Using Your PM Powers for Good: 5 Easy Steps

Following 20 years at a large Canadian telecommunications firm, Bruce established the project management consulting firm Solutions Management Inc (SMI). Since 1999, he has provided contract project/program management services, been a source for project management support personnel and created/delivered courses to over 7,000 participants in Canada, the United States and England.

  Career Development  

Being a project manager is a gift. It’s not like it came without effort, but being able to organize resources and produce tangible outputs is not something everyone can do. Simply put, there are lots of people with ideas—but a limited number who can produce results.

Most project managers work every day to help deliver business objectives. They (we) are paid to organize other stakeholders, build plans and successfully deliver projects accordingly. By way of a personal example, I hope this article inspires similar responses. Imagine the good that could be accomplished if every reader volunteered their time to one cause in 2020.

1. Pick a passion
Like many communities, the one I live in is facing a serious healthcare issue. A rapidly expanding aging demographic is causing a number of concerns, including the need to improve long-term care. After visiting the current facility, I felt compelled to do something to help a sector of very vulnerable people. As this stage of their lives, they are truly entitled to a more comfortable living environment. A small team was formed. Over a number of years, while adjusting our approach, we have maintained a single focus: Have a new long-term care home built in our town.

Each of us have something that triggers a personal call to action. Perhaps it’s to help youth, organize an event, raise funds for a public purchase, …

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