My Twitter Mosiac

Mar 24, 2009 | 0 comments |

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Here's my mosiac of people following me and I follow back some of course. Thanks everyone.

Sites you should be at

Mar 18, 2009 | 1 comments |
If networking is in your mind, stop right here.

Alec Satin provides insight and sites that you should be- to connect and network and find invaluable suggestions that isn't in the books.

Sites you should have web presence in-
As you can see, I'm trying as well (feel free to connect with me at the given links)

Lets meet- virtually!

Steps to become a project manager

I'm listening to the PM Podcast and found the perfect one to write about here- How can I become a Project Manager?

The interview is with Thomas Cutting and gives junior project managers and the ones that wants to get into the profession amazing guidelines. You will want to listen to the podcast really, lots of information that you can implement and take a step forward in your career and find the right role. 

The podcast talks about how important it is to be involved in a project in just about any role to know what you are getting into. Joining in junior positions might be a good way to get your foot in the door. I started out as a management intern, then moved to become a project co-ordinator, a business analyst and gained experience in quality assurance and the core communication team. 

So, now that you are ready, how do you get you first project management role? 
  • Get certified- essential. I'm working for mine.
  • Network- lots of social websites these days; from linkedin to the latest social networking site for project managers like http://www.ppmng.com/(connect with me here)
  • Plan, position and perform- I think its very hard to take the first step in the dark and you have to. It is as important to not loose the focus while you are trapped in the job and this is one of the points discussed in the podcast.
  • Communication- this what a project management role is about, so keep practising.
  • Integrity- your character plays a role. So if you have a strong presence in the social media, please make sure that you are strongly aware of what you are publishing.
Learn more, develop your skills and ask your seniors

Interview with PM Karma

PM Karma has caught the attention of many; the blog is as successful as the blogger himself. I fortunately had the chance of talking to Sreejith the blogger (over the web), and listen about his strategies. His strategies and experience can help many more I thought and wanted an interview with him which he graciously agreed to.  

Steppingintopm: What would you consider as the secret of your success as a project manager?

Sreejith (PM Karma): From my experience the key deciding factor of success in a field like project management is the 'quality' of relationship between the people with whom you interact during the project life cycle. I have never been dominating, bullying or aggressive in my career. I treat my subordinates and other functional people as 'Team Members'. The real attitude and quality of a person is revealed when he/she has the opportunity to be bad with some one and still he/she doesn’t do that! 

Being good with your subordinates will help you to get the best out of them. I always watch and eliminate any signs of internal politics. There is a great chance that skilled and creative young people get bullied by rather old people in organizations. This is some thing to be watched and plucked out immediately as soon as identified. People shall be promoted and given with new responsibilities based on skill & performance rather than mere 'years of experience'. When a project manager does that, a wave of confidence will blow across the team since the team members get a feeling that their skill and hard work will be rewarded. 

Project management, especially in construction industries has got lots of interfaces. The team usually used to be big of volume ten thousands. Unlike software projects, the team members need not be well educated or highly skilled. How ever delegating work packs, getting progress and performance feedback and implementing corrective actions need lots of communication and team work. 

Being good and loved by most is the best kept secret of my success as a manager in project controls. Creativity, use of technology, reading and learning comes right behind that, though! 

Steppingintopm: Do you think blogging helps boost your career?

Sreejith (PM Karma): Yes, definitely. Blogging has helped me to get connected with lots of people. The range and skills of people ranges from PMI board members to beginners/students of project management. Blogging also got a lot of appreciation from people around the globe. While looking at the 'Google Analytics' dashboard for my blog, I now understand PM Karma has earned readership far beyond my expectation. Readership has covered all the continents and the count is very good. 

I have now started collaborating with other PM Bloggers and the result is quite promising. People are approaching with specific queries regarding tools and techniques detailed in my articles. I started reviewing PM software also in my blog. 

I have few readers to my blog within my company and they quite appreciate that. Getting to be known as a 'Subject Matter Expert' is a very good feeling and I am enjoying that! 

Steppingintopm: Do you have any set of rules you try to stick to and would like to share for project managers who are starting out?

