An interview with Jana Beleš Hurtová, Head of the Projects and IT Changes Unit at 365.bank, IPMA® Level B: Certified Senior Consultant and Coach in project management (CSCC)

“Project and lower-level management is my dedication for more than 15 years. Since 2009 I am an assessor of the international certification as per the IPMA®  standard and I was leading the team of the assessors for 8 years. I have been leading a team of project managers with a wide project portfolio for several years now, during this time, almost 100 projects were led by 13 managers under my supervision within 2 years. In 2019 I went through the certification process IPMA Level B ^® – Certified Senior Consultant and Coach, and demonstrated practical experience and competence as per the IPMA® standard. I like to take on new challenges, which motivate me to work on myself and grow professionally, and enable me to discover human potential and achieve what appears unachievable.”

IPMA: How did you know about this certificate?
Jana Beleš Hurtová: It was during the conference that we, as IPMA Slovakia, held in Slovakia. When preparing the program we addressed several foreign speakers. One of them was Oksana Klimenko and she was at that very time organizing the pilot of the new CCT certification – consultants, coaches, and trainers in project management. Several of us were happy and immediately joined this pilot project, including me personally.

IPMA: Why did you decide to get certified?
JBH: At the time I was a portfolio manager. I was also coaching several subordinates and I wanted to continue coaching in the future because I consider coaching to be the most natural form of helping and also a way of developing people, especially in the project management profession. It allows each individual project manager to unleash the potential that is within him or herself. It comes from his or her own ideas – her own inner self. And he or she has just the strength that is needed as a PM to perform the project that has been entrusted. Mentoring or schooling or direct management is not as natural as coaching. Coaching opens and unleashes our own potential. Thus indirectly helping the project manager to find the strength within himself to execute the project as expected and assigned.

IPMA: What are the benefits for you to have it?
JBH: Preparing for the certification opened up a lot of questions for me. And it led me to start educating myself even more in this area. Great reflection!

IPMA: Do you see any changes in your professional carrier due to this certificate?
JBH: Indirectly, yes. The certificate increased my confidence. I had the opportunity to analyze several facts related to the work of individuals and the work of the team. I also reflected and evaluated other ways of working with my people. I discovered the benefits of the feedback I received from the evaluators at the time.

IPMA: What did you have to do to start?
JBH: Overcome my laziness 😊 and busyness in the work process, as well as in other non-work activities.

IPMA: How do you perceive the process?
JBH: I don’t remember the details anymore, but what I remember is that in the case studies I spent a lot of time in retrospect. Describing practical experiences, which also pushed me a lot in the right direction! In documenting the practice, I became aware of and recalled my own practice experiences. This reflection has also moved me on a bit as I have done a kind of ‘review’, which we probably should do more often (but most of the time we don’t have or don’t spend the time to do so, unfortunately).

IPMA: What would be your recommendations to your colleagues?
JBH: To go ahead, get certified! And consider the benefits of this certification. For me, it has brought both the development and the use of new competencies. It helped me with the development of my actual communication when somebody has a problem. If a candidate is a freelancer, it may increase his/her competencies and also add value in the view of the marketplace. It’s a confirmation that they have that necessary practice in their life and they can use the elements of coaching.