These Key 23 Skills Are Required For Project Managers To Advance To Executive Ranks

Often as project managers, the effort required to mobilize, strategize, plan, and manage projects, people and solutions, requires many of the same skills exercised by CEOs running companies. Although the scope is dramatically different, project managers apply similar skills to their projects that CEO'sleverage for company success. 

So then, this stands to reason that project management is a natural incubator for future CEOs. Nonetheless, the body of evidence supporting PMs to become CEOs is inconclusive.  Or at least there are not many examples of former project managers that have leapt to the c-suite.  Like many things, the devil is in the details, and what in part clouds the metrics that support PM to CEO transitions are the numerous titles, industries, and functions that comprise the modern project manager.  Here are a few examples of the project manager titles:

Implementation Manager Stage Manager Associate Project Manager Project Management Assistant Project Communications Officer Project Administrator – supports a single project, is considered to be entry-level Project Coordinator – can support single or multiple projects, is not working in a PMO

Project Support Officer – like a Project Coordinator but works in the public sector Project Office Co-ordinator – works in a Project Office supporting projects Programme Office Co-ordinator – works in a Programme Office supporting programme/s PMO Analyst – works within any PMO supporting projects or programmes PMO Specialist – they will have a specialist in a specific area like risk, communications, finance etc Portfolio Office Analyst – works within a Portfolio Office PMO Manager – can be managing a Project, Programme or Portfolio Office Project Planner – can support one project or work within a PMO on multiple projects

Programme Planner – can support one programme or work within a PMO Project Controller – like a combo Project Coordinator and Project Planner. Mainly found in industries like engineering, construction etc Document Controller – purely focused on documentation on programmes and projects. Project Manager – can be used regardless of how experienced you are. It means you deliver a single project or multiple projects at the same time. It's the most recognized name within project management.

Senior Project Manager – used when a PM has a lot of experience or is working on large projects with high values and high risk. Programme Manager – managing a programme of work. The programme should include multiple projects, with the Project Managers reporting to the Programme Manager. Programme / Project Director – denotes a senior role and can mean either managing a considerable programme or project OR heading up the department, sometimes seen as: Head of Programmes/Projects – managing the whole delivery organization, is a senior executive and "C" level executive.

Source: ArrasPeople – Tracking Project Manager Job Titles

Stats don't tell the complete project manager picture:

So why does this matter?  Well for one, it makes statistical analysis difficult if charting the journey from point A (any of the project manager roles listed above) to point b, senior leadership or executive position, almost an impossible tasks.  So there is a stark disconnect in the ability to pull supporting metrics to dispel the misconception that there is no clear path for PMs to advance to CEO.

In reality, there is no clear path, but there certainly are clear traits.  When these traits are applied to your advancement journey and strategy for your project manager career design (aka the training, mentorship, coaching and development plan), promotion is inevitable.  However, crafting the most effective project manager career design, which leads to the CEO office, needs to be carefully developed and managed. 

That said, one of my absolute favourite books is "The CEO Next Door".  This book dispels many myths about what it takes to reach the c-suite and the steps those who have completed the journey followed. It's an easy read, informative, and frankly, I would say it is a must-read regardless of your career goals. That said, one of the most important take-aways from the book are the four key traits most common amongst CEO.  This is important because, other than these four traits, there really is not much that unites CEOs, not their journey, not their pedigree (although there are few expectations), not even their network.

So then, what are the four traits you ask?

• CEOs are decisive 
• CEOs are relentlessly reliable 
• CEOs adapt boldly 
• CEOs engage with stakeholders without shying away from conflict

The source of much of the findings from the book (including the list above) was derived from a 10-year study by Elena L. Botelho and Kim R. Powell, called the CEO Genome Project, that compiled data from over 17,000 c-suite executives.

Elite project managers come from various starting points 

One of the few commonalities amongst CEOs over and above the four traits just shared is the source of their corporate experience. They tend to come from very similar experience paths (this is not the same as a career path).  Most CEOs tend to rise through the ranks from a few limited channels, namely:

• R&D/IT – most specifically if the organization is tech-driven or based 
• Sales/Marketing – more often if an organization is seeking to increase its top line with a focus on long term business development. 
• Operations – it is not unusual to have a COO promoted to CEO as they are already running the functional side of the business 
• Finance – a pervasive progression path, especially if cost containment and control is a requirement.

Often the path to CEO is a combination of more than one of the categories above. Which again begs the question; isn't it part of the daily routine of a project manager to shift between many if not all of the channels listed above?  Klaus Kleinfield, the former Siemens CEO, certainly understood this and leveraged his project management background to establish and lead Siemens Management Consulting (SMC). SMC was developed to create and supervise a system for corporate revitalization and business improvement. 

Under Klaus, SMC was transformed from a small cost centre into a very profitable, respected consulting firm which established state-of-the-art benchmarking, project management, business re-engineering and innovation practices. Klaus personally led projects for several Siemens industry groups worldwide. This experience gave him a comprehensive understanding of the multiple divisions of Siemens, while at the same time proving several times that he could make things happen.

