Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Project Manager - Organization Building Block

competencies
A few days ago I posted an introduction to the project manager competency building blocks. These are the categories of skills and knowledge project managers should possess in order to be effective. I also previously posted a description of the industry building block that is one of the foundational project manager competencies. Today I will describe the next competency; the organizational building block.

Similar to industry experience, organizational experience is a foundational competency for project managers. These skills and knowledge are not directly related to project management but provide the background needed for a contextual understanding of the project environment. The industry experience building block I previously described represented the industry-specific experience that help project managers understand how projects are successfully executed within a specific industry. The organizational experience, on the other hand, provides the project manager with an understanding of how projects are executed within the context of the organization.

Organizational experience is gained from developing an understanding of the processes an organization follows, recognizing the power structures that exist within and outside of the organization and realizing who has the authority to make things happen, and observation of the unwritten rules and expectations the organization has for its employees and supervisors. These organizational factors may be unique in each organization and it is beneficial for the project manager to understand these characteristics before initiating a project.

Organizational experience is an especially important competency for project management consultants who may be experts in the project management field but may be at risk in the role due to insufficient experience with the organization. People unfamiliar with the organization will need to quickly understand the organizational context and apply it to the project.

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