Introduction

I first stumbled upon the term, “Next-Generation Project Manager” while researching a paper published by Gartner on AI in Project Management - and it spiked an immediate interest. Besides it sounding substantially cooler than a simple “Project Manager”, I was intrigued by what it stood for at its core - as it resonates what I prioritise as a Project Manager, and that, dear reader, is people.  The future of project management sees the manager moving further away from traditional project management tasks and acitivites (which can be tackled by AI) and focusing more on coaching, teaching, feedback and a servant-style leadership which sees higher staff retention and increased productivity. 

Servant Leadership Explained

Gone are the days of micro-managing teams, surveillance, controlling and not allowing teams to make informed decisions. This is known to negatively impact morale as well as productivity, resulting in talent leaving the companies which they work for. Whereas management of the future relies heavily on generosity, and selfless servant-style leadership. The ability for a manager to connect their employees/teams to a broad network of internal or external influencers, to encourage them to meet their development potential, which in turn speeds innovation within the organization, is the most highly valued manager there is. In other words, a manager’s skill and success is only measured by the highest level of achievement that his/her employee/team attains. This can be achieved through adopting agile values and practices such as continuous feedback, coaching, training, mentoring to ensure a knowledge sharing culture within the organisation. 

How Can I Become a Next-Gen Manager?

Sure, you can start working on your soft-skills as a Project Manager by scheduling regular one-on-ones with your teammates, where you share valuable information, have regular updates, performance feedback and career coaching sessions, but you can’t do it alone. Mid-level managers (yes, that’s us) - we need our executive leaders (VPs, CEOs, etc.) to accompany us on this journey. We need them to be willing to prioritise their experience and expertise in order for the rest of us to do the same. If they are future-forward leaders, they will want to jump on board and ensure that their companies and its employees are changing with the times - the time of digital transformation and with that, the fostering and development of a workforce which is dedicated to growth, collaboration, and innovation. Executives can assist us in becoming next-gen by assessing which of us have the servant-leadership mindset, or the proclivity at least to develop it, thereafter, they can set us up with a platform or channels whereby we disseminate information, share ideas and feedback so we feel heard as valued employees. 

‍

Conclusion

I remember reading an article way back in 2018, written by Jason Lau, and it was called; 2018: The Year of the Middle Manager - and I won’t forget it because I too found myself in a middle management position back then, and as one does - I scoured the internet for some reassurance or articles which might help me feel more prepared. Anyways, thankfully I saved it and thought I would end off this article by quoting something he said which speak true to this day…

“Middle managers are perfectly positioned to push and execute lean innovation projects within the organization. They are close enough to the action to get their hands dirty and produce results working hands-on with their team while at the same time enabled with enough authority to take minor decisions and measurable risks. They know who to connect to in order to get things done and can lead and motivate their team to achieve quantifiable results within set time frames. In fact, middle managers are already known as the key linchpin in the organization, functioning as facilitators, nurturers, and selectors of creativity; in the new version of corporate entrepreneurship that role will be formalized.”

I think we’re still waiting for it to be formalised, completely redefined and re-empowered but I do feel that we’ve come a long way since then.

‍