Tag: leadership

“I would rather eat a cactus…than run a project” by Lesley Elder-Aznar

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I found the title funny, even if I would rather not eat a cactus, in any event, unless it has been processed into agave syrup. Many of the aspects touched upon resonated with my project manager’s life in the corporate world: negotiations with other departments, the surprise of learning about costs recharging, change management…

The book covers the lifespan of a project from initiation to the business case, kicking of the project, executing, communication and training plans, to closing and monitoring of the project. Sections on project roles (who is who), agile project management and behaviour changes enrich the technicalities with insights.

As the author tells us herself: “The whole purpose of this book was to demystify project and project jargon, to make it less scary, to make it more accessible to everyone. Not just the people who are working in project world, but all of the people who are on the receiving end of change, or unwittingly seconded onto a project.”

It is indeed a book largely for uninitiated. Yet, those who are more experienced can still find useful reminders. I also read it as an invitation for staying humble in interactions with more junior by experience colleagues.

It also felt at times as reading through training materials or attending a training as on some pages the author “speaks” to you (“hold on..”, “humor me…”). There is nothing wrong with that and there are readers who prefer this way of presentation of information. It can also inspire you in you are preparing for a training delivery – forget not to give credit.

The lines that made me smile:

“If you have a Finance team that can organise this without you promising to name your first-born child after the Finance Manager, then you are destined for success!”

“Your friendly Finance business partner will spend much time explaining to you about cost-centres and WBS (work breakdown structure) codes and how it’s all going to take place in the monthly cycle. Just nod along and ask them to email you when it’s done. Or you risk wasting years of your life trying to understand it.”

Pro tip of the week

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Cognitive diversity enables innovation, strengthens the sense of belonging and improves the performance of individuals and teams. Go with this mental set-up to the next team meeting, armed with good listening skills, and see what happens.

« AI and the Project Manager » by Peter Taylor

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Finally! The promised land of a project manager who is looking forward to enhancing own abilities, freeing the agenda of routine, necessary yet boring tasks, and, more importantly – finding ways of supporting decision-making process through forecasting and risk management. I can see clearly the many benefits an intelligent and ethical application of AI brings to my professional and personal life. With an estimated 80% of saving effort provided by AI, I will eventually find time to write that book I am thinking about.

One feature which distinguishes Peter’s books from the hundreds of books on project management is authenticity and unreserved sharing of own experience, with all its ups and downs of “the old and the wise”, delivered in a no-non-sense style. It responds to my brain’s need to learn from others. Another point of attraction for me is his very own perspectives on conceptual matters, such as, for instance, Actionable Information, for AI. I get that more than the widespread understanding of the acronym, especially if in your own language the word “intelligence” is void of the meanings it has in English.

The book is meant for reflective practitioners. Peter asks many important questions and invites us to stay inquisitive. After all, AI does not stay put. From a brief introduction and dismantling some myths surrounding AI, categories of AI into the core if it all – “people -centred AI”, each of us will find things to learn from and ponder on. Projects are about, by and for people, no doubts there.

And those afraid of or resisting AI should remember this: “The danger of artificial intelligence isn’t that it’s going to rebel against us, but that it’s going to do exactly what we ask it to do” (Janelle Shane).

My main take away: Stay calm, learn to benefit from AI and help people thrive! Thanks, Peter! So, when is a legacy sequel coming up?

Thank you 2021!

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I wrote my Winter Holidays messages to friends, colleagues and partners in a heartbeat.

It was coming from my heart.

I was only sorry I could not write individual cards this year. It would have taken me hours as the list of recipients this year is, thankfully, long. Longer than usual.

And there was something in common in all – the gratitude.

Gratitude for enriching my professional life with

amazing new milestones,

lasting and growing networks,

seeing through troubles and recoveries for myself and others,

inspiration beyond imaginable,

results and failures turned into pure learning,

humility from learning,

perpetuating meaningful causes,

continuing to keep us in a constant chain of changes,

for reminders to stay faithful to relationships regardless of the changes to procedures or to plans,

for bringing our resilience as individuals and as teams to a new level,

for my new colleagues, teams and partners,

for revived relationships,

mutual trust on the critical path,

the most precious prize of “The most active Secret Santa” and

simple human gestures.

I embrace it all and look forward to more

with gratitude.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!