5 Signs Your Child is a Project Manager-To-Be

You could have a budding project manager in your midst and not even know it. Your precious bundle of joy could be showing signs of project management greatness right before your very eyes – so don’t miss these early indications:

Teresa Talks – The first sign your child is destined to be an excellent communicator might be during those parent-teacher conferences. Consistently, you receive the report that your child is overly talkative during class. You may think scolding little Teresa is in order, but not so fast! All that gabbing could be a sign that she has the potential to be a persuasive and powerful communicator. Strong communication skills are more than critical for project managers.

Nagging Nora – Does your child have a hard time accepting no for an answer? And when this happens do you find yourself repeating the line that goes something like this: “In life we don’t always get what want”? Let’s rethink this response. Nora’s propensity to come back again and again with different, more clever ideas may tell you that she has the creative problem-solving genius that is characteristic of great project managers. So, instead of interpreting this persistence as nagging, recognize and nurture her creativity.

Bossy Benjamin – Bossy children are not always easy to tolerate. Trust me, I know. But what if? What if Benny’s bossiness was the first clue that he is a natural leader in disguise? Leadership and project management go hand-in-hand.

Riley’s Room – If you can get beyond the mess and chaotic appearance, you may find that your child has a natural talent for organization, a must-have project management competency. Before making Riley clean up his dirty room again, give him a challenge to organize or reorganize his room in a way that makes sense for him. Put a time limit on it. Then, after this task is complete, ask questions about where he placed certain items and why. You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

Presley’s Passion for Process – So… what about the school science project that won 1st, 2nd or 3rd place? Presley Jr.’s successful venture could be an early signal he’s a strong planner in the making and thrives on the methodical thinking that science demands. Science is not the only field that requires structured methodology; project management does too.

If we choose to see our children’s behavioral and personality leanings from a different perspective, we may learn that an emerging project manager is on the horizon. How exciting! In addition to being a viable and lucrative career choice, project management is an important life skill. To learn more about how you can support the development of your child’s project management skills and talents, check out the PMI Educational Foundation’s website.