Project managers who go
beyond the triple constraint
to embrace strategic and
business management—one
side of the PMI Talent Tri-angle™—are in demand. For
job recruiters in the United
States, for instance, strategic
thinking is the most desired but
hardest-to-;nd skill, according to a
2016 Bloomberg report. And given that
only 44 percent of projects are highly aligned to
organizational strategy, according to PMI’s 2016
Pulse of the Profession® report, there’s huge potential for strategic-minded project managers to add value.
“Project management has
changed these days, and
focusing only on the triple
constraint isn’t enough,” says
Sara Francolini, PMP, proj-
ect director, strategic plan-
ning and execution, Travelers
Canada, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada. “Organizations aren’t
looking for project practitio-
ners to just execute; they’re
looking for people who can help support corporate
strategy through projects.”
Developing a sharp strategic mindset starts with
the right questions. Before asking how to exe-
cute the project, strategic project managers should
ask why the project is important, says Olusola
Olubadejo, PMP, senior project manager, strategic
planning manager, Cakasa, Lagos, Nigeria. “You
have to really understand why a project is hap-
pening and how it ties back to the organization’s
strategic goals to add value.”
To adopt a strategic mindset from start to ;nish,
ask questions throughout each project manage-
ment phase that provide the necessary answers—
and keep the project moving.
SCOPE,
SCHEDUL
BUDGET
STRATEGY?
“You have to
really understand
why a project is
happening and
how it ties back to
the organization’s
strategic goals to
add value.”
—Olusola Olubadejo, PMP, Cakasa,
Lagos, Nigeria
