Brexit or no Brexit, project management is the future of business

Richard White

Events Director, Project Challenge

You’re probably sick of hearing about it, but Brexit really is the biggest challenge facing the UK (and the EU) since the second world war. But while the political elite play toy soldiers with the fortunes of millions throughout Europe, organisations of all types and sizes are in the firing line.

Planning relies on sensible predictions about the future

Three years (and counting) since the referendum and no one, not even those in charge of the process, can predict the course of events. Will there be a hard Brexit in October or a last-minute deal? Even a second referendum, general election and revocation are all possibilities. Anyone who claims to know the future is telling porkies.

This is a thorny scenario for organisations in the private, public and charity sectors. Planning relies on sensible predictions about the future and, while under normal circumstances, contingency planning can alleviate some of the risk, these are anything but normal circumstances.

Yet, even when you extract Brexit from the equation, a vast number of uncertainties remain, from climate change to political upheaval to technological advancement. With each year that passes the world is becoming more and more turbulent and, with globalisation, shocks are felt around the world.

Survive Brexit with robust and adaptive project management

Project management, then, stands alone as the essential tool for the future. Organisations that adopt robust and flexible methodologies, recruit skilled people and incorporate the best planning and communications tools can stay on course amid all of the change.

It is the key skill; and project managers must perform at the highest level if they want to secure future growth and prosperity while avoiding the pitfalls.

Project managers can’t stand still; they must get up to speed with the latest developments, advice and solutions, while drawing inspiration from the experiences of experts who have succeeded in the face of adversity.