Successful PhD programme directors must have in-depth knowledge of business management and industry technology, the capacity to envision the future, excellent communication skills, leadership qualities, and more.They should be a master of the business and technical side of their chosen industry, including an understanding of each department within the institution and the challenges they face. Since a doctoral programme director is in charge of the entire operation, they must have the ability to conceptualize organizational strategy and accurately measure success.
The following are a few essential skillsets that every programme director should master:
1. Leadership skills
Leadership is an essential skill set for a person who is responsible for managing teams or even the entire institution. Programme directors require advanced skills in order to execute their jobs. They must possess procedural skills, which entails using tried and tested procedures to carry out the tasks assigned to them. They should have a strategic mindset and the ability to multitask.
Oversight is another skill that may be added to this, as a programme director typically oversees many projects and processes related to their work. While you are at it, you can further work to improve various aspects of leadership, such as delegation, people management, and coaching.
2. Managing your Stakeholders
A programme director will require to maintain an attitude of transparency and honesty regarding problems to make sure there are no unpleasant surprises for stakeholders. A good program director will steer and exert influence over the program's strategy to win support and inspire confidence from stakeholders, program boards, executive teams, and the programme team.
Naturally, collaboration is essential for success. Program directors are subordinated to program managers and answerable to stakeholders. While there are many effective ways to lead programs, encouraging collaboration is essential to making the most of your team and managing stakeholder expectations.
3. Information Analysis, Decision Making, and Innovation
A doctoral programme director
with experience would always require using their judgement to develop the programme strategy by assessing options while keeping a good grasp on the most important program risks and priorities. They will oversee the management of data from various parallel work streams and integrate it to create a comprehensive view of the problems as well as be able to think longer term and take a broad perspective when making decisions.
Innovation is also an important skillset required by programme directors. They don't necessarily need to invent anything new; instead, they should consider how to make organizational structures and systems more effective. To find solutions to these organizational issues, creativity and insight are required.
4. Communication skills
Communication is the most important skill that programme directors need to have. They must be able to understand how important it is to show our humanity and compassion while looking out for one another when everyone is having a hard time at some point during their doctoral journey. As leaders, programme directors must carry out their strategies, otherwise poor communication could lead to confusion, mistakes, and delays that directly impact the return on investment.
The need for precise, sympathetic communication that is timely, transparent, and true has never been greater. We need communication skills right now that are authentic, self-assured, empathic, provide substance, and remain current.
5. Commerciality
A doctoral programme director requires good forecasting skills to keep track of and manage programme costs, even if the uncertainty of the same is initially unknown. Having such a skill will help them anticipate and manage commercial implications of any programme issues that may emerge. They also need to be able to negotiate and finalize deals with various important suppliers. Lastly, they also must have experience in project and program management, including a variety of methodologies depending on their institution.
With increasing doctoral programmes, organizing a consortium on doctoral supervision is becoming an important necessity for many institutions to deliver management education at the doctoral level. This is when a skilled programme director could assist researchers in showing the relevance of the corporate world by acting with integrity, inspiring their team, connecting them with stakeholders, and delivering a successful, high-quality programme on time and within budget in a supportive environment. Thus, creating a space of exchange, communication, and training among actual and potential supervisors of institutions in their respective networks and beyond.
Read more about the EDAMBA-EIASM Consortium on Doctoral Supervision
Read more about the EDAMBA PhD Supervisor Forum