Driving Growth and Impact via Project Management In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Professor Adam Boddison, the CEO of the Association for Project Management (APM), and they discuss his role and the nature of the organisation as a membership-based professional body.
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Key Takeaways
- APM has grown from 115 to 160 staff and £10M to £18M turnover in 3 years by simplifying processes, removing barriers, and focusing on scalable initiatives
- The “110 100 squared” strategy aims to grow APM to 1000 corporate partners, 10,000 chartered professionals, 100,000 members, and 100,000 annual qualification takers
- Project management is evolving from a technical/administrative function to a strategic “strategy execution” role, with increasing emphasis on people skills alongside process expertise
- AI will change but not replace project management roles, requiring more assurance and “anti-hallucinogenic” human oversight
Topics
APM’s Growth Strategy
- Simplified complex processes to make the organisation more understandable and accessible
- Identified and removed “pain points” (e.g. problematic CRM system) rather than just amplifying strengths
- New initiatives must be replicable, scalable, and sustainable
- Focused on removing barriers to growth rather than pushing harder on existing processes
The “110 100 squared” Strategy
- Ambitious growth targets: 1000 corporate partners, 10,000 chartered professionals, 100,000 members, 100,000 annual qualification takers
- Framed as “what would it take?” to encourage shared problem-solving across the organisation
- Helps identify necessary structural changes and prepares the organisation for future scale
- Aims to amplify APM’s impact and extend reach to benefit more projects and society
Evolution of Project Management
- Shifting from technical/administrative function to strategic “strategy execution” role
- Increasing emphasis on “power skills” (people skills) alongside process expertise
- Diverse entry points (apprenticeships, career changes) make it a catalyst for social mobility
- First 10 years of a project professional’s career show fastest salary growth
Impact of AI on Project Management
- Will change but not replace project management roles
- May automate some process-oriented tasks (e.g. planning, scheduling)
- Increases need for human assurance and “anti-hallucinogenic” oversight
- Requires even stronger emphasis on people skills as process tasks become more automated
Scaling Membership Organisations
- Remove barriers and simplify processes rather than just amplifying strengths
- Plan organizational structure changes in advance to support future scale
- Set proximate goals alongside long-term vision to provide ongoing motivation
- Consider making membership free to supercharge growth and create alternative value propositions (e.g. reach, government contracts)
In this conversation Adam explains how APM has grown significantly in recent years, from 115 staff and £10 million in revenue to nearly 160 staff and £18 million in revenue. He discusses the key principles behind this growth, including keeping things simple, identifying and removing barriers, and ensuring new initiatives are replicable, scalable, and sustainable.
Adam discusses how project management is evolving, moving from a more technical, administrative function to a more strategic, “power skills”-driven discipline that is critical for successful strategy execution. He also explores the potential impact of AI on the project management profession.
Professor Adam Boddison is the CEO of the Association for Project Management, Non Exec Director, Author and Keynote speaker.
Professor Adam Boddison can be found on LinkedIn here.
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