Project Managers have mastered the skills to make things happen despite lack of time, lack of funds, not enough skilled staff, and lack of clear scope. And yet, even with these constraints, they are still effective.
From helping them with projects to beginning to educate and teach on the tenants of Project Management for their ongoing success, we have something to offer. 
The 
Fast forward to today…
Help us change the world, one project at a time!
International Project Management Day 2018 Online Conference
November 1, 2018 | online
Becoming a Customer-Centric PMO
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Categories: PMO
| As we get into the thick of building and running a PMO, we often get caught up in the templates and process or figuring out how we are going to get all the projects delivered. We fight with a never-ending scenario of not enough (time, resources, funding, etc.) and must delicately balance all the competing priorities on our time and energy. As a result, we might forget why we are there in the first place. The PMO is a service organization. We provide a litany of services that, when leveraged effectively, can drive ever-higher IMPACT for our customers and the broader organization. Everything we do, every product we produce, and every service we create should be with that customer in mind. Follow these practical steps to ensure that you and your team have a customer-centric mindset:
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Posted on: April 30, 2018 06:00 AM
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10 Steps to Ensure Project Rescue Success
| It can be a sticky situation to rescue a project that is struggling to meet the business needs. Here are some quick tips on how to ensure that the process is as productive as possible and you get that project back on track quickly.
When you take on the role of Project Rescuer, you must remember to assess the current situation unemotionally and that your role is to represent best interests of the company, not the project. It can be utterly exhausting on everyone to drag along through a project that shouldn’t be happening or is so far off track, that they’ve lost sight of the purpose. When you get this right, everyone wins. This is your chance to set this project team up for success. Go be an IMPACT Driver! Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I welcome your feedback and insights. Please leave a comment below. See you online! Warmly,
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Posted on: April 23, 2018 08:00 AM
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Things to Stop Doing to Be High-IMPACT
| At the start of each year, many of us make our to-do list of things we want to accomplish. On that list, we often put many professional goals or areas we are hoping to grow in the new year. We start the year all excited with our lists and then…reality happens. Other priorities get in the way and we longingly look back at our list of “to dos” and wonder where the time is going. Let’s try something different With all our energy focused on all the things we want to do, we sometimes forget that part of being successful is letting go of some of the things we are doing. I’d like to give you a refreshing list that you might be able to “accomplish” this year…or more accurately, the things you should STOP doing if you want to have a more satisfying and productive year. I hope these tips give you a way to clear out some of the toxic activities that could be standing in the way of you being truly awesome and making a huge IMPACT.
Putting yourself last may seem like the fastest and best option in the moment, we have all been there. In the long run, strategically it is important to take the time and make the investment to develop your skills. Many of us fall into the trap of excepting our employers to pay for developing our skills – you are responsible for your skills and marketability, both for your current employer and the next one. It’s time to put your name at the top of the priority list.
We’ve all been there. The work is piling up. The deadlines are hovering over our heads and our project is behind schedule. It’s so tempting to just jump in and start rescuing the project to make sure that the ultimate outcomes are achieved. We want to be the hero and we know we are ultimately accountable for project success, but there are some big challenges that come with being the firefighter and rescuing our project team members when they aren’t getting their work done. That is a big mistake. If you are busy rescuing team members, then your work isn’t getting done and you lose the ability to hold others accountable. This leads to the entire team functioning at a lower productivity level.
Have you ever heard of the K.I.S.S. method? Keep it Super Simple. There is always a way to simplify your job, automate a process, take fewer steps to accomplish the same goal. This often starts with getting clarity around your role and what you are good at. Then take everything else and delegate or outsource it. Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself.
Your value to the organization is directly tied to the results you achieve, not the number of projects you manage. Get serious about delivering IMPACT within your organization. Build your skills, make your career development a priority, take the work you are doing seriously. Go big.
You can’t really do it, none of us can. We think we can do it and everything suffers. Do you want to be known as the person that checked things off the list, but they were all poor quality or the one they can count on to deliver IMPACT? Trust me, when the important assignment comes around, they won’t be looking for the person that can partially meet the goal while doing 10 other things (also poorly). They will be looking for the person that they know can deliver, with laser focus, the outcomes they are looking to create.
