The Private Project
Mike Donoghue is a member of a multinational information technology corporation where he collaborates on the communications guidelines and customer relationship strategies affecting the interactions with internal and external clients. He has analyzed, defined, designed and overseen processes for various engagements including product usability and customer satisfaction, best practice enterprise standardization, relationship/branding structures, and distribution effectiveness and direction. He has also established corporate library solutions to provide frameworks for sales, marketing, training, and support divisions.
Multi-tasking is what project managers do. Actually, managing projects probably seems like a side job compared to the various other tasks that you perform on the job in support of your teams and their labors. Doing all this other work is time-consuming and full of microscopic details--and distracts you from your chief role. In these situations, it can be difficult to achieve a personal feeling of satisfaction. Perhaps it’s time you gave yourself a project--assigning yourself something to do by yourself--during your own private time.
One advantage you have in giving yourself a project is that it can help reduce the fragmentation mindset that comes with taking care of all the items on that ever-present PM laundry list. Mind you, you can’t forget your everyday duties and responsibilities; however, taking some time to focus your energies on your own project can improve your view on what you do in support of others. Putting effort into a private endeavor can bring about many benefits, including improving your abilities and enhancing your occupational potential.
Additionally, when you are in charge of you--guess who’s the boss? This means you can set the parameters of your project and change them as needed. This also applies to target dates (if you even assign one to yourself) and other issues, giving you the freedom to try out a number of options. And …
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"Impartial observers from other planets would consider ours an utterly bizarre enclave if it were populated by birds, defined as flying animals, that nevertheless rarely or never actually flew. They would also be perplexed if they encountered in our seas, lakes, rivers and ponds, creatures defined as swimmers that never did any swimming. But they would be even more surprised to encounter a species defined as a thinking animal if, in fact, the creature very rarely indulged in actual thinking." - Steve Allen |
