The Art of War for Project Managers
Project management is an art and a science. Most project managers have a good understanding of the science of project management, which is the process of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing, and the related tools and techniques used to manage projects. The fact that project managers understand the science can be seen in the increasing number of PMI certified project management professionals (PMP).
However, a project manager can understand the science of project management and memorize the PMI PMBOK Guide (Project Management Body of Knowledge) and still not be successful at managing projects. This has been true since the Standish Group’s landmark 1998 study of over 7,000 projects that showed that 88 percent were behind schedule, over budget, or both. The direct cost of these project failures is over $145 billion each year!
To be a successful project manager, you must understand the science- but more importantly you must master the art of project management. The art of project management is how you implement the science. It’s how you organize and lead project teams. It’s how you communicate, inspire, and drive for results. The art of project management includes the soft skills in the project management knowledge areas such as risk management, human resource management, and communications management.
Many project managers under-estimate these “soft” skills, but the most successful project managers strive hard to master the art of project management.
