Eight Steps to Cultivating Your Project Management Skills

Projects have become an essential feature in most aspects of modern life.  At their best, they are not simply the economic engine of our times; they play a central role in providing people with positive meaning in their lives.  But whether they do so or not depends on the culture and relationships within the project team, which in turn depends on the quality of project leadership.

“The Neuroscience of Success”, pulls together seven influential theories that provide a deep understanding of human behaviour, based on extensive scientific research.  Incorporating this understanding into your own project leadership practice can be a daunting challenge.  The following phased approach is one way that you can nourish and develop them.

1. Awareness and Understanding: Start by dedicating some time each day to understanding these theories. Read about each theory and reflect on how it might apply to your leadership style and your team’s dynamics. Remember that this is not a one-time process but a continuous learning journey.
2. Self-Reflection: Reflect on your current leadership style. Do you tend to rely more on fast, instinctive decisions or slow, deliberate analysis? Are you aware of your emotional biases? Do you encourage open debate within your team? Self-reflection can help you identify areas for improvement and guide you in applying these theories.
3. Small Changes: Begin to integrate these insights into your practice by making small changes. For instance, you could start by fostering an environment that encourages open debate (Mercier’s theory) or by being more aware of your emotional responses when making decisions (Damasio’s theory).
4. Experiment and Iterate: Experiment with different approaches and observe the outcomes. For instance, you could try incorporating more intuitive decision-making into a project (Claxton’s theory) and see if it leads to better results. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes – the key is to learn from them and iterate on your approach.
5. Feedback: Encourage feedback from your team. This can provide valuable insights into how your changes are being received and what impact they are having on team dynamics and project outcomes.
6. Training and Development: Consider investing in formal training for yourself and your team to better understand and apply these theories. This could be through online courses, workshops, or coaching.
7. Regular Review: Regularly review your progress and adjust your approach as necessary. Remember that implementing these changes is a journey, not a destination.
8. Building a culture: Once you become more comfortable with these concepts, aim to create a culture that embraces these theories. This could mean promoting open debate, encouraging a balance of intuitive and analytical decision-making, and fostering a culture of empathy and understanding.