Myths of Project Management Career Planning

Rosemary Hossenlopp, MBA PMP © 2007 All Rights Reserved

What did you talk about during your holiday parties? If you didn’t talk about your job, why not? Maybe you were avoiding the subject because your project work just isn’t s exciting as it has been in the past. Or it could be because you were stunned into silence listening to your project team lead describing the BWM they got with their bonus.

Why should I talk about this? The dull nag New Years resolution season is fast approaching. So consider this is a great time to take charge of your career planning and next year you will be bragging about your project successes.

 Accidental Project Manager
Many of you fell into a project management job. And this choice of fate turned out to be a good one. But you don’t want others to continue defining your career for you. So what’s stopping you from planning your next position?

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More Fun With Carbon Copy

Perhaps it is a sign I have too much time on my hands, or I should really get a good hobby… but … I spent some time going through my mailbox with all my mails from one of my last projects and came up with the following theory: The carbon copy (cc) function in mail is only used to send people a copy of the mail if: (more…)

Health Check - Who Do You Trust?

You go to a doctor to get your health checked. Consider the following situations, and tell me who you trust the most…

Doctor A

A young guy, who looks like a used-car salesman, welcomes you with a stunning smile. His Hugo Boss suit fits perfectly. He offers you some Latte and invites you to sit down in this beautiful design chair. (more…)

Improve Project Management In 2008: Wear A Suit

To be a successful Project Manager in 2008, wear a suit, print a Gantt chart and get PMP certified. It is what everybody outside our profession seems to expect from us. We, Project Managers, radiate to the outside world our icons like Gantt Charts, two-digits precise risk assessments, large documents that seems to cover every little aspect imaginable. If you are a member of our group, you ooze “control”. I once told my wife that I was “unable to comply to her request”. She smacked me on the head telling me that she was not my customer. So, I assume that we also have a specific language that sets us apart from other mortals. By adopting our symbols, our rituals and speak newbie PMs try to affiliate themselves with the group called “Professional Project Managers”. (more…)

Improve Project Management In 2008: Flex Your Mind

If you really want to improve your projects in 2008, the best place to start is inside your head. Who cares if you just became a Turquoise Belt Agile Master? Very impressive if you got yourself PiMP certified. If you are a true believer of one particular way of thinking about projects (agile or plan-driven) it is time you start looking for a new occupation. (more…)

Retrospective Report: Agile Open California

I just finished reviewing the notes from last week’s Agile Open California conference retrospective – what an amazing journey!  One of the many interesting discoveries was the fact that it was almost exactly 9 months from conception of the conference to delivery… some cycle times just can’t be improved on!

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Managing to Lead

What’s the most important thing you do that makes you a good project manager?  The only contest I ever won was answering that question.  (more…)