Redefining the future, together. Our time is now.
Ms. Sam Pedram - Chair of the Board
Dr. Binod Aryal
Mr. Lanre Adebayo
Dr Darius Danesh
Level 1, 18 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA
T: +61 2 8288 8700 E: info@aipm.com.au
Editorial Committee: editorial@aipm.com.au
@australian-institute-of-project-management
@A.I.P.M www.aipm.com.au
The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are solely their own and the AIPM™ accepts no responsibility or liability for these views.
I N S I G H T S S E R I E S
Leadership is often described in terms of capability, influence, or strategic vision. But in practice, when the stakes are high and the consequences are real, the defining quality of leadership is courage. As Chair of the Board, I have come to understand that courage is not a heroic moment or a dramatic act. It is a discipline. A way of showing up. A commitment to act with integrity even when the path ahead is uncomfortable, unpopular, or uncertain.
Courage sits at the heart of effective governance because leadership is rarely exercised in ideal conditions. Boards operate amidst ambiguity, competing priorities, imperfect information, and at times, conflicting personalities. Yet the organisation relies on us to make decisions that safeguard its purpose, reputation, and future. That responsibility demands courage quiet, principled, and consistent courage.
found not in the absence of uncertainty, but in the willingness to choose deliberately, transparently, and in service of the organisation’s mission. Sometimes this means pushing back. Sometimes it means standing alone. Always, it means acting in the best interests of the organisation, not the comfort of the room.
One of the most important roles of a board is to hold a mirror to the organisation, and sometimes, to itself. This means confronting uncomfortable truths: performance shortfalls, cultural issues, governance gaps, or behaviours that undermine the integrity of the institution. It is far easier to avoid friction, to soften language, to maintain the illusion of harmony. But avoidance erodes accountability. As Chair, I have learned that courage begins with naming what is real, even when doing so disrupts the status quo.
Boards make decisions that shape the trajectory of entire organisations. These decisions often come with incomplete data, competing risks, and divergent views There is rarely perfect clarity Leadership courage is
Healthy governance thrives on constructive tension As Chair, I value directors who challenge assumptions and test ideas But this requires a culture where people feel safe to speak honestly Courageous leadership invites diverse perspectives, especially when they are inconvenient It also means being willing to examine our own views, biases, and decisions. A courageous board does not seek consensus for its own sake; it seeks truth, insight, and alignment behind the right course of action.
Change is inevitable, whether strategic, cultural, or structural. But change is also unsettling. Leadership requires holding space for that discomfort, supporting people through transition, and communicating with clarity and empathy. At times, courage is compassionate: listening deeply, responding with humility, and acknowledging the human impact of decisions. At other times, courage is decisive: taking action when necessary to restore stability, reinforce expectations, or uphold values.
There will be moments when the easiest path is to look away, delay action, or minimise an issue to avoid confrontation. These are precisely the moments that shape a board’s legacy. Upholding standards of conduct, calling out behaviour inconsistent with organisational values, and taking corrective action, even when difficult, is a core duty of leadership. The courage to protect the integrity of the organisation is what safeguards trust. True leadership is not performative. It is principled. It is human. Courage means acting not from ego or authority, but from a deep commitment to the organisation’s purpose and people. It requires emotional resilience and moral clarity. It requires conviction. But it also requires compassion.
In my role as Chair, I have found that courage is the quiet thread binding all aspects of leadership and governance. It is what enables us to see clearly, decide boldly, act ethically, and lead responsibly, even when the path is difficult.
ChairoftheAIPM™Board
MsSamPedram
PanelModerator
DrNikiVincent Victoria’s Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner
DrKerrieFreeman Chief Executive Officer Brisbane City Council
ProfessorJacquiTrue Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women
The Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM™) invites you to a timely and thoughtprovoking event exploring what it really takes to lead in high-risk, complex, and traditionally male-dominatedenvironments
OfferedaspartofAIPM’sWomeninProjectsNetwork(WPN)initiative,andtakingplaceinthe lead-uptoInternationalWomen’sDay,thisconversationwillmovebeyondtheorytofocuson lived experience, leadership under pressure, and the realities of decision-making where outcomestrulymatter
ThesessionwillbemoderatedbySamPedram,ChairoftheAIPM™BoardofDirectors,and will feature a panel of distinguished leaders with deep experience across complex delivery environments Together,theywillsharepracticalinsightsoncredibility,authority,risk,resilience, andshapingculturewhiledeliveringresults
Date:Friday,6March2026
Time:12:00pm–1:00pm(AEDT)
AIPM™ Position Statement On: “ComplexityIsNotaProfession,
Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM™)
In November 2025, the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) released the APS Complex Project Management Profession Strategy (the Strategy), positioning the newly created “Complex Project Management (CPM) Profession” as a response to rising policy complexity, geopolitical volatility, enhanced public scrutiny, expanding ethical expectations, and accelerating technological change. The Strategy identifies these challenges as drivers for strengthening APS capability in navigating complexity across projects, policy, and service delivery.
