You're a program manager in the future. What skills do you need to succeed?

Future program managers will need a mix of skills to succeed. Most important is to build a mindset, thinking about the business outcomes and not just the project level activities. They should plan for the future, not just the present, and be great at working with different kinds of people, solving conflicts in diverse teams. Being able to quickly change plans when unexpected things happen is also key. Understanding data to make smart decisions will be important too. They'll need to keep learning new things and understand different cultures to work well with everyone. These skills will help future program managers lead their teams through challenges and make the most of new opportunities.

As a futuristic program manager, evolving landscape of work, technology, and global challenges will demand a unique set of skills to navigate complexities and lead successful programs. 1. Strategic vision and foresight 2. Advanced technology proficiency 3. Agile and adaptive leadership 4. Exceptional stakeholder management 5. Emotional intelligence 6. Cultutal competency 7. Sustainability and ethical governance 8. Digital collaboration and remote governance 9. Continuous learning and innovation 10. Risk management and resilience 11. Customer centric approach As a futuristic program manager, blending these skills will be critical for navigating the complexities of modern programs, driving success in a dynamic and global landscape.

I currently lead the program management group. However, I can envision what future looks like. Normal collaboration, business outcome tracking, monitoring metrices and integrated multiple projects and programs visualization will not work in future. Future is talking about understand current just with a click of button and all current program management outcomes will be automated with robust tools. What will be more relevant is the human touch and analytical mind to interpret the output and get to automation on what prediction says and what all other data data to feed to get the future growth rate increase; risks forecasts and resource capacity planning could be derived. 3 factors COST, QUALITY AND CHANGE balance is seen & predicted.

Strategic thinking is very vital. Unless the organisation goal and mission not taken as start point it would lead to misaligned program output in the end. Strategic thinking needs tobe aligned to value creation as well as value capture. This leads to increase in market share and top line.

A successful programme manager should have excellent communication, adaptability, and leadership abilities. Will also require strategic thinking, risk management, and a thorough grasp of emerging technology. Other essential qualities include encouraging cooperation between varied teams and lifelong learning.

Data Literacy is a must, you must be able to get the data from multiple sources and aggregate that data to meet your audience requirements Remembering that Data is not information, you must be able to make sense out of the data and watch for potential risks, issues that may cause cost, quality, time or Business realisation issues Ability to take a helicopter view is very important

Data literacy is becoming an essential life skill at Program Management and an asset in the IT Jobs . Program Managers skills below Read data: The ability to interpret data in various forms, such as graphs, charts, or reports. For example, being able to read a company's annual financial report and understand its performance. Work with data: The collection and production of data, which can mean setting up an experiment to collect data or creating a survey to gather insights. Communicate with data: The ability to use data to tell a story or make a case. A good example would be using customer data to create a business case for a new product. Reason with data: Navigating ambiguity with data and leveraging data to drive business decisions.

One must be willing to teach and one must be willing to learn. During the base closures, I knew about the people part but not the financials or other functions. Our team would meet to build the massive budget request, by base, by function (people, facilities, equipment, etc.) We educated each other what was required for each program and recorded the numbers in an Excel pivot table. That was a learning experience! The file grew each time a new set of knowledge/numbers needed to be rolled into a particular base's unique requirements. The rolled-up data (Bottom Line) was briefed at the Pentagon level (and of course, we had all the supporting spreadsheets available to address questions.) The lessons learned thru that experience stayed with me.

There is data involved in anything and everything that we do these days. Gone are the days wherein businesses used to work with intuition and guts. The volume of data that is churned every minute is enormous, and if we choose to ignore that gold mine, we are playing with peril. As PM we need to be able to analyze the data at our disposal, draw inferences from it, and then plough them back into our program to make informed decisions and changes.

Data is greatest tool these days. However colkectio of bundkes of data is of no use in case decision driving output insights not driven from thus data. It requires manager to bbe capable to analyse data timely as well as aligned to orogram purpose.

Agility is key! If you're not able to adapt to rapid change and bring others along on the journey, program management is not a great fit for you. In our ever changing landscape, policies, procedures, tech and tools change at a rapid pace and a key attribute as a PM is to lead and clear the path ensuring environments and people readiness. Agility also means being able to have a growth mindset and listen to insights from others, this helps with continuous process improvement and quality.

You absolutely must have an agile mindset The nature of Programs and Projects is that everything doesn’t always go to plan, you need to be able to adapt to things that happen Business changes, external and internal influences Program dependencies will come up that may not have been envisioned at the start of the Program planning

AI and every emerging technological innovations . The mobile and dynamic nature of the " new " work environment including virtual space collaboration will be key -Digital literacy

Agile mindset is required meaning you should be flexible. Program managers are change agents. In that case, you should be flexible enough to welcome changes and implement changes.

I have some reservations about a full adoption of Agile working. I have worked for a number of organisations that say they apply Agile methodologies. In fact they are utilising a combination of waterfall and agile. The ability to effectively apply Agile is, in part, dependent on the nature, etc., of the project being undertaken. In the projects that I have managed I have normally had to apply waterfall processes to the bid, PID, starts reporting and related 'oversight' aspects of the projects. With Agile being applied to oversee and track day to day activities, risks, etc. Additionally, I have increasingly had to incorporate Service Delivery into my projects. To ensure a clean transition and operational launch.

