What do you do if your program management skills are stagnating?

Engage and listen to secure honest feedback: - Seek mentorship for guidance and insights - Network with other professionals - Join professional organizations and attend industry events - Volunteer for challenging projects

I agree with the comments. To start with , I would assess and reflect the reason for it. It varies based on personality type, situation, pace of work. A definite indication that we need to move out of 'comfort zone' and get a fresh perspective. We need to exercise caution and analyze the feedback received as well before actioning it out. Some key get rights in seeking feedback 1. Right focus (enhance, maintain, learn, unlearn) 2. Right cadence (intervals, closure) 3. Right people (peers, mentors, experts) 4. Right questions (focused, open ended) 5. Right balance (immediate, medium ang long term) 5. Right discretion (selecting what is critical and important) 6. Right research (options available) 7. Right mode (in person, call, etc)

I believe that anything is bound to become stagnant if we aren't consistent enough in upskilling or learning. Program Management is a skill that always needs improvement based on trending technologies and methodologies. Stay updated with relevant news and articles. Medium and HBS are two websites that I personally use and can help you stay informed. As I always say, Life is an exercise, and we need to keep practicing to flourish. Similarly, skills require practice to stay sharp. Keep trying, and you’ll never truly fail. " I never lose; I either win or learn"

Self-reflection and feedback are vital for personal and professional growth in program management and life in general. Take time for introspection, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Seek feedback from peers, managers, and team members to gain valuable insights. Additionally, consider creating a Personal Board of Advisors comprising of individuals with diverse perspectives and expertise. Regularly engage with them for guidance, support, and accountability, leveraging their insights to refine your skills and navigate challenges effectively.

…it can happen without you realising it. Keep the mindset that every day is a school day and don’t become complacent. No matter how good you may think you are, there’s always an ‘even better if…’

By identifying specific competencies you want to enhance or considering certifications relevant to your career, you create a roadmap for your professional development. These goals provide focus and direction, guiding your efforts towards acquiring new knowledge, skills, and experiences that can invigorate your approach to program management.

Continuous learning is indeed essential in the ever-evolving field of program management. Staying abreast of the latest industry trends, methodologies such as Agile or Lean, and technological advancements ensures that your skills remain relevant and adaptable to the changing landscape.

In program management, embracing experimentation and innovation is crucial for staying ahead. Explore new techniques, tools, and approaches for your projects. Celebrate successes and learn from failures, fostering a mindset of continuous improvement. By experimenting with novel ideas, you can uncover innovative solutions to complex challenges, driving project success, and organizational growth, which can help you stand out.

Engaging with peers allows for the exchange of knowledge, providing opportunities to glean insights from diverse experiences and approaches to common challenges. By tapping into this collective wisdom, program managers can gain fresh perspectives, refine their strategies, and expand their skill set, ultimately enhancing their effectiveness in managing complex initiatives.

Look to find mentor from other groups and try to learn other groups in the organization. See how they do things differently and what program execution practices that they use.

Adopting a flexible mentality and being receptive to new techniques, technologies, and methods in the field are necessary for program managers to embrace change. It necessitates a readiness to adjust to changing stakeholder demands, project environments, and industry trends. Program managers may lead innovation, remain ahead of the curve, and react to opportunities and challenges in a changing environment by embracing change. This way of thinking encourages adaptability, inventiveness, and constant development, which helps program managers prosper in a constantly shifting project management environment.

Other than self reflection what I find very useful is collaborating with professionals from different backgrounds because their unique insights can help me break new ground. So my suggestion would be: sure, find time to reflect but also blend it with constant learning so that you can keep your skills sharp and your programs successful.

This can be an indication that you are ready to take next level responsibilities and bigger roles. I would go out and reach out to mentors and leaders, express the intent with humility and get opportunity of managing portfolios or running multiple and complex programs

Just read books and take trainings related to the technology and domain. There is so much training videos on linkedin learning!

Thought leadership in program management involves sharing insights, experiences, and best practices to drive industry progress. Consider, engaging in writing articles, contributing to publications, and speaking at conferences. Active participation in online communities fosters knowledge exchange and can expand your networks. By sharing your expertise, you establish credibility, inspire others, and contribute to advancing the field of program management along with your personal and professional goals.

It's an interesting question, as project management can be quite formulaic in nature. For it to be stagnant, there is an implication of success- repeated failures by their nature contribute to changing methods sooner rather than later. So, the question then becomes: why fix it if it ain't broken? I suggest that it doesn't have to be fixed at all, but just as a chef may not follow the exact recipe, a PM can try new tools and new approaches. Each project can bring its own unique opportunities to spice up a skill set. Learn, explore, become a student of the craft. Be bold, be adventurous. Swing for the fences- remember, most decisions can be reversed if they dont pan out (be sure to define the red lines). Just be on time and under budget. 🤣