Travis Anderson guest post
We are constantly amazed at how innovative projects deliver products and services that are new and different. When it comes to formulating strategy for our programs, I am left wondering how cognition of strategy influences the future results of our programs. Because cognition is largely based on past experiences, can the past influence the future?
Planning a project can be daunting and will continue to be a challenge throughout its life cycle. Program managers who are responsible for complex, high-risk, innovative projects must be able to cognitively devise a strategy that will keep the project on schedule, budget, and within budget. To be able to manage such an initiative, a program manager must be able to organize and mentally structure knowledge. I don’t believe a PM is chosen based only on past experience or luck for innovative projects. The PM must have a different approach to thinking and a different method of formulating strategies. Is this a learned skill or something that is innately acquired through experience?
Executing such unconventional tactics to achieve this grandiosity of projects must be a huge challenge. It will also require a lot of influence to get buy-in from the project team. When evaluating the above questions, it is important to consider the leadership skills of PMs. Leadership also includes knowledge, skills, and experiences that are representative of PM’s values and displayed in their/her style. How can one achieve the leadership skills required to be an innovative PM?
I would be interested in your thoughts on this subject.