Fluent in digital tools is the same as any tradesperson who needs to know the best tool for the job. Does anyone ever need a Drill? Fact is we actually need the hole, not the drill. The hole is the business benefit realised, the drill is only a means to an end, we need the tools to get the outcomes, know your tools

Our team preferred the KISS (keep-it-simple-s*****) method for digital fluency. We learned about project management software, workflows and ITIL Foundational processes. Most of the team just kept simple spreadsheets, simpler presentations (less graphics/no fancy zoom in/out of data) and used a Shared Drive for critical documents needed by the Team. Critical to our team was that we could trust the information contained in the documents were factual and never blamed anyone for errors - we were polite when questioning a piece of data for clarity and if the data was changed, it was done with understanding why. My staff followed: 'Kill Them with Kindness' and 'Can I be frank with you on xyz?' before presenting conflicting data.

Digital "With-it-ness" is more like it. As a leader we may not need to know all things, but rest assured you will need to be with-it in this domain. Too many projects and programs are touching digital modernization, standardization, and innovative integration in today's project work. Here is what I have seen over time*- 1. There are several sources that my team can use- I need to pick one that we can work with as a team and we build on that together. 2. Digital tools must be able to mesh with my teams day to day operation and still meet stakeholder expectation on communication. 3. Our digital capability must allow us to connect with clients systems- NOT make us digital nomads with really neat stuff.

The good news is that digital fluency will be second nature to those just starting their careers. Gen Z and Gen A are already "digital natives". For GenX and Millennials it should have already been clear to us that we needed to educate ourselves on how to integrate technology into our daily workflows. Even in the dotcom era, Cisco (where I was at at the time) had the slogan of changing "The way we work, live, play and learn". So almost 3 decades later, it shouldn't be a surprise. Do yourself a career favor and learn how to embrace change and use tools to be more effective in how you operate. It's also a blessing that the cost of these tools have gone done significantly so that the cost of entry should not be a barrier to learn these tools.

Digital recording and management of projects, unsurprisingly is a key requirement, even now. The challenge is that there are multiple products to choose from. If you move between organisations then it is likely that you will encounter different reporting/ management tools and approaches in each of them. For example, reporting mechanisms,. financial tracking, etc. The keep it simple model is always a god way to go. I have worked for some large organisations, but have had to use basic tools, e.g. word processors and spreadsheets, to keep track of project RAID and related information, e.g. finances, milestones, daily agile activities, RASCI tables, etc.

Emotional intelligence, I often say that I no longer do technology, I do People. I need to know what you are good at, what makes you tick, I need to understand what drives you, intellectually, morally, politically and emotionally. People deliver programs People, Processes and Technology in that order, understand your People and you will be successful

I have come to appreciate that Emotional Intelligence (EI) stands out as the linchpin for success. Here's why: ? Execution: At its core, a program manager’s role is to drive results. EI enables us to navigate the human dynamics that underpin excellent execution. ? Beyond Planning: Sure, technical prowess helps us create robust project plans and track progress, but execution is a team sport. EI empowers us to build strong relationships, collaborate & inspire. ? Connect, Convey, Convince: Whether it’s presenting to stakeholders, resolving conflicts, or motivating team members, our ability to connect emotionally, convey our vision, and convince others is pivotal. EI isn’t just a soft skill - invest in it, nurture it, and projects will thrive.

In addition, I strongly believe in the importance of the 4 power skills emphasized PMI, which are fundamental abilities and behaviors crucial for effective collaboration and success in the workplace for project professionals. These skills include communication, problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and strategic thinking, all of which play a pivotal role in achieving organizational goals. These skills form the foundation for leading high-performing teams, engaging stakeholders, and overcoming obstacles in project implementation. While technical skills are essential for project managers to navigate from project initiation to completion, it is the power skills that enable them to unify the team and steer them towards a shared vision.

Listening and using Servant Leadership was the Emotional Intelligence key for my team. We worked on various trust-building exercises early when our team came together and then learned about real listening and not just talking for talking sake. This got us through meetings faster so that everyone could 'get back to their real job'. Feedback queries (soft or direct - depending on how the person receiving the question responds to critique) helped clarify areas of doubt or misunderstanding. Sharing that you trust each staff member to be the expert in their area and that you (and the agency/company) rely on that expertise as well as 'having their back' when others question their work - does wonders to motivate and retain an inspired team.

Emotional intelligence for your team, clients, and stakeholders is crucial, but so is EI for yourself. You have to know when you’re burnt out and take care of yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally. You can’t do the best job if you can’t put yourself in the best position

To succeed as a program manager is too ensure collaboration within the team, Your ability to learn and unlearn and to encourage learning and adaptive management

Agility to continuously improve and adapt, excellent networking skills and robust digital fluency to optimize efficiency and effectiveness will make the difference.

I agree with most of the comments here Be agile, as things will happen Learn to adapt to the current situation, adapt and overcome. The World changes, so change with it, your plan will have to change too. Keep your eye on the ball, the ball being to realise the business benefits, how you do it may change from how you originally planned

successful program management involves not only technical expertise but also effective communication, leadership, and a holistic understanding of the company dynamics. By mastering these skills, you’ll be well-prepared to lead impactful programs and drive organizational success

I would add two key skills: communication and stakeholder engagement. A successful program manager, both now and in the future, needs excellent communication skills to be able to pass messages without ambiguity while achieving the goals of the communication. They will also need to identify stakeholders, classify them according to their levels of interest & influence, and engage them to positively impact programs.