Page 184 - Global Project Management Handbook

8-10 COMPETENCY FACTORS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

and practitioner examinations and qualifications based on PRINCE2. PRINCE, which
stands for “Projects in Controlled Environments,” is a project management methodology
or approach to management of projects that was first developed in 1989 by the Central
Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), now part of the U.K. Office of
Government Commerce (OGC). When first developed, it was intended as a U.K. gov-
ernment standard for IT project management. PRINCE2 is a development of the original
methodology that is intended as a generic approach applicable to management of all
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types of projects [Office of Government Commerce (OGC), 2004]. Training in use of
PRINCE2 is available in many parts of the world through accredited training organiza-
tions, and there is a quality-assured process of assessment and certification in use of the
methodology. PRINCE2 qualifications often are specified as a requirement for positions
in organizations that use the PRINCE2 methodology, particularly in the United
Kingdom. The methodology, often customized for local use, has been adopted by many
organizations throughout the world.

Personality Characteristics, Attitudes, and Behaviors
Although there is strong guidance on what project managers need to know and to do in
order to be considered competent, there is far less guidance available in terms of per-
sonality characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors. There are a number of reasons for this.
One reason is that different people with different personality characteristics can use
knowledge and practices differently but still achieve satisfactory results. Another is that
it is ethically questionable to establish standards for personality characteristics, atti-
tudes, and behaviors. Competency models are designed specifically for identifying the
personality characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors that are found to be causally related
to superior performance in particular organizations, but there is no expectation that
there is one competency model that will be applicable to all organizations. Further,
studies of personality characteristics of project managers have found only weak corre-
lations between personality characteristics and successful performance. This can be
explained in part by the difficulties surrounding judgments concerning success.
However, although inconclusive and in most cases based on assumptions rather than
research, there is some information available concerning the personality characteristics,
attitudes, and behaviors that are expected to be associated with competent performance
as a project manager.
The IPMA Competence Baseline includes a section on the expected personality
characteristics for a certificated project manager. These are the same as appeared in
the APM Body of Knowledge (version 3.0). They were developed in a series of practi-
tioner workshops or meetings conducted by the APM. It is understood that they have
no basis in research. These characteristics are
● Attitude
● Common sense
● Open-mindedness
● Adaptability
● Inventiveness
● Prudent risk taker
● Fairness
● Commitment