Course Content

Effective project leadership is the foundation upon which you will build your career and in guiding your team toward project success. Here are some top project leadership skills you must master: 

• Vision & Goal Setting, 
• Strategic Thinking, 
• Accountability, 
• Decision Making, 
• Risk Management, 
• Motivation,  
• Team Building.

Your success in managing stakeholders will determine whether or not your project succeeds. Here are some top project stakeholder management skills we will cover: 

• Stakeholder Analysis, 
• adopting a Customer Centric Focus, 
• employing Diplomacy, 
• exercising Influence and Persuasion, 
• understanding Crisis Management, and 
• honing Political Awareness.

Communication is crucial for you to ensure  information is conveyed clearly and that your team is aligned toward the accomplishment of common goals. Key project communication skills include: 

• Active Listening, 
• developing Cultural Awareness, 
• Relationship Building, 
• Presentation Skills, 
• Understanding Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and 
• Feedback Delivery.  

Subset skills we cover include: 

• Technical Proficiency with various communication tools,
• improving Clarity & Conciseness, and 
• sharpening your Written Communication skills.

Negotiation skills are essential  when dealing with the myriad of stakeholders, at all levels - consider just some of the various team members, vendors, and other parties and personalties involved in your project. We will cover: 

• Preparation, 
• developing a sense of timing and Patience, 
• holding to strict Ethical Standards, 
• learning to exhibit Assertiveness, and  
• learning the necessity of the Follow Up.

The ability for you to respond effectively to changes, uncertainties, and unexpected challenges is one of the core expected capabilities of project managers.  You must be able to: 

• Collaborate with your team, 
• Rapidly Decide the most effective solutions and options,
• learn how to truly be Resilient, and 
• understand how Methods, like Agile Scrum increase your opportunities to adapt, execute, learn - rinse and repeat.

Problem Solving can be one of the most challenging yet creative responsibilities you will have as a project manager.  Because Problem Solving requires we use so many various ways of thinking, it is important to understand the frameworks, models, and questions to ask to not only solve problems, but solve the right problems.  Areas  we cover include: 

• Resourcefulness, 
• Creative Thinking, 
• Analytical Thinking, 
• Critical Thinking, 
• Data Driven Decision Making, and 
• System Thinking.

Schedules, deadlines, timelines... all essential, as time is not only your most valuable resource - but your organization's.  The must have skills we cover include: 

• Prioritization, 
• Scope Management, 
• Planning & Scheduling, 
• Deadline Management, 
• Time Estimating, 
• Progress Tracking, 
• Time Auditing, 
• Kaizen (Constant Improvement), 
• Resource Management, 
• Time Blocking, and 
• Effective Meetings.

Effective project risk management is essential for identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential issues that could impact project success:  

• Identification,
• Planning,
• Assessment,
• Risk Decision Making,
• Monitoring,
• Risk Kaizen (Constant Improvement), 

Subset skills we cover include: 

• Risk Collaboration & Team Engagement,
• Risk Contingency,
• Risk Communications, 
• Risk Stakeholder Management,
• Risk Tolerance Assessment,
• Risk Documentation & Reporting

Budget and financial management skills are important for project managers to ensure projects stay within budget constraints and are financially viable.  To varying degrees, depending on the organization's established roles and responsibilities for you, you will need at least a familiarity with the following covered topics:

• Compliance & Governance,
• Financial Project Reporting,
• Understanding Business Metrics,
• Earned Value Management,
• Cost Benefit Analysis,
• Financial Analysis,
• Budgeting & Forecasting,
• Cash Flow Management & Cost Control,
• Resource Allocation,
• Vendor Management.

While project managers may not need to be experts in specific technical domains, possessing certain technical skills is valuable for effective project management. Here are some top project technical skills for project managers we will cover:

• SDLC Methodologies,
• Project and Program Management Software,
• Requirements Management Software,
• Risk Management Software,
• UX Design Knowledge,
• Data Analysis,
• Coding & Scripting Knowledge,
• Quality Assurance and Engineering,
• System Design Knowledge,
• Cybersecurity Awareness,
• Mobile App Development,
• Database Systems, 
• Infrastructure Knowledge.

Standards, such as those set by the Project Management Institute (PMI), provide a common framework for professionals worldwide. Adhering to these standards enhances the credibility and recognition of project managers globally.  While the Cat Herder Project does not explicitly prepare you for any specific certification, we will go over the:

• Areas of Emphasis,
• Pros and Cons, 
• Recommendations on next steps.

Project managers play a crucial role in various industries, and your career prospects can be promising. Here are some key factors contributing to positive career prospects for project managers:

• High Demand - across a wide range of industries,
• Competitive Compensation,
• Continuous Learning - especially in the technology space,
• Global Relevance,
• Career Advancement,
• Leadership opportunities,
• Entrepreneurial proving ground.