Analysis Paralysis
I used to work with a colleague who was constantly on the lookout for the best project management and productivity tools. While I admired their dedication to continuous improvement, their tendency to start and then abruptly stop use of a given PM method left a trail of unfinished mini-projects in their wake.
5 Tips to Stem the E-mail Tide
Facing an inbox so congested that you can’t bear to look at it? Spending your days responding to other people’s demands instead of focusing on your priorities? Feeling like you have no hope of making any dent in the pile? If this sounds familiar, read on for 5 tips on how to stem the e-mail tide.
PM 202: Manage Constraints
The last step of setting up a project management plan for your life is to manage external constraints that may affect project success. Being able to manage constraints is one of the most important skills for a project manager.
PM 201: Manage Stakeholder Expectations
Creating SMART goals in priority areas for your life is a daunting first step on the journey to project managing your life. At the define requirements stage, we started to address the feasibility of pursuing some of these goals. The intermediate coursework demands—what else?—further planning.
PM 102: Define Requirements
Failing to plan is planning to fail, and your life is no exception. If you don't take the time to contemplate what you want out of life, how will you ensure that you get it? The first step in project managing your life is to define just that--your requirements.
The Best Non-Project Management Training for Project Managers
Congrats! You've put your PMP behind you and are reading this article to log PDUs. Or maybe you're waiting for the requisite years of experience to qualify you to take the exam. In the meantime, you may be wondering whether any of those other certifications out there are worth pursuing.
Tales from the Field
Project management is both a science and an art, the latter primarily because you're dealing with people. One of the best tools in your kit relates to the scientific aspects of PM--the ability to observe stakeholders in their natural habitat.
Fete Accompli
Why is it that we don't take the time to honor our accomplishments the same way we obsess over our shortcomings? I'd recommend that project managers institute a process for accomplishment review so that this activity is sure to become a fait accompli.
What's So Special About Being a Generalist?
I met with an aspiring PM this week who asked me a series of questions about how to succeed in the field, including one that resonated with my own past challenges as a rising project manager. “I’m a generalist,” she said, “but everyone keeps telling me I need to be an expert in something.”