Curiosity as a PM Process

Michael Adams is a husband, and father to three boys. He currently works for Los Alamos County as an IT Business Analyst and Project Manager. He also operates a small business performing computer maintenance. Professionally, Michael has led a construction crew, worked as a caregiver for disabled adults, operated the wire for a brokerage firm on Wall Street, and run the night audit at a hotel. Michael was elected to serve as VP of Education for his local PMI board in 2013. He now serves as President Elect for his chapter, PMI Otowi Bridge. Check out his blog, PM-Interface, on ProjectManagement.com.

  Career Development   Knowledge Management   Lessons Learned   Using PMI Standards  

“Wait a second...what? Curiosity,” you say, “is not a process! It’s a trait!”

Well, maybe you’re right, and maybe you’re wrong. Let’s examine curiosity, starting with a list of synonyms. A partial list from thesaurus.com includes:

• Nosiness
• Prying
• Snooping
• Inquisitiveness
• Investigation
• Thirst for knowledge

For the purposes of this article, we’ll examine curiosity from the context of an investigation aimed at quenching a thirst for knowledge. “Nosiness” and “prying” just don’t fit, and while “prying” may be a process, I question its usefulness--particularly when paired with “nosiness” in a professional project management setting.

Some may debate the usefulness of a PM being curious; perhaps you think it better for a PM to simply be focused and implement what he/she knows best. I know George the monkey got into all sorts of trouble while being curious. However, curiosity in terms of investigation and a thirst for knowledge could be incredibly beneficial for a project manager (or any member of a project team). It is how we keep abreast of best practices—or, as Stephen Covey puts it, how we “sharpen the axe.”

I’ve found curiosity to be vital in all work that I’ve performed …

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.