Gymnastic enterprises are leading the way by empowering their people to create organizational culture that enables these capabilities. They benefit in that these organizations are more productive and less wasteful and therefore more competitive and impactful in society overall.

How project managers operate in such organizations could be compared to the incredible feats of a gymnast. A gymnast is known for their athletic ability, creating amazing shapes as they perform their routines, constantly changing and moving. In some ways it represents the apparent paradox we encounter as project managers. PMs face a dichotomic balance of resilience versus adaptability. At some point must show adaptability, but when faced with different set of circumstances, must instantaneously flex and pivot to a counter position. And most often without direct authority of their teams, but through common goals and empathic leadership built on trust.

Those polled at the PMI Belgium Chapter General Assembly agreed that gymnastic and empathic-styled organizations warrant further inspection at the next PM Fair. We acknowledge the need to embrace the future driven by change through exploration of power skills such as agility, innovation mindset and empowerment, and I am proud to announce that these ideas will be woven into the design of the next program. Our focus at the PM Fair 2023 will be how best to equip ourselves for the future: The gymnastic Project Manager (PM): talent development for the modern world.