In a world where project timelines are tight, stakeholders are demanding, and priorities shift by the hour, should project managers be expected to develop the skills of their team members?

That was the core question back in 2017 when we recorded this episode of the PM Debate Podcast.

We think it’s still relevant today.

The motion:“The project manager is not responsible for developing team member skills.”

I argued for it. Mary Elizabeth argued against. The back-and-forth was as lively as ever.

We unpacked:

* The tension between project delivery and people development

* Whether PMs should act as skill coaches or leave that to line managers

* How organizational structure and project duration change expectations

* Why emotional intelligence matters, even if skills training isn’t in your scope

📌 The insights we explored might challenge how you see your own role as a leader.

What’s your take?Do you think developing team member skills is part of a PM’s job or a distraction from the real work?

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