Complexity as a Strength: Why Project Managers Cannot – and Should Not – Plan Everything

Project management has never had access to more sophisticated tools, data and methodologies than it does today. Yet, paradoxically, projects are becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Digital transformation, artificial intelligence, geopolitical uncertainty, changing regulations and rapidly evolving stakeholder expectations are creating environments in which traditional planning approaches are reaching their limits. At the PM Forum 2026, […]

Marking 100 Years of Roland W. Gutsch: From Network Planning to Global Cooperation

This month marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Professor Dr Roland W. Gutsch, the founder of the German Project Management Association (GPM) and one of the pioneers of modern project management. A visionary engineer and networker long before the term became fashionable, Gutsch recognised that successful projects depend not only on technical […]

Panel Discussion at the 34th IPMA World Congress: Presidential Quartet Looks Ahead to the Future of Project Management

At this year’s IPMA World Congress, current President Mladen Vukomanović joined three of his predecessors – Brigitte Schaden, Roberto Mori and Joop Schefferlie – for a panel discussion on the history, core values and future challenges of the International Project Management Association (IPMA). The “Insights Session” provided an intimate setting to reflect on how the role of the project manager must evolve […]

Agile Leadership in an Apple Streaming Series: Can Ted Lasso Inspire Project Management Professionals?

You may be wondering what goldfish have to do with agile leadership. The answer will be shared by Constantin Hoya in his talk “Agile Leadership: Lessons from Ted Lasso” at the upcoming 34th IPMA World Congress. Breaking away from the tradition of explaining leadership concepts purely in academic terms, he uses the popular Apple TV series Ted Lassoto […]

A Deep-Dive Keynote at the 34th IPMA World Congress: Leadership Under Extreme Conditions

Only 40 percent of project leaders in large-scale projects feel confident they will successfully reach their goals. In other words, the majority do not believe in the success of their own initiatives. In stark contrast, cave diving—projects in themselves with clear start and end points and inherent risks—must succeed 100 percent of the time. This […]

Autonomy as a Driver of Motivation: Practical Insights for Agile Projects at the IPMA World Congress

How can individuals in agile teams act and decide independently while at the same time being fully committed to team success through self-organization? Judith Armbruster, an experienced agile coach and doctoral researcher, explores exactly this tension in her academic work. She combines theory with practical insights from her role as Head of People and Communication […]