Project management is becoming more accepted as a discipline, according to ESI International, a project management training firm. Project management plays a critical role in organizations, whether its developing new products and services, or ensuring day-to-day operations run smoothly. Project managers may work with local or remote teams, or in many cases, virtual teams, with people from several different groups working together for a single project. For organizations, talented and effective project managers are a competitive advantage and that will continue to be the case in 2011, according to J LeRoy Ward, the executive vice-president of ESI. “Savvy business leaders” have to consider talent management and organization-specific requirements in order to keep talented managers, especially as the number of career-growth opportunities increase. A panel of consultant and senior executives from ESI collaborated on a list of key trends managers, directors, and senior executives should consider when reviewing the project management environment within their organization. 2011 will show an increase in formalizing and codifying job roles and authority for project managers, while giving them the tools to manage complex projects. The focus will be on communication, negotiation, and making changes within the organization to support the project. – …