Whether it’s the constant latecomer to meetings or the person that doesn’t deliver their work on time, you must stop allowing the behaviors. Remember, ignoring it is allowing it. Why is one bad apple such an issue? People will always push boundaries and if they see that someone is getting away with things, they will also do it. This leads to total breakdown in meetings, chaos on the projects, and a very frustrated you.
I don’t mean to say yes to everything your business or sponsor hands at you, but we need to think differently about our projects. For example, when they want to change scope, it’s because they want to add more value to the project. That scope change could be the difference between a system that gets used by the customer and one that is completely ignored. System doesn’t get used = failed project, regardless of whether you were on time, budget, and scope when it gets delivered. Our answer needs to be “Yes, and…” when we are asked about changes. Here’s how that sounds:
This feels so much better to the receiver because they feel heard and they can make an educated and informed decision about the outcome they wish to create and at what cost. Give them the control to make decisions and you do your job of educating them and ensuring that no one forgets all the decisions AND IMPACTS throughout the project.
This one is a regular item on my annual to-do list and it certainly applies to us in our professional relationships, as well as personal. Think of all the time and energy you will save yourself, as well as heartache and headache if you stop letting the noise of those that are not helpful to you consume your energy. Now, of course, you don’t always get to choose who you work with, so for the people you have no choice but to interact with, you can choose how you respond. We can choose to not let the annoying things people do impact how we feel or see the world. You just keep on doing your thing with a smile on your face and let their toxic energy roll right off you. The bottom line is that there are many ways to accomplish goals this year, by stopping these 8 things you are paving the way to creating a much bigger IMPACT, personally and professionally Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I welcome your feedback and insights. Please leave a comment below. See you online! Warmly,
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Posted on: April 16, 2018 08:00 AM
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The Big Credibility Differentiator
| We’ve all been there. We make a commitment to do so something for someone (or for ourselves) and then life gets in the way and it just doesn’t happen. I’m having one of those days today. There are good reasons that I didn’t get things done like I wanted to, but if I’m not super careful, it will happen way too often. And here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter what the reasons are if we let the “reasons” be to blame every time we fall short of the commitments we make or the outcomes we planned to achieve. Some of us will say, “yeah, but” to this and talk about all the reasons they really wanted something to happen. My answer to this is, “yeah, but” it didn’t happen. That’s the problem here. Our intentions are not the same as our actions. This is what happens when we break our commitments:
I could go on and on here. There are so many negative outcomes you can create by falling short of your commitments. We know this. Yet, it still happens. Why? Here’s the truth – because we let it happen. We want to be good collaborators and partners, so sometimes we:
The challenge here, of course, is that this sets everyone up for failure. There are a couple of steps necessary to break this cycle. Step 1: know the difference between actions and intentions. Here’s how I see the difference: Intentions – What we committed to do. Actions – What we did to live up to the commitment. Sometimes our intentions and actions don’t quite get aligned. We know we really wanted to get that thing done. We had hoped to make it happen. If we are not super protective of our commitments and priorities, we can find ourselves in a vicious game of “who do I disappoint?” when trying to get things done. That feeling can be frustrating and toxic to productivity. However, we can’t stop there. Sometimes, our actions don’t lead to the outcomes that align with the commitments we made, either. That’s where step 2 comes in. Step 2: make your actions intentional, purposeful, and impactful. Did the actions we took directly lead to the committed outcomes? This can be a bit tricky. Sometimes our actions fall short of achieving the outcomes because (and if we are honest with ourselves here), we either didn’t understand the commitment we made, we realized we don’t have time to do it right so we do something to just check it off the list, or we…well, there are a ton of other reasons we do this…not all intentional. Here’s the real credibility differentiator: Results – Achieving the outcome intended via the commitment we made. We are all measured by results, not intentions, yet when we fall short of our commitments, we tend to talk about how much we tried. I totally get it. I have said that so many times this week. I tried. Well, guess what? Trying doesn’t actually change the world, get the project done, or get your kid to practice on time. What does work? Uh, the stuff we all know so darn well, PLANNING! If we take the time to plan our work thoughtfully, evaluate the risk factors that can get in our way of being truly productive, and commit thoughtfully, we will be far more likely to reach the goals we set for ourselves. The next time you are about to make a commitment to someone, do yourself a favor and STOP for a minute. Think about what you already have on your plate, think about the 50 “it’s just a 5-minute thing” types of tasks that will pop up, and maybe most importantly, ponder the impact of not keeping this commitment. Is damaging your credibility worth it? Of course, this doesn’t mean you say no to everything, as fun as that might be! This just means that we do for ourselves what we do so well for others…plan the work, then stick to the plan! Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I welcome your feedback and insights. Please leave a comment below. See you online! Warmly,
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Posted on: April 09, 2018 08:00 AM
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Did You Know That Project Management Can Change The World?