These drivers are real. They reflect a challenging operating environment and underscore the need for improved planning, governance, leadership, and delivery performance across the APS. Yet the Strategy’s framing of complexity as justification for a separate profession raises foundational questions. Complexity is not a distinct category of work within project delivery, nor is it unique to government environments. It is a central characteristic of all modern project management.
Complexity has always been intertwined with project management. Whether delivering large-scale infrastructure, digital transformation, defence capability, regulatory reform, social programs, or policy implementation, project professionals operate within complex systems. These systems involve interdependencies across stakeholders, resources, time constraints, decision authorities, political contexts, procurement pathways, and risk environments.
The Strategy illustrates this with a model placing project management at the centre of an ecosystem, surrounded by governance, risk management, strategic planning, procurement and contracting, stakeholder management, evaluation, and change management. An outer layer represents the environmental attributes that make projects complex: uncertainty, ambiguity, volatility, nonlinearity, interdependence, connectivity, and emergence. Complexity emerges from the interaction of these factors and shapes the environment in which projects are delivered.
Complexity does not sit outside the project management profession; rather, it is an attribute of the environment that project managers must navigate using tailored and context-specific approaches. Success in complex projects goes beyond traditional metrics such as budget, schedule, and quality. It requires adaptive methods, innovation, strong partnerships, iterative learning, and the ability to deliver outcomes aligned with broader public expectations. Even the most robust methodology must be modified to suit the context. Otherwise, project success is not assured.
To imply that complexity warrants a separate profession risks misunderstanding this fundamental reality Project management inherently requires mastery of complexity
across the full suite of recognised knowledge domains, including: integration and coordination scope and requirements schedule and sequencing financial and cost control quality assurance human and resource capability risk and uncertainty procurement and contracting communications and stakeholder engagement governance and leadership
These dimensions apply equally in the private and public sectors. Procurement and contracting, for example areas frequently highlighted in APS delivery reviews are core components of project management everywhere, not auxiliary corporate functions.
The Strategy accurately references recurring themes from ANAO audits, Royal Commissions, and government reviews: failures in policy and program implementation, governance and risk management, and performance measurement These challenges warrant serious investment in capability uplift
However, the Strategy adopts a narrow, APS-specific conceptualisation of complexity, implying that the complexity experienced within government is structurally distinct from the complex environments faced by project professionals across all other sectors This creates a tension within the Strategy: while it calls for a systems-based approach to complexity, it simultaneously isolates APS complexity as a distinct domain requiring its own separate profession
Moreover, the Strategy: does not clearly define “project management” does not define “complexity” in a way consistent with established professional practice assumes a separate professional identity is required, rather than capability uplift within the existing project profession
These omissions leave the Strategy conceptually incomplete and risk inadvertently fragmenting APS capability development
A close reading of the Strategy’s four themes and 14 initiatives shows an intention to build capability, establish shared language, enhance maturity, create stronger networks, and promote consistent practices These are positive aspirations Initiatives such as establishing a CPM lexicon, creating toolkits, encouraging coaching and mentoring, and building a workforce plan all point to the need for coordinated uplift
These objectives, however, do not require a separate profession
They require strengthening the project management profession within the APS, improving alignment, and elevating skills system-wide
Complexity capability is built through: systems thinking adaptive and iterative delivery integrated risk management strong governance structures evidence-based decision-making robust procurement and commercial management cross-agency collaboration ethical and values-driven leadership
These are the hallmarks of mature project management, not of a separate, parallel profession.
The Strategy’s Theme 2 correctly emphasises the need to adopt “industry-recognised standards supported by peak bodies ” As the national peak body for the project profession, the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM™) should be a central partner in shaping such standards
The absence of independent engagement with key professional bodies, including AIPM™, represents a missed opportunity to ensure coherence between APS capability development and the recognised national professional framework
AIPM’s involvement would strengthen: alignment of APS pathways with established professional standards credible and consistent certification, accreditation, and capability pathways national coherence across government, industry, and academia integration of complex delivery skills across all domains of project management avoidance of fragmentation or duplication
A more collaborative approach would support the Strategy’s own stated aims of connectedness, shared language, and professional maturity.
