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Originally
published as a part of 2008 PMI Global Congress Proceedings – Sydney, Australia
Abstract
In the last few years Project
Management Certifications have taken on worldwide. An increasing number of
Companies and Individuals, working by projects in various market sectors, invest
in Project Management Certifications at both Company and personal level.
A Research Project recently carried out in Italy by the PMI®-Northern Italy
Chapter confirms this trend. Companies believe that PM Certifications are a key
asset for improving their market results and for effectively managing
project-based organizational dynamics. Individuals show they understand that PM
Certifications are an essential step for their professional development, for
increasing their self-esteem, and for coping with more complex project
environments.
A shared vision upon the value of PM Certifications is the “thread” that
connects Companies and Individuals with regard to motivation and willingness to
invest. Along this thread there are different knots. Each knot represents a
connection focused on a specific issue (for example, Company and individual
priorities in obtaining PM Certification). Knots must be tight: the connections
must be well understood and at the same time well protected for balancing in the
course of time the expectations and the results concerning PM Certification
issues.
But what happens after PM Certifications have been obtained? The thread is often
broken and an organizational vacuum occurs. On the one hand Companies show
inertia in their awareness and exploitation of PM Certifications. On the other
hand, certified Individuals obtain significant professional results, but career
prospects, earning expectations and other personal returns are limited and they
feel sorry for themselves.
This paper aims to discuss characteristics and causes of the broken thread and,
where and when it is broken, it suggests effective ways to re-knot it. The first
part of the presentation is focused on the framework and the main findings of
the Research Project, highlighting the post-Certification phase as a critical
issue both for Individuals and Companies. The central part of the presentation
analyzes the possible causes for this gap, such as disconnections between Staff
and Line functions within the organization, poor sense of Community among
Certified Project Managers, limited consideration of Project Management assets
inside the Company HR management system. Finally, the presentation outlines
specific actions to address critical issues and general guidelines for filling
the gap from the top (Company Organization) and the bottom (Certified Project
Managers). Additionally, the contents of the presentation may be used as a
benchmark for analyzing critical issues of the PM post-Certification phase,
regardless of the specific geographical context...............
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