What are the best ways to make the most of your first year in Program Management?
Program management is a rewarding but challenging career path that requires a combination of skills, experience, and knowledge. If you are new to this role, you might feel overwhelmed by the scope and complexity of your responsibilities, as well as the expectations and demands of your stakeholders. How can you make the most of your first year in program management and set yourself up for success? Here are some tips to help you navigate this exciting journey.
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Jeremiah Miller, PMPAssociate Director | Value Stream Leader | Aerospace Engine Control Systems1 Reply
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Tanaya Mondal, PMPProgram Manager @ Cummins India | Strategic Planning, Project Management
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Tariq IsmatiStrategic & Result-Oriented Leadership | Community Development Practitioner | Executive Coach
One of the first things you should do as a new program manager is to clarify your role and goals with your sponsor, senior management, and team members. Program management is not the same as project management, and you need to understand the difference and how it affects your work. A program manager is responsible for overseeing multiple interrelated projects that contribute to a strategic objective, while a project manager focuses on delivering a specific output within a defined scope, time, and budget. As a program manager, you need to align your goals with the strategic vision of your organization, communicate them clearly to your stakeholders, and measure your progress and impact regularly.
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Based on my experience, managing programs effectively needs strategies to help you align your practices with goals to hit bars for success. 1- Set the stage as a leader and provide a vision to ensure your team is positioned in the same contextual space as you do. 2- Connect the expected deliverables that the team is set to achieve with the bigger picture where the organizational goals are in play, coach them regularly, and make sure they understand priorities and are aligned with your expectations. 3- Know your team! As a program manager you need to be aware who does what, know your strong potentials & vulnerabilities, and plan. 4- Prioritize between targets and team development needs. 5- Measure success and adjust along the way.
Program management requires a diverse set of skills and competencies, such as leadership, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, risk management, change management, and more. As a new program manager, you should assess your current strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas for improvement and development. You can do this by seeking feedback from your peers, mentors, and managers, as well as by taking online courses, reading books, attending webinars, or joining professional networks. You should also create a personal development plan that outlines your learning objectives, actions, and timelines, and track your achievements and challenges along the way.
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If you follow the mantra “never stop learning,” it’s hard to go wrong. In a program management role, especially in broad programs, it’s not likely you’ll be the expert in everything. You may have subject matter expertise in a certain area (say manufacturing or engineering), but if you do, there will be some other area like finance or supply chain where you’re not the expert. In program management, you need to be ok not being the expert. Ask lots of questions, seek to understand and learn. You won’t become an SME in every area, but you will acquire knowledge to help in decision making, and in doing so, likely grow your network into one of trust. When people know you truly care for them and their work, it’s a powerful force!
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Here's how I feel you can reap the most benefit in your first year as program manager - 1. Program management is a vast subject and while it might take years to be an expert, understanding the overall deliverables (theoretical) and expectations (org specific) might help you chalk up the roadmap 2. Take time to analyse the processes, systems and tools being used to execute and monitor the progress of the program. 3. Understand your stakeholders and establish credibility. Practice active listening and align short term & long term goals keeping stakeholders' priorities in mind 4. Shadow peers and learn from their experience. Having a buddy/mentor who can help you get the lay of the land, turns out to be critical in the first year.
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The first step to truly build new skills & competencies is to maintain a mindset openness to learning at all times. 1- Learning and growth never ends, the experience to learn more and grow further is a daily phenomenon where a mindset of continuous learning helps you identify the gains and taking advantage of opportunities for new learning. 2- A program manager cannot be a jack of all trades! you have to accept that, and identify the areas where you need additional learning. 3- Feedback from colleagues and friends is a great way, however you need to be careful about perceptions that could misguide results. Taking a targeted approach may help to narrow down to only those areas that you lack skills, and go to the right people.
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In the first year as Program Manager, I would encourage asking lots of questions, validating drivers and desired outcomes and priorities, grouping these into suitable work streams and planning for each. One valuable exercise is to build and maintain FAQs to deep dive into the various work streams at play and keep these current as much as possible. Documenting and sharing FAQs serve the dual purpose of raising awareness and building community at scale whilst validating and normalizing detailed understanding across the board.
