Rosemary Hossenlopp, MBA PMP © 2007 All Rights Reserved
If you don’t want the project manager same job you had last year, you need to plan differently this year. So make a new years resolution to create a project management development plan.
What Do I Focus On?
In the last blog, you identified success factors that are your top priorities. Your success factors improve your visibility or skills. But how do you turn these success factors you identified into a promotion or new job? Ok, here is an example.
Here are some success factors that help you become a Project Management Expert:
• Become a better speaker and always look for subjects that are hot
• Create a plan to write your book (or maybe start with an article:-)
• Improve requirements practices on each of your projects
• Increase on-time project delivery
Project Management Career Plan Ah-Hah: Each of your success factors has activities that you need to plan and execute to make it happen.
Each of these success factors could become a project. Projects have elements that:
• Have a definite beginning and an end: otherwise your plan is only a dream
• Have a specific goal: remember; a promotion or a new job?
• Can be assigned resources: that’s you!
• Can be assigned timelines: that’s your New Years Resolution
Some of these success factors you listed are BIG projects. So you might need to break them down into smaller bites to take effective action.
What is Effective Action?
Effective action is an intentional, planned activity. Learn to increase your effectiveness and increase your chance of a new project management job. Create powerful results by encouraging yourself to take action.
You are effective when your Project Management Development Plan has the following characteristics:
• You make yourself accountable.
• The plan is achievable.
• You are action oriented.
Accountable: Accountable means that you’re answerable for your business results. Peers can advise. Mentors can mentor. Instructors at UCSC can assist . . . but you are responsible for your Plan. Characteristics of accountability include:
• You specifically identify when you need to make your success factors happen.
• You specifically identify who is to perform each activity.
• You look at your plans and they resonate with you.
• You’re energized to dig deeper into career development.
• You don’t need that third cup of coffee in the morning for motivation.
Achievable: Achievable means that you are able to successfully perform or carry out your career development plans. Characteristics of achievability include:
• You’re determined to carry it out!.
• Your plans can be achieved within known budgets and time frames.
• You’re confident that you have a plan and it will work out.
Action Oriented: Action oriented means that you have a habit of vigorous activity. You created a Project Management Career Development plan. Behaviors of action-oriented people include:
• You don’t sink back in your chair when you think of getting a promotion.
• You grab the phone to make things happen.
• You work furiously to move heaven and earth to accomplish what you want.
• You zip about, encouraging others to action with your enthusiasm and insight.
Who Should Take Action?
You. And tell everyone when you have a plan to keep yourself accountable, achievement and action oriented. Write a comment on what you want to do in 2008.
Cheers! Rosemary Hossenlopp, MBA PMP