So clearly, for the series of leaps that must be completed to transition from PM to CEO (and all the senior leadership roles in between) leveraging your project management leadership to deliver consistent business value is table stakes.  Beyond that, the career design required to consistently advance towards the c-suite includes:

1. Forward Thinking: Preparing for emerging trends and planning for future opportunities
2. Strategic Risks Taking: Understanding calculated risks and assessing value vs reward 
3. Biased Towards Execution: Being action-oriented but not too impulsive.  Understand results are derived from execution. 
4. Optimistic: Practices being actively open-minded and sharing a belief in what is possible without being easily deterred. 
5. Resourceful: When given a challenge – looks to tools and materials available and/or is confident in their ability to find them to provide solutions. 
6. Constructively Progressive: Building on a tough mindset that accepts and transforms feedback in changed behaviours.
7. Team Building: Understanding the critical nuances to connect and read people develop emotional intelligence and build consensus amongst teams. 
8. Art of Negotiation: Leveraging the vital tactics to maximize every opportunity (salary, position, sales, idea, etc.) negotiation. 
9. Technical Leadership: Developing advanced technical leadership expertise to position yourself and business for winning.
10. Life-Long Learning: Demonstrates continuous commitment to new training and learning opportunities to advance capabilities. 
11. Networking Ninja: Growing your networking muscle to tap into elite groups and conversations that propel your career. 
12. Brand: Creating a personal, professional, and online brand to Attract, Connect and influence™ your audience or hiring manager. This includes building an industry reputation and influence that positions you not just a leader but also a thought leader. 
13. 10X results: Developing the tools and processes required to deliver 10X results in business and personal life. 
14. Physical wellness: Implementing a physical development routine that is simple to follow and results in massive mental and physiological growth.  Strong physical wellbeing propels your career design to new heights. 
15. Innovation leadership: Crafting ways to use innovative methods to lead, transform and deliver results that set you apart from your peers. 
16. Stress management: Fortifying your foundation and potential with strong stress management training to protect your mind, body and focus. 
17. Interpersonal Skills: Mastering the subtle art of interpersonal communication and open up opportunities to learn and perform. 
18. Mentorship -> Coaching -> Sponsorship: Planning for and attracting senior leaders to support your growth through the critical elements of professional development:

The Path Is Attainable, I've Done It 

As you can see, the path from PM to CEO is logical and undoubtedly attainable but requires purposeful thought and purposeful action. I'm also certain that the path has been completed more times than we have statistical evidence to support.  After all, I've walked this path myself.  After first attaining my PMP in 2006, my PgMP ten years later in 2016, I also added an MBA in innovation leadership, and then additional certifications in six sigma and business relationship management. I've been privileged to work with many outstanding leaders who have influenced my leadership style and amplified my intrinsic success characteristics.

There is a lot that goes into climbing the corporate ladder from a project manager to living your ultimate career aspirations. With the right training, mentorship, coaching, and development plan to coincide with your purposeful thought and purposeful actions, your potential is limitless. 

So my recommendation to you is, set your course to senior leadership with a career design that accounts for the four CEO traits and the nineteen supporting characteristics (the key 23 ™ ) I've listed above. 

Along those lines, and in addition to the "The CEO Next Door", I highly recommend you pick up the trilogy of books by Jim Collins, "Good to Great", "Great by Choice" and "Build to Last".  In total, these four books will serve as an excellent means to set your compass for the progress you have in store for our career. 

As I mentioned, leveraging your project management leadership to deliver consistent business value is table stakes, and without this, you will never be able to break into the most sought after roles.  There are many good programs and courses that focus on improving your project management prowess – seek them and master them because your return on the key 23 ™  will largely be influenced by it. 

I would be remiss if I did not recommend you also pick up my book the Limitless Project Manager. The Limitless Project Manager ™  is the culmination of the years of experience and advice that I've compiled over the past 18 years in project management and the tips, tricks, tools and hacks I've used to reach the c-suite and beyond.  I hope you enjoy the book and share your feedback with me at [email protected]. To your great success!

Emmanuel is the Founder and Managing Director of Ntansa an AI, Machine Learning and Automation company and a technology advocate for Africa, start-ups, and emerging technologies. His experience and expertise span the areas of ethics and the implementation of emerging technologies, future of work and the hybrid relationship between humans and robots in the 4th industrial revolution. As an innovation first leader, Emmanuel has pioneered and adopted various techniques to create and run innovation cultures. 

After a 17-year career in corporate IT with companies like General Electric, and Grohe Canada, Emmanuel is now responsible for strategy and business development across all lines of the technology business at Ntansa 

Emmanuel holds an MBA in Innovation, BSc in Computer Science and Project Management (PMP), Program Management (PgMP), Business Relationship Management (BRMP), and Six Sigma designations.