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Our 2020 hindsight vision for project management is seeing project leads focusing not on the projects themselves, but rather the people who make up the team. In 2020 we’re predicting that: 

• Project teams will have a more varied makeup
• Project leads will work on developing soft skills
• Getting a better idea of the strengths and weakness of your team
• Working with unrelated projects and fields
• Flexibility in your managerial philosophy

The upcoming decade will usher in a new age because it’s going to focus on the personal development of everyone involved in the projects you work on. By focusing on the people and building them up, you’ll be able to provide clients with a better product, and that will instill pride in your team.

Project Teams Will be More Diverse

Society is changing in big ways, more often than not for the better! We’re seeing more representation from various groups that historically are known as visible minorities in a variety of fields.

It doesn’t matter what age you enter the workplace, your degree level, if you’re apart of the LGBTQ+, a racial minority, or someone with a disability, these differences will be more commonplace. Rather than head for the hills, sort of speak embrace these differences.

Each person on your team will have different life experiences, due to a variety of factors, which means that you now how fresh and varying perspectives when it comes to tackling a variety of issues.

Besides personal traits, the workforce is changing in terms of employee makeup. The days of office workers being either salary or hourly are long behind us. This is partial because, with jobs and tasks shifting towards a heavy technological aspect, some companies are taking advantage of freelancers and remote workers.

Freelancers are great for short term needs and projects, and if they impress, they receive another project brief. Remote workers are taking traditional office jobs and allowing people to work from a home office, which reduces stress and boosts productivity and happiness. You could find freelancers on the portals like WriteScout and Subjecto.

Fostering Collaboration Between Unrelated Field and Projects 

We’re also predicting that previously related fields and projects will begin working together to save companies not only time, but also money when researching creative solutions, and developing products.

One instance of unrelated related fields coming together was Sociology and Myrmecology, a branch of Entomology focused on the study of ants.

Project Managers Will Need More Refined Skill Sets

Besides the technical skills a manager has, they’ll also need solid soft skills because colleges do a great job at teaching people industry knowledge, but don’t develop skills that businesses are looking for. Soft skills are the interpersonal skills that make people love or hate their manager.

A couple of examples of soft skills that managers need are the ability to accept feedback, creative and critical thinking, being flexible, and being a good communicator. A quick note on communicating, it’s more than talking, it’s also dependent on listening.

In 2020 we also think that tech will continue to trend as it has, and AI will become more important to businesses in 2020. Skills related to fields like robotics, computer science, and data analytics will be more important to companies.

Analyzing Not Only the Results But also Your Team

One thing that should be apparent to all project leads is that not all team members share the same skill sets. Each person has different skills that they offer, and as the manager, it’s your job to set up the team for success. However, the challenge lies in figuring out how to distribute tasks.

Managers Becoming Less Dogmatic With Their Management Philosophies

This is important because as the world changes around us, it forces management styles to be more flexible. By being able to alternate between different management styles, you can control things like decision making, job allocation, and you’ll have a defined leadership structure.

Conclusion

We hope you’re just as excited as we are for the dawn of a new decade. The future looks bright! Whether your a manager, a seasoned employee or a trainee, we’re all going to gain new skills. By developing people and setting them up for success, you’ll create a better product, and help shape the future.