Responsible Project Management - with Dr Karen Thompson

TL;DR

Responsible project management requires project managers to think beyond outputs and consider the environmental and social impacts of their projects.

Transcript

Karen welcome thank you Mike lovely to see you so for those who don't know Karen Thompson is the co-founder of responsible project management and is an independent consultant after her first career in Information Systems and Technology she moved to Academia and got her PhD in project management from Bournemouth University which is not a million mil... Read More

Key Insights

• 🪡 Responsible project management recognizes the need to address challenges such as climate change and social injustice.
• 🍉 It emphasizes the role of project managers in enabling change and achieving long-term benefits.
• 🤔 The principles of responsible project management include stakeholder engagement, transparency, and circular thinking.
• 🤔 Systems thinking and scenario-based learning are essential for project managers adopting a responsible approach.
• 😷 Project managers need to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions, and create a culture of psychological safety within their teams.
• 🤔 Circular thinking involves considering the entire lifecycle of resources and designing projects for long-term sustainability.
• 🤔 Responsible project management calls for a shift from outputs-focused thinking to considering environmental and social impacts.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does responsible project management mean?

Responsible project management goes beyond delivering outputs and considers the environmental and social impacts of projects. It involves thinking about long-term sustainability and the well-being of stakeholders.

Q: How does responsible project management differ from green project management?

While green project management focuses on incorporating sustainable development into projects, responsible project management goes further. It emphasizes individual project managers' role and also considers the social impacts of projects, not just environmental factors.

Q: How can project managers become more responsible?

Project managers can become more responsible by raising awareness of the impacts of their projects, engaging stakeholders in dialogue, and seeking transparency in decision-making. They need to embrace systems thinking and adopt a circular economy approach.

Q: What practical tools and techniques can project managers use for responsible project management?

Project managers can incorporate circular thinking into their projects, considering the entire lifecycle of resources and aiming to create resources rather than using them up. They can also focus on stakeholder engagement, transparency, and incorporating systems thinking into their planning and decision-making processes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Responsible project management means thinking beyond just delivering outputs and considering the impacts on the environment and society.

• This approach focuses on the individual project manager, rather than just the organization as a whole.

• It involves concepts such as systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, transparency, and circular thinking.