The role of the project manager is growing.

No longer is it enough, particularly in the context of business transformation projects, for the PM to focus just on time, budget and specification. With projects increasing in complexity, reach and linkage, PMs need a range of skills and behaviours not traditionally associated with project management. These are mainly socio-political skills such as negotiation, expectations management, diversity management, ability to energize others, and resilience. 

Traditional training interventions, which usually impart knowledge, are not appropriate for developing these “new” competencies. There are several facets of true competence, which will lead to appropriate & effective behaviour on the job.  Evaluation and development of true competence therefore requires a multi-facetted framework that defines the facets, explains how they combine into behaviours and allows measurement for demonstrable improvement.

The PEAKS framework was developed by Cohesion`s UK partners, Dr David Hillson and Ruth Murray-Webster, to a provide way of supporting the assessment and development of project management competency. The approach is to define those aspects of behaviour and performance that are necessary in the workplace, and in so doing to define the areas of competence that separate truly effective project managers from the rest. This framework can then be applied in a number of ways:

• as the foundation of a rigorous, objective and consistent recruitment process
• to identify and measure individual achievement of project management competencies as a baseline from which to manage development
• to diagnose systemic organisational weaknesses.

Contact us to arrange an executive briefing for your company.