PM Network

PMI’s final Virtual Experience Series event for 2021 is fast approaching. This two-day event promises to deliver the engaging speakers and sessions you need to navigate the shifting landscape of today’s world of work. Here are a few great tips for getting the most out of this virtual experience, and others like it.

On 6-7 October, our global community will gather virtually to engage in live presentations, interactive sessions and networking at PMI’s Virtual Experience Series. Highlights will include award-winning chef and restauranteur Marcus Samuelsson, entrepreneur Peter Hinssen and Time Magazine’s 2020 Kid of the Year Gitanjali Rao discussing issues of global impact and how to meet new challenges with new solutions.  But perhaps one of the biggest event draws is the opportunity for human connection, made possible by pushing through physical boundaries and onto a cloud-based video conferencing platform.

Even as life starts to return to normal, virtual events will likely remain in some capacity. But how can we make the most of these opportunities that have been presented to us? Before you log in to the October Virtual Experience Series, or any other virtual event, make sure you are ready to be fully engaged.

For example, start by stepping away from your everyday work routine, and treating the event as something special… because it is! Set up your space so that you can be fully immersed in the event as you would be if you were in there in person. Another idea is do some prep work in advance of the event. Research the topics and discussions to pinpoint where you want to focus. And make sure you can avoid technical difficulties by ensuring your connection is ready to go.

For more smart tips on creating a stronger virtual connection, check out Make the Most Out of Virtual Events. Then, put these tips into practice by registering to attend PMI’s upcoming Virtual Experience Series. Reserve your spot today!

The PMI Talent Gap report offers insight into a decade’s worth of project management-oriented employment trends, costs and global implications.

In order to better understand talent and employment trends in the world of project management, PMI has completed its latest assessment of the “projectized” industries that leverage these skills. Using data from selected regions, the PMI Talent Gap report offers a birds-eye view on the skills that are most in demand, as well as the scope of the talent shortage.  

PMI’s research points to a persistent gap between the global demand for project management skills and the availability of talent. For job-seeking project professionals, this information translates into a wide array of new job opportunities in PMOE. For organizations that rely on project leaders and changemakers, the talent shortage is a considerable risk. For instance, by 2030 this talent gap is likely to impact every region, resulting in a potential loss of up to US$345.5 billion in global GDP.

Here is a snapshot of the top three reasons for the talent gap, as revealed by PMI’s research and detailed in the report:

• An increase in the number of jobs requiring project management oriented skills
• Higher demand for project professionals in emerging and developing countries due to economic growth
• The rate of retirement from the workforce

Learn how upskilling the workforce and empowering a new generation of talent with the necessary project management skills will be critical in narrowing the talent gap. Understand how to put key takeaways from this insightful PMI Talent Gap report to work for your organization.

Forward-focused. Far-reaching. Fearless. This year’s Future 50 is all that and more—an inspiring lineup of rising young leaders and changemakers who are paving the way to a better world. Facing challenges and finding solutions, they are championing projects that make a difference, from more sustainable sources of food and energy to smarter building spaces to more inclusive communities.

To select this year’s Future 50, PMI reached out to hundreds of experts and stakeholders across the globe for nominations. Among the impressive young leaders forging hope in a post-COVID world:

• Zhengkai Jiang, PMP: Leading the way on autonomous high-speed rail
• Joseph Daniels: Scaling a sustainable solution for affordable housing
• Abigail Sandala, PMP: Working to close the digital divide in Zambia
• Omran Sharaf: Helping the United Arab Emirates become the first nation in the Middle East to orbit Mars
• Nishita and Nikita Baliarsingh: Working to transform post-harvest waste into eco-friendly batteries
• Ayanda More: Turning trash into an eco-friendly fashion statement

The Future 50 project leaders celebrated this year are dedicated to making the world a better place, turning ideas into reality with tangible benefits. These creative, bold—and young—individuals embody the skills and attitudes needed to succeed in The Project Economy. Get inspired and read about all of the 2021 Future 50 Rising Leaders here. 

As we emerge from the fog of pandemic, a vastly different work terrain is coming into focus. In a new remote work reality, how has the challenge of managing change, well, changed? What does distance leadership look like? How can project managers help their teams and organizations navigate these transformative times?

Take a look at how 54 thought leaders are answering these questions, and others, by perusing PMI’s recently published The New Leadership Dyamics, which offers insights and ideas, curated from an array of PMI events or platforms. Together, they show how project leaders can move forward and thrive in a still uncertain future. Following are several excerpts from this thought-provoking compilation:

On testing the limits:

“Our definition of resilience was risk versus preparedness. What we found was that the risks were changing on a daily basis. We found that the traditional linear model of risk assessments and then mitigating actions and things wasn’t working anymore. Our clients sometimes have very little time to make very important decisions.” — Caroline Das-Monfrais, chief strategy officer, EMEA, at FTI Consulting

On leaving your comfort zone:

“You can think about a crisis as an unfreezing—an opportunity to reshape things, to create new language, new institutions and new ways of doing things.” — Martin Reeves, chairman, Boston Consulting Group Henderson Institute

On defining your reality:

“The first role for every leader is to define reality. And once you define reality, then you can come up with strategies on how you want to move your team forward or to execute the project. Right now, COVID-19 is our reality. It is a storm before us. And it calls for a leader who is decisive, highly adaptive and who’s ready to learn.” — Billy Samuel Mwape, PMP, assistant information and communications technology manager at Development Bank of Zambia and TED@PMI speaker

On purpose-driven leadership

“The role of the project manager— or in my language, the facilitator—is to help create a psychological connective tissue. The biggest mistake we make in any type of gathering is we assume the purpose is obvious. Always start by stating the purpose of a meeting. And then connect people to the purpose—and to each other.” — Priya Parker, author and host of Together Apart

Read more great insights from trailblazers and innovators in The New Leadership Dynamics here.

In another recent indication that the auto industry is being swept by major transformations, Ford has announced that it will convert all of its passenger vehicles in Europe to electric power by 2030. News like this bodes well for not only the environment, but also for innovative electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers such as Aptera.

Startups are built on bright ideas, a concept that rings especially true for Aptera, which powers its EVs by harnessing the sun’s power. Leveraging solar panels installed on its exterior, these innovative cars cut down on charging time while offering a greater driving range. Needless to say, this stellar combination of less time plugged in to a battery and more time on the road is highly attractive to EV drivers.

However, while the sun’s rays drive Aptera’s vision for a better, greener vehicle, solar power is just the start. For example, the vehicle is constructed from just four parts and features three wheels. As a result, many federal automotive standards don’t apply, thanks to the three-wheel configuration. In addition, the car’s front end is shaped more like an airplane than a traditional automobile, a clue to its aerodynamic design.

To date, demand has been high. Within a week of its debut, Aptera had already received more than 3,000 orders for the vehicle. Currently, Aptera is gearing up to start deliveries of its EV in 2021. To keep up with expected demand, the company will ramp up production at its new factory in San Diego, California, USA. Plus, there are two more development projects in the works. 

You can read more about this breakthrough Project of the Week here. Learn how Aptera has navigated the road to secure funding, and where the company is heading in the future.