| Business leaders: Have you ever wondered the real value of the Project Management profession? Project managers: Are you a project manager who knows darn well your value and wishes others would see just how valuable you are? Are you sick of having your entire career called the accidental profession? Everyone: Do you wish there was a more meaningful way for you to give back to your community? Well, have I got a story for you! Enter the Project Management Day of Service ® (PMDoS) What’s that? Oh, only the record-setting event where we use the profession of Project Management to change the world.
But even more, project managers take inputs, and plan for specific outcomes…we plan transformation, we deliver change. Ultimately, we are delivery agents of change. Making change for organizations that are chronically hampered by resource constraints to achieve their missions, and with no time for the Project Management overhead; that’s the challenge. And that’s always the problem, isn’t it? Not enough time to do it right, but enough leeway to either have to do rework, or just take the best product you can get, right? There is a whole sector that exists in this mode of operation all the time…the nonprofit organizations… Many nonprofits, whose mission is to make a local or global impact, make do without the skills of project management, or they do it in the same incidental manner that has plagued our profession for so long. But, we have matured past that and we have the opportunity to step in and have an impact. Nonprofits can achieve their mission of creating local and global change through the resources available to them in project management, and by using project managers. After all, what profession has more to offer than project management, a profession that focuses on planning within Scope, Schedule and Budget? We get things done!
This event engaged the project management community in a meaningful way to show that professional project management can have an impact; that we can do good work and make a difference. The goal of PMDoS was very straightforward. We believe that all project managers have a role to play in helping clarify and strengthen the value proposition of Project Management. This event showed everyone that we can make a difference and that Project Management matters. The first annual event was held on Martin Luther King Day, 2015, a national day of service. On this day, 350 project managers met with 100 nonprofits for an all-day Get. It. Done. event. These project managers volunteered their time to help nonprofit organizations define and scope a business challenge or mission project they wanted to undertake; and then together, they built a road map for execution of that project so that the organization could realize their mission objective. Just imagine…100 nonprofits walking out of the room with a clear and specific path forward for their most pressing mission. That’s what happened here. The work done on this day equaled $200,000 worth of project management services provided in a single day. Now, take the value created by all of those nonprofits achieving their project objectives and you have a $1,000,000 impact in the local community. IN ONE DAY!
THAT is what Project Management can do! Project managers get stuff done for a living. These events give them an opportunity to use their unique and hard-earned skills to make a difference in their local communities, while shedding light on the ever-increasing importance of project management done right. Where else can they use project management to give back and have this kind of impact? Our profession is about change, and it is also about intent and service. This event has ripple effects, as many project managers shared feedback that PMDoS has inspired them to become more active in their local nonprofit community. Because of the work done by the Project Management Day of Service, there is now an established foundation and expandable opportunity for project managers to engage in pro bono service using their specific project management skills.
This day of service model opens the door for us to understand as a Project Management community how we can begin to engage in even more assertive and continuous ways with our local communities.
So now what? How can you use your project management skills to make a difference? Do you want to put project management in the driver’s seat on the quest to change the world? Project Managers can take mission and drive toward transformational outcomes that can literally change lives, save lives, and create a better world for us all. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are we doing for others?’ – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” You now have a choice to make and you can choose to do good and have impact in a meaningful way using your Project Manager skills. Why? Because it matters! Your skills matter, as does how you choose to use them.
Project Managers:
Nonprofits: Sign up today to receive pro bono project management services to help you with your toughest challenge! Everyone: Help us raise the necessary funds to make the event happen. There are many ways you can contribute:
Help us get the word out! Share this post with everyone you know. Send out to all of your social media networks! @PM4Change on Twitter / LinkedIn / Facebook Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I welcome your feedback and insights. Please leave a comment below. See you online! Warmly,
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Posted on: April 02, 2018 08:00 AM
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