You want to move up in your company. What program management skills should you learn?

If you want to move up in your career in program management, you need to develop specific skills in stakeholder management, open communication, team building, and leadership with continuous learning. Different and diverse stakeholder handling is crucial for program management. The stakeholders are upward, downward, and sideward and must manage and satisfy the requirements, needs, and expectations to attain the program goals. If you move up to the next level, you need to take the initiative for the challenging tasks and put your effort, skills, knowledge, and way of approaching the tasks and utilize your creative with innovative ideas for resolving the issues. Develop leadership skills to manage and utilize the team efficiently.

To enhance strategic thinking, engage in cross-functional projects that offer a glimpse into different parts of the business. This exposure broadens your understanding of how various elements contribute to the organisation's goals. Participating in strategy workshops or strategy development sessions can also provide practical experience in strategic planning and execution. It's also key start thinking beyond the boundaries of your assignments and start thinking more commercially. Your efforts serve a wider set of goals and it's key to understand them.

Program managers are always at a sweet spot to align strategy with tactical finer details and get the benefits and value created. To get there, Program manager needs the ability of looking at the big picture, attention to details, people leadership, and cross-functional collaboration. These aligned with strong Program management practices would certainly take one to the higher levels.

Eyeing that next step up the ladder in your company? Sharpen your stakeholder management skills. It's all about mastering the art of connecting with those who have a stake in your program. Build bridges of trust, keep the lines of communication tailored and open, and become a pro at balancing expectations and needs. Dive into the nuances of mapping and prioritizing stakeholders, finessing your communication to suit different audiences, and deploying emotional intelligence and active listening to navigate the waters of negotiation and conflict resolution. Excelling in stakeholder management not only elevates your program's success but also positions you as a leader others want to follow.

I would say Stakeholder Engagement instead of Stakeholder Management as program managers role is to engage Stakeholders as per Power Impact Matrix or Stakeholder Map. We should also identify the Stakeholders who are leading the change and want true success, who are having negative abut program and who are neutral. Based on thr same, we need to define the strategy to effectively engage them.

Improving stakeholder management involves practicing empathy and developing negotiation skills. Participate in or observe negotiations and conflict resolution scenarios within your organisation. Seek opportunities for roles or projects that require direct stakeholder engagement, providing practical experience in managing diverse expectations and interests. Effectively managing upwards is key so if this an area you lack strength - work on it. find a leader in your business, request some time with them and ask them how they feel the most effective way to manage them would be - you'll be surprised the knowledge you will gain.

To sharpen project integration skills, work on obtaining certifications that focus on advanced project management methodologies, These certifications often cover integration techniques in depth. Additionally, volunteering to lead integration efforts in complex projects can provide hands-on experience with the challenges and solutions in project integration.

Embrace a growth mindset by setting personal development goals related to program management and beyond. Leverage online platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or industry-specific learning resources to stay abreast of the latest trends and methodologies. Joining professional associations or groups related to program management can also facilitate learning through networking and knowledge sharing.

There are many skills a program manager needs to advance within a company, such as: ? Leadership and Communication to guide the team, resolve conflicts, and align resources. ? Strategic Planning to ensure decisions contribute to the organization's long-term success. ? Stakeholder Engagement to secure their buy-in and support. ? Risk Management to prevent potential problems or identify and leverage hidden opportunities, etc. The key to determining which skills to master first lies in assessing one's current abilities and the demands of their specific role. Program managers should pinpoint their areas for improvement and prioritize the development of skills that will most significantly enhance their effectiveness and success in their role.

Project management experience prepares an individual for leadership as the PM is basically running a company within a company. The roles encounters nearly every department within an organization; Strategy, Leadership, Finance, Marketing, Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Aftermarket, etc. This provides the PM insight into how these functions work and prepares them for additional challenges.