing expectations Managing styles Mentoring stages of team development Supporting project managers of virtual teams Supporting diversity and cross-cultural teams Managing conflict
Project Initiation Project selection and portfolio fit Project charter Project funding
Project Planning Risk Management Cost estimates Schedule development Resource allocation Baselining Communications management Project plan review
Project Implementation Project manager and team performance Asking the right questions Management oversight Determining if earned value is the project performance measuring tool to use Project reviews Project audits Understanding signs of trouble Project recovery and turnaround
Project Closeout Early termination Project end evaluation Lessons learned