The discipline of managing projects is better served by the training industry than at any previous time. There is a fantastic choice of training available for a wide range of methodologies, and great flexibility in how that learning is delivered – from classroom courses to virtual learning and elearning. What's more, certification in a recognised project management (PM) methodology is often used as a requirement in job specifications, so project managers are becoming qualified in order to improve their job prospects. Yet equally, there is a danger in relying on certification – if an individual is certified in a methodology it may not follow that they will be a brilliant project manager. So what can training and L&D professionals do to help bridge the gap between perception and performance?

The first step is realising that running a successful project is about more than just using the right methodology. Ultimately, projects are managed and run by individuals, with all their inherent strengths and weaknesses. In addition, there are particular difficulties in managing projects in modern business environments. Project teams are often geographically dispersed with the managers only having dotted lines of authority over the rest of the team. This is the classic conundrum of matrix management. Projects can be changed or cancelled as business priorities change in response to global market pressures. Typically, managers compete for scarce resources against other projects or business departments. Put in that context, it's clear that the 'interpersonal' attributes and capabilities of managers are just as important as their knowledge of PM processes and vocabulary. 

To help them address the challenges outlined above, project managers may need a combination of interventions to equip them with everything they need to be effective - from communication and leadership skills, to coaching in how to negotiate organisational politics. As always, performance reviews remain the most obvious way of identifying and addressing capability gaps – but this means the project manager is likely already to have experienced some degree of project failure. It may be more effective to devise a standard approach for the continuing professional development of all existing and potential managers.   

This needn't be particularly cumbersome, as highly effective interventions exist in many of these areas. For example, in terms of communication skills a project manager may need to write a clear and professional business case, write the project plan itself, deliver clear project updates and present to senior managers and other stakeholders. In addition, they will need to be clear and authoritative in their verbal and written communications within the project team, so each team member receives useful feedback and knows exactly what is expected of them. So managers may benefit from training in presentation skills, the use of Microsoft PowerPoint, and business writing and communications in order to more effectively and confidently communicate, instruct, influence, request, question, advise or achieve buy-in.

In addition, it takes time to gain the experience that helps a project manager identify the right approach to leading particular individuals and situations. Yet those project managers who find themselves managing a team or project for the first time or who find leadership difficult will be expected to deliver results now. Leadership training can help reduce the time to competence by clarifying the difference between managing the project from a task perspective and leading the team by motivating and encouraging the individuals involved. It is particularly difficult to lead co-located or inter-organisational project teams and even many experienced project managers can benefit from additional training in this area.

As recognised in methodologies like PRINCE2®, business relationships lie at the heart of project management. Equally, it helps if the manager's own personal effectiveness is of a very high standard, as managers need to act as 'role models' to their teams. Confidence training can help managers project an effective persona, but this must be backed up with high levels of awareness regarding current operations and priorities within the organisation and an understanding of the financial implications of business decisions. Finance training for non-financial managers can help project managers speak authoritatively about costs and benefits, which might help them gain the necessary buy-in or additional resource to keep a project on track. 

From a learning perspective, certification is only the start; it is continuing professional development that makes truly successful project managers. By taking a closer look at the individual and how they match up to the real personal requirements of effective project managers, training and L&D professionals can help the individual and the organisation achieve better results.

Dr Ian Clarkson, head of project and programme management at QA, the global training company that transforms performance through learning. Ian has delivered national and international training programmes across all industry sectors and is an experienced trainer, author, speaker and consultant. For further information contact [email protected]