The results of our informal survey are in. I thought they were pretty interesting. Roughly 63% of those who responded identified themselves as accidental project managers. This wasn’t a surprise to me. From conversations I’ve had with colleagues, many of them stumbled into project management because they were capable leaders who could effectively deal with an ever changing environment. (I am an accidental project manager myself.)
What type of project manager are you?
Understanding the complexity of project based work, it made perfect sense to me that 66-67% of you invested in regular training.
Do you participate in regular project management training?
Here is where I was a little surprised—but because of the audience, I probably shouldn’t have been. Books and Social Media tied at 66% as where you turn for training. I have long felt that the community that exists within the social media landscape is a valuable source for sharing best practices, I just didn’t expect it to be the source.
Where do you turn for project management training?
I was also curious to see how many of you accidental project managers pursued a more formal path once you made the leap to becoming a project manager. Not surprisingly, being the dedicated over-achievers that project managers tend to be, 54% of you have subsequently pursued a formal PM education and certification.
If you started out as an accidental project manager, have you subsequently pursued a formal project management education and certification?
Thanks to everyone that participated in our survey. It’s rewarding to be part of a community that spends so much time contributing to the education and success of its peers. For anyone who didn’t contribute to the poll, feel free to visit and add your experience.
