Recent developments in the field of systems thinking show that conventional project management theory is essentially rooted in ‘hard’ systems thinking and there are now increasing calls to augment this theory with ideas and approaches from ‘soft’ systems thinking. This paper examines the essential differences between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ systems thinking through a comparison of their different perspectives on project management practice. The core ideas for a new perspective on project management are presented together with implications for the education and training of future project managers.