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Will This Guy Leave Us Once He Gets His PMP?

  • Yazarın fotoğrafı: Gokrem Tekir
    Gokrem Tekir
  • 9 Ağu
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pmp

Let me introduce myself: I’m a manager. I lead a team, set goals, develop strategies. But lately, a small yet nagging suspicion has been gnawing at my mind:


“I think our John has been secretly studying for the PMP exam…”


At first, I didn’t think much of it. “The guy wants to grow,” I told myself. “He wants a certificate—great!”


But over time, I started noticing things. In meetings, he began throwing around words like “deliverable,” “scope creep,” and “stakeholder management.” When our eyes met, he acted like he was hiding something. Even while sipping his coffee, I’d catch him sneaking glances at the MS Project screen.


And then one day… I happened to see him printing a document titled “PMP Question Set by Gökrem Tekir, PMP® from the office printer.


That was the moment my inner alarm went off:


“He’s becoming a PMP! And without telling us!”




Why Did This Get Under My Skin?



I’m not a bad person. I want my employees to grow and advance in their careers. But at the same time, we’ve built this team together, fought side by side, survived brutal deadlines together. Now this guy’s going to be a PMP—so then what?


Is he going to update his LinkedIn profile and click “Open to Work”?


Or say, “I’m a project manager now, I don’t handle operations anymore”?


Or was he the one in our last sprint retrospective saying, “We’re not being supported enough”—and now he’ll go join another team?


Humans are emotional. Part of me feels proud, part of me wonders, “Will he leave us?”




PMP: What It Is and What It Isn’t



I started doing some research. What’s this PMP all about? Turns out, it’s no walk in the park. A 35-hour training requirement, a comprehensive exam, knowledge areas, process groups, agile, hybrid, predictive approaches…


I thought to myself:


“If someone is putting in this much work, why wouldn’t they tell their boss if they were planning to leave? Maybe he just wants to improve himself?”


Then another thought:


“No, no—he’s definitely going. People who truly want to grow don’t stay. The more they grow, the more they clash with the system.”




Facing My Own Contradictions



As a manager, I’ve been preaching “innovation,” “growth,” “competency building” for years. I tell my team, “Keep learning, keep improving.”


But when someone actually does it, a little voice in me says, “Don’t grow too much—you might just leave.”


What kind of contradiction is that?


“You say ‘grow’—but when they do, you don’t trust them.”


This self-reflection brought me to the real issue.




My Real Fear



The truth is…


Once John gets his PMP, I’ll be under the microscope. His passing the exam might make my own management shortcomings more visible. He might know the processes better. He might start questioning things.


And he might… be right.


“This project didn’t have a clear definition.”


“We didn’t log risks—that’s why this happened.”


“We didn’t have a stakeholder map—communication broke down.”


If a regular employee says these things, it sounds like backtalk. But if a PMP says them… he’s speaking with certification-backed authority.


That’s what I’m really afraid of.




Pride, Too



But at the same time, I value it. Having someone on the team with a PMP raises the team’s overall standard. Maybe it inspires others. Maybe having a colleague with externally validated skills will give us an edge with clients.


Imagine: a client calls and we say—


“The project manager on this is PMP certified.”


Boom. Trust instantly increases by 50%.




Then I Told Myself:



“Look, even if he leaves, he’ll leave on good terms. He’ll speak well of the company. Maybe he’ll offer support from outside. Maybe someday we’ll cross paths again in another role.”


It’s not growth that drives people away—it’s an environment that doesn’t allow growth.




What I Did



I called John into my office. I said:


“Listen, you’re studying for the PMP, aren’t you?”


His eyes widened. He denied it at first, then admitted it. “Yes, boss, but I haven’t let it affect my work—I study in the evenings,” he said.


I replied:


“Good. PMP certification isn’t easy. If you need support—budget for training, anything—just say so. It’ll benefit both you and the company.”


John’s face lit up. There was a spark of respect in his eyes. “Would you really support me?” he asked.


“Yes, I would. Because I’m not just a manager—I’m a guide.”




The Result?



John is now preparing for the PMP exam. Sometimes he comes to me with process questions. I learn from him too—I stay updated. In fact, I’ve set a goal for myself: I’ll apply for another PMP-related credential this year.


Sometimes, trusting your employee doesn’t just grow them—it grows you.


And remember:


Good people only leave for good opportunities. If you don’t create that opportunity, someone else will.


So, dear colleagues—


If someone on your team is secretly studying for their PMP, don’t panic.


Talk to them. Support them.


Because an employee who wants to grow is, in reality, the one who adds the most value to you.



 
 
 
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