Becoming a corporate member of the AIPM™ is a strategic investment in your organisation's success. Access to our network of professionals, resources, and events empowers your team to excel in project management, driving innovation and growth Join us and unlock new opportunities for collaboration, learning, and leadership in the dynamic world of project management.
From private firms to government entities and large corporations, the AIPM™ Corporate Membership is designed to elevate your project management capabilities and empower your teamtoexcel
With four levels of membership, the AIPM™ Corporate Membership includes exclusive benefitssuchas:
Access professional training and pathways to certificationtoattract,develop,andretaintoptalent
Affiliate your business with Australia’s peak body fortheprojectmanagementprofession,gainingvisibilitythroughbranding,sponsorship,and awardopportunities
Enjoy discounts on AIPM™ memberships and events tokeepyouremployeesconnected,informed,andinspired
Tap into a range of development, marketing and networking opportunitiestoconnectwithindustryleadersandpeers
The AIPM™ Corporate Membership is your gateway to building stronger teams and achieving betterprojectoutcomes
PORTFOLIO
Public trust is the cornerstone of effective project delivery; particularly in the public sector, where taxpayer dollars, community expectations, and political scrutiny converge. From infrastructure and healthcare to education and emergency response, Australians expect that projects will be delivered not only on time and on budget, but with integrity, transparency, and competence.
Yet trust in major project delivery is under pressure. Cost overruns, delays, and governance failures have made headlines across sectors. In this context, professional certification is more than a credential it is a public assurance. It signals that a project is being led by individuals who meet nationally recognised standards of competence, ethics, and accountability.
As the national peak body for the project profession, the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM™) believes professional certification plays a vital role in restoring and strengthening trust in the project profession.
Research shows that public confidence in projects correlates strongly with confidence in those who lead them. When certified professionals oversee projects, there is a clear framework for accountability, capability, and ethical practice.
Trust in project delivery is critical to:
Securing ongoing investment and political support
Maintaining social licence and community engagement
Attracting top talent to the profession
Enabling long-term policy continuity beyond election cycles
This trust must be earned through demonstrated competence, and that’s where certification comes in
AIPM’s RegPM™ Certification is based on the Australian National Competency Standards for Project Management, offering a structured, experience-based assessment of an individual’s ability to lead and deliver projects
Unlike exam-based credentials, RegPM™ requires real-world demonstration of capability across key domains such as:
Stakeholder engagement
Governance and reporting
Risk management
Leadership and communication
Quality and performance management
Each certification level from Certified Practising Project Practitioner (CPPP) to Certified Practising Portfolio Executive (CPPE) offers a clear signal of capability aligned with the complexity and scale of the projects an individual is managing
Certification also reinforces commitment to professional ethics, including transparency, fairness, and accountability core to public confidence in project outcomes
For public and private sector organisations alike, requiring or encouraging certification among project personnel enhances not only project outcomes but organisational governance. Certification ensures:
A baseline of quality in project execution
Consistency in skills and terminology across teams
Independent validation of capability and experience
Clear professional development pathways
These benefits are especially relevant in government contexts, where scrutiny is high, and public outcomes matter. AIPM™ advocates for procurement and funding bodies to recognise certification in project leadership roles and tender evaluations ensuring that qualifications match the complexity of the work.
Certified professionals are more likely to:
Deliver to agreed outcomes
Anticipate and manage risks proactively
Communicate clearly with stakeholders
Lead diverse teams with professionalism
Apply standards with real-world judgment
The result? Projects that are not only delivered more effectively but that earn public confidence and stakeholder support throughout their lifecycle.
Professional certification is also a signal to industry: that project management is not just a function, but a profession with standards, ethics, and accountability. As other skilled professions such as engineering, architecture, and accounting rely on certification to ensure public trust, so too must project management.
The Productivity Commission has repeatedly called for improved capability in public sector project delivery. Formal certification is part of the solution.
AIPM™ is actively working with employers, governments, and education providers to embed certification pathways into workforce development, project governance models, and procurement frameworks.
Trust is built on capability, and capability is verified through certification. In an environment of rising complexity, constrained budgets, and public scrutiny, the assurance provided by professional certification has never been more important.
AIPM’s RegPM™ Certification is not just about individual recognition it’s about delivering public value. It’s about giving governments, funders, and communities confidence that projects are in safe hands.
By recognising and supporting certified professionals, Australia can raise the bar for project excellence one project at a time
