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Amira Thompson has been with CivicNext, a consulting firm specializing in civic innovation and digital transformation, for just over five years. After serving as a dependable and detail-oriented Project Coordinator, she was recently promoted to Project Manager for a high-profile initiative called Project Access, aimed at helping three rural counties digitize their public servicesincluding permitting, utilities, and citizen feedback systems. The project is expected to span 18 months, with multiple phases and cross-functional involvement including IT teams, UX designers, local government officials, and a third-party vendor. Amira now finds herself juggling new responsibilities such as resource allocation, contract negotiation, managing project uncertainty, and facilitating executive briefings. While she excels in managing timelines and stakeholder updates, new tensions are beginning to emerge:

• The tech team is frustrated with changing requirements and unclear feedback from local stakeholders.
• A junior team member isnt meeting expectations, and Amira is unsure how to address it without damaging team morale.
• Her sponsor expects regular big picture progress updates, but Amira often focuses on tactical execution.

Amira has received constructive feedback that while shes seen as reliable and hardworking, she now needs to step into her leadership voice, delegate more strategically, and grow her interpersonal confidence to lead across competing priorities and personalities.

Her supervisor, Olivia, recommends that she start by completing a Project Manager Skills Inventory to reflect on her strengths and identify areas for development. The firm has recently launched a Professional Growth Program for new project managers, offering mentorship, training stipends, and personalized development plans for those who show initiative.

Your Task What You Must Do

As a student, you are acting as either:

• A coach/mentor evaluating Amiras competencies and building her development roadmap
• Or as Amira herself, completing the assessment and setting your goals

Before starting, review your course readings and especially reflect on the three domains of project management competence:

• Knowledge & Skills (technical and procedural ability)
• Performance (real-world execution)
• Behavior & Attitude (mindset, leadership presence, adaptability)

Part 1: Complete a Detailed Skills Inventory

Using the table below, assess Amiras competence in each area on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). Use evidence from the case to justify your ratings in 1-2 sentences.

After completing the table, identify:

• Two top strengths
• Two priority areas for development

Part 2: Create a Personal Growth Plan

Now that youve identified Amiras key development areas, create a realistic 3-month development plan. For each area of improvement, outline the following:

• Skill to improve
• Why it matters to this role/project
• SMART goal (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound)
• Recommended learning method (e.g., coaching, peer shadowing, book, video, course)
• Milestone check-in date

Template:

Part 3: Reflection Questions

Answer the following questions in 46 sentences each:

1. What internal barriers might prevent Amira from fully stepping into her project manager role? How can she overcome them?
2. Why is it important to assess not just what we know, but how we perform and how we behave as leaders?
3. Which of the three categoriesknowledge, performance, or behaviormost impacts stakeholder trust? Why?
4. If you were Amiras supervisor, how would you structure a coaching conversation to help her grow without overwhelming her?
5. How would self-awareness improve Amiras ability to lead and delegate more effectively?

Deliverables for Assessment

Students must submit:

1. Completed Skills Inventory Table with justification
2. A Personal Growth Plan with 2 development goals
3. A short written reflection answering all five questions

Requirements:

• There is no minimum or maximum required number of pages. Your analysis will be considered complete, if it addresses each of the components outlined above.
• Use of proper APA formatting and citations. If supporting evidence from outside resources is used those must be properly cited. A minimum of 3 – 5 sources (excluding the course textbook) from scholarly articles or business periodicals is required.
• Include your best critical thinking and analysis to arrive at your justification.