What do you do if your project managers lack strategic thinking abilities?
When you notice that your project managers are struggling with strategic thinking, it's essential to address the issue promptly. Strategic thinking involves understanding the bigger picture, setting long-term goals, and anticipating future challenges and opportunities. It's a critical skill for project managers, as it allows them to steer projects in alignment with the company's vision and ensure long-term success. Without it, projects may meet immediate goals but fail to contribute to the broader objectives of the organization.
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Nuria Sánchez RomanosMentora de Directivos y Dueños de Negocio | Convierte tu estrés en tranquilidad con inteligencia emocional y…
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Leo Lamas🇦🇷 Chair at Vistage Argentina | ex-CEO | Board Advisor 🎯| Mentor | D/srupting Leadership | Innovation | Inspiring…
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Marco Buschman, MCC, CTPC, CPCCLeadership Expert, Team & Executive Coach, International Facilitator, Inspirational Speaker, Bestseller Author
Before jumping to conclusions about your project managers' abilities, take time to assess their strategic thinking skills thoroughly. This can be done through one-on-one discussions, performance reviews, or by evaluating their approach to past projects. Look for evidence of their ability to link project outcomes with business strategy, foresee potential obstacles, and innovate solutions. Understanding the specific areas where they excel or fall short provides a foundation for targeted development.
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Según mi experiencia, utilizando la herramienta del mentoring, es fundamental poner el foco con los gerentes en 4 factores críticos que unen pensamiento estratégico y pensamiento ejecutivo. Estos son: 1º Los comportamientos (si son proactivos, reactivos o pasivos ante la creación de estrategias). 2º Los resultados de esos comportamientos y las consecuencias a las que llevan. 3º Valoración conjunta con los gerentes de su ánimo y su motivación hacia el cambio. 4ª Abrir posibilidades hacia el desarrollo del pensamiento ejecutivo que apunte a los objetivos, desarrollando fundamentalmente debilidades permitidas como la creatividad, la flexibilidad y la adaptación al cambio.
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Consider provide opportunities for your project managers to broaden their perspectives and acquire new knowledge. Encourage participation in training programs, workshops, or conferences focused on strategic project management. Exposure to diverse perspectives and best practices can expand their strategic thinking toolkit and inspire innovative approaches to project execution. Furthermore, facilitate cross-functional collaboration and encourage project managers to engage with colleagues from different departments to gain insights into broader organizational objectives. This holistic approach fosters continuous learning and development, enhancing project managers' ability to align their initiatives with overarching business strategies.
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TIP - Cultivate courage over judgment. Quick judgments are easy, but true leadership requires the bravery to suspend them. Approach your evaluations with openness and curiosity, inviting project managers into discussions that explore their perspectives and strategies. Share your concerns and doubts transparently, transforming these conversations into opportunities for growth and understanding. By fostering an environment of courageous dialogue, you not only gain deeper insights into their capabilities but also encourage a culture of trust and continuous improvement. This method strengthens both individual and team resilience, paving the way for strategic innovation and alignment with broader business objectives.
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Recognizing a project manager who struggles to see the big picture can be frustrating. To bridge this gap, consider open communication. Discuss the project's overall goals and how their decisions impact the bigger vision. Offer opportunities to participate in strategic planning sessions, allowing them to develop a broader perspective. Remember, fostering strategic thinking is a collaborative effort, and by providing support and guidance, you can empower your project managers to become valuable strategic partners.
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Para evaluar las habilidades uso el moldeo Liderazgo Ecléctico, en pilar 1 que se llama Inventario personal. Lo importante es llevar los resultados al desarrollo del pensamiento estratégico.
Once you've identified the gaps in strategic thinking, consider providing training tailored to your project managers' needs. This could include workshops, seminars, or courses focused on strategic planning, risk management, and decision-making. Encourage them to learn from industry leaders and expose them to different strategic frameworks and tools. Training should not only be theoretical but also offer practical exercises that allow them to apply new concepts to real-world scenarios.
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TIP - Enhance training with mentorship or coaching. While structured training offers valuable knowledge, the personalized guidance from a mentor or coach can profoundly amplify its impact. This one-on-one relationship provides a safe space for project managers to discuss challenges, test out strategies, and refine their skills with direct feedback. Mentors or coaches, with their experience and insights, can tailor their advice to the unique context and aspirations of each manager, facilitating deeper understanding and application of strategic concepts. This combination of formal training and personalized mentorship or coaching creates a powerful synergy, accelerating professional growth and strategic thinking capabilities.
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Recognizing the unique challenges project managers face in today's dynamic environment, we're committed to empowering them with the strategic skills they need to excel. check for tailored training programs, ranging from interactive workshops to in-depth courses, will equip them with the knowledge and frameworks to navigate complex situations, make informed decisions, and ultimately, achieve project success. From fostering a big-picture perspective to mitigating risks proactively, these programs will provide project managers with the tools to become true strategic leaders within their teams.
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Develop tailored training programs or workshops focused on enhancing strategic thinking skills. This could involve a combination of theoretical knowledge, practical exercises, case studies, and real-world examples to provide a comprehensive learning experience.