Program management is not a solo endeavor. You need to work with a variety of people, such as project managers, team members, sponsors, senior executives, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. To succeed in this role, you need to build your network and relationships with these people, and establish trust, rapport, and credibility. You can do this by communicating effectively and frequently, listening actively and empathetically, delivering on your promises, resolving conflicts constructively, and recognizing and appreciating the contributions of others. You should also seek to understand the perspectives, needs, and expectations of your stakeholders, and align them with the program goals and benefits.
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Building relationships and growing your network plays a key role in maintaining a successful leadership. 1- It requires a lot of skills but most importantly knowing value adds that you bring and others bring to the new relationship. 2- Go specific and make sure people understand you interest and try make it a mutual interest. 3- Listen respectfully, we often hear things and pretend we listen but in reality we actually don't listen. 4- Building trust is a key, however that depends on the values you are driven by and make sure people see you as a leader with values. 5- Share success, appreciate/recognize participation by others, and share credit. 6- Follow up on matters and maintain respective communication.
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Building a strong network and relationships is crucial in program management. Here's a brief guide: Communicate Effectively: Keep all parties regularly informed and engaged. Listen Actively: Show empathy and understand concerns to build rapport. Deliver on Commitments: Reliability in fulfilling promises builds trust. Resolve Conflicts Positively: Seek solutions that benefit all parties. Acknowledge Efforts: Recognize and appreciate team and stakeholder contributions. Understand Stakeholder Needs: Align their perspectives with program goals. These steps are essential for fostering a supportive and successful program environment.
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Ich bin davon überzeugt, dass gutes "Management" in Programmmanagement zwar eine notwendige Voraussetzung aber keine hinreichend, also nicht die alleinige Voraussetzung für ein erfolgreiches erstes Jahr ist. Vielmehr musst Du Dich mit dem Thema "Mensch" befassen: gute Beziehungen aufbauen, Stakeholder nutzen um die Organisation "hinter" Dein Programm zu bringen und immer wieder Leadership-Fähigkeiten aktivieren, um Dein Programm-Team aktiv zu entwickeln.
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Build meaningful relationships and a network of support systems. Seek mentors and learn from their experiences. Remember, collaboration multiplies impact. To achieve this, communication is key, be transparent, proactive, and adaptable in your interactions with stakeholders, beneficiaries, and team. Practice active listening, address concerns, and embrace constructive feedback.
Program management involves managing multiple projects, tasks, and activities simultaneously, which can be overwhelming and stressful. To cope with this challenge, you need to manage your time and resources efficiently and effectively. You can do this by prioritizing your work based on the urgency and importance of the program outcomes, delegating tasks that can be done by others, using tools and techniques to plan and track your work, such as calendars, schedules, Gantt charts, dashboards, etc., and setting realistic and achievable deadlines and milestones. You should also allocate sufficient time and resources for risk management, change management, quality management, and stakeholder management, as these are essential aspects of program management.
Program management is a learning process that involves trial and error, success and failure, feedback and reflection. As a new program manager, you should embrace the opportunities to learn from your experiences, both positive and negative, and apply the lessons to your future work. You can do this by conducting regular reviews and evaluations of your program performance, results, and benefits, and identifying what worked well and what can be improved. You should also solicit and incorporate feedback from your stakeholders, and share your insights and best practices with your peers and mentors. By learning from your experiences, you can enhance your skills, competencies, and confidence as a program manager.
Program management can be a long and complex journey that requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. As a new program manager, you should not forget to celebrate your achievements, both big and small, and acknowledge the efforts and contributions of your team and stakeholders. You can do this by recognizing and rewarding the milestones and deliverables of your program, expressing gratitude and appreciation to your supporters and collaborators, and showcasing the benefits and impacts of your program to your organization and customers. By celebrating your achievements, you can boost your morale, motivation, and satisfaction as a program manager.
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Ask questions (a lot!) You may not have the handover you wish to have or in some cases not have a handover at all Start off with an appetite for learning from the members of your team This does two things You are better equipped to guide the program towards success You strengthen your rapport with your team and cultivate an environment of collaboration
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