Sin #4 in this series basically assumes we’re talking about IT project management.  Or at least technical project management to some degree.  And I’ve long held that IT project managers need to come to the position with some technical expertise in their past.  If they’ve been a developer or if they’ve held some position that allows them to know their way around a technical solution it will lend that much more credibility to them with their customer and their project team.



That said, in no way can past technical expertise carry you through for 20 years or more of project management without some attempt to remain somewhat current on technology.  Whether it’s trade magazines that you subscribe to, online articles that you search through, conferences you attend, or colleagues you network with, you must remain current if you hope to remain viable in leading successful technical projects.  If you are out of touch technically, you’re soon going to have trouble connecting with your technical resources.  They’ll lose confidence in you, you won’t be able to adequately assess their work, confirm their estimates, and generally serve the best needs of your team and your customer.  I’m not saying you’re going to be an utter failure unless you are a technical expert, but you need to stay somewhat current.  How do you do that?



For me, I take three routes in working hard to remain current technically so as to best serve my teams, my customer, and my career.  I do this through…



Conferences and seminars



I’ve been fortunate enough to attend thousands of dollars in technical conferences for free this past year because I write technical articles.  It’s a great way to seek out specific areas and attend sessions to gain further understanding.  Not everyone can do that – and not everyone lives in Las Vegas where nearly every conference imaginable is held at some time or another.



However, there is another way.  I get at least 5-10 requests every week to sign up for some free seminar or webinar online on a specific are of technical expertise.  Search the web – they are out there.  Be proactive … learn … take control.



Networking



Networking online and at work with technical experts is a great way to learn new things.  Waiting till the last minute to get up to speed for a specific project may lead to resentment among your team members, but asking them or their colleagues in advance – when things aren’t so critical – for help understanding a new technology or solution is a great way to learn.  And they are often more than happy to share their knowledge – it feeds their egos.



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