Key takeaways
- PM can be lonely and full of imposter feelings; the job is solving problems together and clearing the path, not just checking tasks.
- Senior PMs should learn business development, requirements gathering and presenting, and think strategically rather than tactically.
- Certifications can raise pay but some digital employers see a PMP as a sign of rigidity; keep learning, but talk about how you actually work.
- Treat risk as normal and bring stakeholders into the conversation early instead of trying to control every outcome.
- When time is short, lean on peers in the community rather than reading lists, and remember self-care is self-discipline.
About this episode
Whether you’re a seasoned PMP or a brand new project leader with no formal training, you’ve likely thought about ways to level up your skillset to make you a better PM and your career. But where do you go to learn? Sure, TeamGantt is a great starting point for classes, resources, and templates, but there’s more. In this episode, Brett talked to PM trainer Rachel Gertz about PM education, and a few related topics:
- Focusing on the right things as a PM, not just your plans or process
- How to continue to learn and grow as an experienced PM
- The value of certifications
- Where project management is headed
- Managing risk, and not trying to control everything
- The advantages of being in command of facts, which allows you to be relaxed
The conversation went in a few different directions, but always came back to the value of being open and ready to learn.
Resources mentioned in this interview include:
- The Digital PM Summit
- Deliver Conference
- Interactive Project Management: Pixels, People, and Process by Nancy Lyons and Meghan McInerny
- Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions by John Kotter
- The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
Project Management for Humans: Helping People Get Things Done by Brett Harned