I am Alix Crawford, Melbreck Associates, and I have worked in health and care in the UK for many years. I have always been passionate about helping people to develop in their role and to take the next steps in their career - passing on the baton to the leaders of the future. We all need encouragement and support to take risks, develop our potential, try something new...
I have noticed that many senior administrators and aspiring managers just need encouragement and opportunity to develop new skills such as leadership, strategic thinking, working across team/organisational boundaries. Supporting someone to lead and manage a project is a great way to let them dip their toe in the water and have a go. Having this experience will often give them the confidence to go on to be leaders and managers of the future and also give them a track record in delivering a project.
The tricky bit, and often the overlooked bit can be the RELATIONAL aspects of project management. Building a project group, establishing good rapport and relationships between group members, engaging with and managing stakeholders, building a network to support your project, knowing what to do if it goes off track, how to manage conflict between stakeholders etc...
Yet the success of a project often stands or falls by ability of the person leading to navigate these relational waters.
I'd encourage anyone who is looking to step out and have a go at leading a project, or managers who want to develop their team members, to think specifically about helping them to develop great relational skills. They are life long skills and qualities which never wear out and will always be of use whatever role you are in.
Alix Crawford, Melbreck Associates
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