Project Managers Without Borders

Projects are the way organizational strategy comes to life, they realize visions and can make dreams come true. Projects are not simply a piece of work to be planned, managed and delivered. They are not simply an end, but a mean to something bigger.   Projects make an impact : they can transform lives.

However, the dominant paradigm of project management is still execution-oriented only, with project managers being taught that their role is to get things done. My view is that we need a different mindset, one that accounts for the real impact of projects. A mindset that:

• Understands projects as part of a wider picture, legacies that we leave for the future

• Goes beyond merely getting the job done but rather addresses impacts in the short-term and in the long-term

• Is inclusive, meaning that all stakeholders are considered instead of just the Project Board

• Measures success beyond the attainment to the triple constraint by putting the emphasis in the realization of outcomes and benefits

• Sees project professionals as agents of transformation instead of mere spectators

• Has at its core the purpose of value for many, and not simply value for money

Let’s not forget that the world is facing dramatic demographic and societal time-critical issues that demand our attention: a refugee crisis, hunger and poverty, or the climate changes and its implications for the planet, just to mention a few. As project management professionals, we are well positioned to be the change we want to see in the world. We have a tremendous opportunity and an imperative responsibility to make the world a better place for the future.

Once our perspective and our timescale horizons are expanded, sustainability and meaningfulness come into play. Sustainability, the ability to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future ones, is slowly gaining traction in the project management arena and you don’t need to be an expert, or go for green projects only, to be part of it - more to come on this topic soon, stay tuned! In summary, it’s a brand new different way to look at our profession and it’s the way project practitioners can be heroes and save the world.

Make no mistake, much is at stake! Our projects are our legacy to the future. Let’s make it a good one.

The world of tomorrow is created today, through our projects. How could you participate more?

Project management is a unique profession that requires skills needed everywhere. Any time strategic initiatives are being implemented, anywhere there is a disaster or humanitarian relief effort, whenever there is innovation being brought to fruition, it’s through projects.

We focus much of our time on our careers, the jobs we are paid to do, and we improve our craft to increase our impact and reap the rewards. Some of those rewards are recognition, respect, greater responsibility, opportunity, and the satisfaction of a job well done. Our employers, clients, colleagues, management and teams benefit from the change that we manage. But what about those in the world who need change the most? 

The world is teeming with communities in need, people who could benefit tremendously from our project management skills and experience. Many humanitarian organizations have domain knowledge and passion for these communities, but are lacking basic project management skills and knowledge. By introducing or improving project management for these organizations, we can make their work for humanity more efficient and effective, thereby increasing the positive impact they have.

Let’s share what we know with those who need it most.

Whether that means facilitating meetings for an engineering nonprofit/NGO, coordinating the schedule for a medical mission, organizing a cub scout camping trip, or clarifying the scope of a humanitarian documentary film, our skills can support meaningful change.

You may even find that your employer will donate funds, software, or services to the humanitarian organization you volunteer for, increasing the potential impact of that organization even more. 

After your involvement, those benefiting, either directly or indirectly, are likely to understand and value project management more, and may even value it so much that they attribute their success to it.  

If you share your project management experience and skills with those who need it most, you will likely find it to be one of the most rewarding endeavors in your career, and life.

Interested to learn more about how you can use your project management skills for a better world? Keep an eye out for updates to this blog, connect with an organization that matches professional skills with need (e.g. Social Venture Partners, PMWB, Catchafire, etc) and search for NGOs and other organizations that are aligned with your interests. Then, enjoy the satisfaction of applying your project management skills to support communities in need. 

Project Managers Without Borders (PMWB) is happy to sponsor this new blog to provide project management content and tools for humanitarian organizations. PMWB  is a non-profit organization that engages the global project management community through collaborative and sustainable projects that make a positive difference in the world.