Sreejith (PM Karma): Yes. At some point in my life I have formulated 'The 3 Rules of Life' which I am trying to adhere to: 

At first look they may look like 'losers rules' but trust me; they have helped me in personal and career fronts. I started getting more friends since I started following these rules. I felt like I am more loved (than before) by people around me. Okay right to the '3 Rules of Life’: 

Rule-01: There are no sharp corners in life

This rule is not against perfectionism. It just says 'Perfect doesn't exist’! There are only good and better. Good can be made better and when we make 'better' further better, the old 'better' becomes ‘good’! So just be nice with people even when things are not really up to your expectations. Advice and find ways out to make 'good' better. 

Rule-02: Do for others what you want them to do for you

All the faces we see every day are filled with complaints and they say to me "What about my concerns?" 

Yes, we all need to get some thing done from others. We all need people to be the way we wanted them to be. We all have opinions how others should be.

But how often we thought how we are with others? How we have helped or how we will be helping them when they need the same help which you are anticipating from them. So when ever our mind complains us about some one who has not done the thing which you have expected from them, just imagine yourself in their position and thing whether you will help them in similar situations.

No one wanted to get treated badly by others, so how can we be bad with others?

So just start doing things to others, the same way in which you want them to be with you!

You will not be surprised if they behave badly with you, if you were nasty with them in the past...because you wanted them to be bad with you since you have used my rule!! 

Rule-03: Before you freeze an opinion about some one else, just take a moment, get into their shoe, think and visualize the situation from their view point. You may change your opinion.

It is very easy to frame an opinion about some one based on our view point. But try to create a critic within your mind who debates conflicts. I have been successful in bring up a critic within my mind. 

There are 3 personalities with in my mind now.

1) The Emotional Guy

2) The Critic

3) The logic 

When ever I get angry with some one over an issue, the critic takes the emotional guy to the other person's view point and debates me about his stand.

The emotional guy is not very easy to convince. He has record of all the previous deals and bad words from the other person. He will take them all out. But the critic will place all his cards on the table and keep debating. 

Now 'Logic' is the referee, he watches all the debates and quantitatively and qualitatively analyses the stands and come up with the final verdict. 

I know this may sound quite weird to many people, but I have succeeded to certain extent to implement this setup with in my mind. This evaluation has helped me to change opinion about many people during many occasions when I felt their words or deeds are bad.

Steppingintopm: Thank you Sreejith.

(Picture: Sreejith from PM Karma) 

Does twittering help you focus?

Just when you thought, what am I doing and where is my life going, I read this wonderfully inspirational article about the Twitter CEO

I am a great fan of Twitter, so much so that my newly brushed up resume has it as my contact along with the email. Most of my friends, bloggers and relevant people in my life are on Twitter and I think it keeps you really updated with the latest happenings. 

I'm always moved by stories because somewhere down the line it makes me feel that my dream of "I have  so much more to do" can come true. Honestly, reading this article has made a lot of difference. The journey from a farm in Nebraska to running Twitter must have been exciting and what an amazing journey.

I 'm always curious to know how people push for their next move, how they beleive in themselves, how they can do so much- what inspires them? I've been through my highs and lows and there have been times when I have sat down and wrote in a piece of paper as many times as possible that " I want to do xyz" or whatever the thought was. It does help, more you think about it and write it down and see yourself writing it; it helps you to move forward psychologically. The rest is easy. From the extremely introverted shy girl who wouldn't go into a store when there were people around to the individual who got acknowledged in school for being a leader, team player and outspoken- it honestly was a long way. 

The story goes on, may be the rest of it for another time in this blog. 

So, if you thought, your dream is too big or really not for you- think again, how hard have you tried? Or how much do you really want it to happen? 

(Picture: Google Images)

Women in Technology

Mar 7, 2009 | 0 comments |
I just signed up for my PMI membership and found something very useful. Here is perhaps a new section that has been added, where you can actually take a free PMP/CAPM simulated exam.

Something interesting is also the Ada Lovelace Day which celebrates women in technology, if you would like to support the cause you can sign up the pledge and simply write about your favorite woman in technology on March 24. How cool is that. 

I sure have signed up and you will read about my favorite Woman in Technology on March 24.

Have a good weekend everyone!


How to get a mentor?

I happened to read this article 5 minutes ago and Tweeting about it wasn't satisfying enough, because this is something I really wanted to save for myself and share it with you.

Mentors have always been an important part of my life, some have helped me see my potential or help me look within, others have helped me manage my problems better. 

Anyways, back to my original point, if you want to have a mentor and a really famous, influential, successful and popular mentor, here is how you should pitch.

Point taken.

(Picture: Google Images)