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Recomendación: en primer lugar, facilitar el entreno de habilidades de forma individual a cada gerente con programas de mentoring, que incluyan fases de desarrollo en el pensamiento ejecutivo-estratégico y de impulso personal hacia la autogestión. En segundo lugar, impartir entrenos formativos con técnicas de gamificación, reflexión, feedback e implementación, a los equipos de los gerentes, en sesiones en los que ellos también participan.
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Hay varias formas de desarrollar el pensamiento estratégico a nivel Gerencial. Una de ellas, y dado a las nuevas generaciones,. son los videos juegos de estrategia, estos bien usados ayudan mucho.
Mentorship is an excellent way for project managers to develop strategic thinking skills. Pair them with senior leaders or experienced strategists within your organization. These mentors can share insights from their own experiences, offer guidance on complex projects, and help project managers understand the long-term implications of their decisions. Regular mentorship meetings can create a valuable dialogue that fosters strategic growth.
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En mi opinión, la utilidad de los programas de mentoría es definitoria para la transformación de estancamiento o caos organizacional, en líneas de actuación estratégicas con resultados. Mis experiencias dirigiendo estos programas de desarrollo han significado una importante mejora en los procesos, en el clima y la felicidad de las empresas y un aumento de más del 30% en la cifra de negocio.
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Empower your project managers to become strategic visionaries. Pair them with seasoned leaders or strategists who can guide them through complex situations. These mentors, armed with experience, can offer invaluable insights and help project managers see the bigger picture. Through regular discussions, project managers can develop their strategic thinking muscles, allowing them to make informed decisions with long-term impact. This mentorship program fosters a collaborative environment where knowledge is shared and leaders are cultivated.
Collaboration with other departments can broaden project managers' perspectives and enhance their strategic thinking. Encourage them to work closely with finance, marketing, and other relevant teams to understand the diverse aspects of the business. This cross-functional collaboration can reveal how different areas interconnect and contribute to the overall strategy, helping project managers to better align their projects with organizational goals.
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Breaking out of silos and working hand-in-hand with colleagues from different departments is a game-changer for project managers. Imagine the power of incorporating the financial team's insights to ensure project feasibility, or leveraging marketing's expertise to craft a winning launch strategy. This collaborative approach fosters well-rounded thinking, strengthens communication across the organization, and ultimately leads to projects that deliver exceptional results.
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Para fomentar la colaboración es fundamental estrechar lazos de confianza verdadera entre los diferentes departamentos a través de un flujo de comunicación. Ambas, confianza y comunicación, además de impulsar el intercambio de ideas, potencian el compromiso de los actores y de su corresponsabilidad en aportar a la consecución de las metas.
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La mejor manera de desarrollar la colaboración en un gerente es que entienda la organización como un sistema antes de comenzar actuar, para ello, el pensamiento sistémico, muy bien desarrollado en los libros de P. Senge. son un buen comienzo para aprender antes de comenzar a colaborar.
Encourage project managers to reflect on their work regularly. Reflection can be a powerful tool for developing strategic thinking. Ask them to review completed projects and consider what worked, what didn't, and how different decisions might have altered the outcomes. This reflective practice helps them learn from experience and think more critically about their approach to future projects.
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Encourage regular reflection practices, such as structured feedback sessions, where project managers analyze their experiences and identify strategic improvement opportunities.
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Recomendación: dado que la reflexión ayudará al crecimiento del pensamiento ejecutivo-estratégico, se hace necesario desarrollar la objetividad y la identificación de sesgos a través de la lógica. Y a nivel práctico, es útil crear un "diario" de observaciones auto-guiadas, en el los gerentes se den respuestas a preguntas tipo: ¿Cómo puedo mejorar en este área?¿De qué otra manera lo puedo enfocar/ conseguir? La suma de la Reflexión + Autoconciencia = Pensamiento Crítico.
Finally, supporting autonomy can be a catalyst for enhancing strategic thinking. When project managers are given the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their projects, they're more likely to think strategically. Trust them with more significant responsibilities incrementally and create an environment where innovative thinking is rewarded. This empowerment can motivate them to develop and apply strategic thinking skills actively.
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And now, folks, let's talk about supporting autonomy! Picture this: when you let your project managers spread their wings and take charge of their projects, guess what happens? Yep, you got it! They start thinking strategically like it's second nature! So, why not sprinkle in a bit more responsibility here and there? And hey, let's create an environment where innovation gets a standing ovation! Trust me, this kind of empowerment? It's like rocket fuel for their strategic thinking engines! 🚀
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La autonomía se basa en un alto nivel de confianza personal, que se gana en función de los pasos anteriores; un gerente de un proyecto, podrá mostrar su capacidad de pensamiento estratégico y con ello ganar la autonomía, cuando tome las primeras decisiones acertadas. Es conveniente que sea acompañado hasta este punto.
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Start by looking at Strengths of your team. Leveraging a tool like CliftonStrengths is a powerful way to first build awareness of the team’s strengths. By understanding the team’s strengths, we can start the journey of having project managers first understand and owning their strengths. Leaders will need to then build a positive strength based work environment to help them consistently look and apply their individual strengths and see what other strengths they can tap on to help them be more strategic in their approach. In any team environment, working together is important and by looking at the collective team strengths, one can help pair and partner, to help each other be more strategic or in a broader case, work better as a team.
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No dejen de apuntar que el pensamiento estratégico pasa por entender el propósito y la visión de la empresa, diseñar lo realmente estratégico y estar cerca de lo táctico.
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