For ambitious professionals aiming for C-suite roles, continuous development of leadership and management skills is vital. The online Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) program from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) offers a way to achieve this, particularly for those looking to enhance their project management expertise. Through collaborative learning, 100% online coursework, and practical experiences — such as residency seminars and an international in-person trip — the program provides aspiring executives with the skills to succeed. This program is intended for current leaders with five or more years of work experience.
The UNCW online Executive MBA program incorporates a strong focus on operational excellence into its curriculum. Courses like Operations Management explore the fundamental principles and methods of managing operational systems. The program provides students with the knowledge for both immediate and long-term organizational decisions, covering areas like product development, operational planning, project oversight, inventory control, capacity management, quality assurance and scheduling. Coursework is 100% online, and students. By applying these concepts to real-world scenarios, students learn how to streamline project workflows, mitigate risks and deliver projects on time and within budget.
Developing Leadership and Communication Skills
Project managers require a list of soft skills to work on complex projects and lead teams. According to Asana, critical soft skills include:
- Leadership: inspiring and motivating team members to achieve project goals
- Communication: clearly conveying project objectives, expectations and progress updates
- Problem-solving: identifying and resolving obstacles that arise during projects
- Negotiation: reaching mutually beneficial agreements with stakeholders
- Emotional intelligence: understanding and managing emotions to spur positive team relationships
The UNCW online Executive MBA program encourages the development of these soft skills through collaborative projects, case studies and interactive discussions. This environment allows students to practice their communication, leadership and problem-solving skills in a safe and supportive setting, preparing them for real-world project management challenges.
Cultivating Essential Hard Skills for Project Management Success
Complementing soft skills are the hard skills that provide the technical foundation for effective project management. Some crucial hard skills are:
- Project planning: defining project scope, timelines and budgets
- Risk management: identifying, assessing and mitigating potential risks
- Resource allocation: making the most effective use of people, money and assets
- Scheduling: creating and managing project schedules to ensure they finish on time
- Budgeting: developing and controlling project budgets
The UNCW online Executive MBA program incorporates these hard skills into its curriculum, providing students with the tools to manage projects effectively. Through hands-on exercises and real-world simulations, students gain practical experience applying project management methodologies to project scenarios.
Embracing the Minimum Viable Product Concept and Communication Techniques
Project managers must embrace the concept of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is a product with just enough features to be released to early customers for practical use and feedback. This approach allows project managers to validate assumptions, gather user feedback and adapt their strategies. The UNCW online Executive MBA program emphasizes the importance of agility and adaptability, providing students with the skills to implement MVP strategies.
Effective communication is also important for successful project management. Some significant communication techniques include:
- Active listing: paying close attention to team members to understand their needs and concerns
- Clear and concise communication: communicating information clearly and simply
- Regular progress updates: providing timely and accurate updates on projects
- Constructive feedback: offering feedback that is specific and focused on improvement
- Using communication tools: using technology to improve communication and teamwork
If all of this is of interest to you, consider taking the Project Management course as one of your electives in the UNCW online Executive MBA program. Students learn to adapt their communication style to different audiences and situations, ensuring that project information is clearly understood. By mastering these communication skills, graduates are prepared to lead successful projects and build strong relationships.
Learn more about UNCW’s online Executive MBA program.
