Updates in town:
While you enjoy this, I am shuttling between cities in India, enjoying good food and missing my time away from the blog. With so much happening, I'll be post some pics here for sure!Happy Thanksgiving to my team!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! This year, I’m thankful to so many of you, specially my readers for the site and the blog!
This post is dedicated to my friends -the dynamic designer, the chic developer and few others who helped me with my site, listened for hours about the ideas, brainstormed together and made it happen. They are the best!
So, thank you dear friends….happy thanksgiving!
I’ll be off for the next few weeks and will be back in December! Stay warm and stay happy J
Human Connection
The last few days has taught me a lot.I have visited more stores in the last few days than I have in the last 5 years. In doing so, I have talked to lots of people, researched things on the internet I wanted to buy and here’s the lesson- nothing beats human connection.
No matter what you do and who you are- the most powerful tool is human connection. It makes you turn back and take decisions you otherwise wouldn’t have perhaps.
If it’s your client, your team members or the newbie joining your team, make sure your gift of connection is never lost in the business.
This holiday season, thank someone, smile and help another being. It is being human and its priceless.
Technology- awe, wonder and my plan for next year
This last week I was caught up in cold, flu and some major decisions that I am taking to make sure my list of 5 things to do before I am 35 actually happens.
So, while I a running around the city and getting things done, I thought you might enjoy this enchanting video that I have seen more than 10 for sure.
The original link is here. Enjoy the wonders of technology, while I jump back in the car and drive around to get more errands done.
It's also time of the year to consider what questions to put up for my new year special- if you have suggestions I would love to hear.
So, while I a running around the city and getting things done, I thought you might enjoy this enchanting video that I have seen more than 10 for sure.
The original link is here. Enjoy the wonders of technology, while I jump back in the car and drive around to get more errands done.
It's also time of the year to consider what questions to put up for my new year special- if you have suggestions I would love to hear.
Lighting up your ideas
This week I committed myself to know new ideas, to learn more about how others are doing things and be happy.This week I decided to slow down and see where I am going, to try minimalism and be more aware of myself. To gather my thoughts and plan my action on what makes me composed and happy and less stressed out. To share, read and smile more often.
This is what I read in NY Times which lead to finding out more about Asana- a project management software in making.
This weekend is Diwali which means I am all about lights, happiness and yummy food!
Wishing all of you the brightness, sparkles and happiness every single day. Happy Diwali!
Who are you now?
Some days are just ordinary.Some days don’t happen the way you want them to happen.
Some days are plain old same.
I don’t have a blog post to post and I can’t think of any to write. Sometimes I will just read something and think about it. I’ll think how my life has been and what I have done and what I would love to do.
Some days are far away from project management.
I think loosing focus, letting your dreams go and just reading something for no reason whatsoever is pure joy. No certifications, no proposals, no more work.
Most of our actions are nothing but a way to cover up our insecurities, fear and disappointment.
What would you do- if you had the money, the life you want and everything you need to keep on going? What will you change? What will happen to your job?
Will you act differently? Who will you be? Who are you now?
(Pic Courtesy)
Who are you following?
Does it matter?It does, most of the times. Last year while travelling from India to London for the first time, after landing in Heathrow I was trying to find my way to get my luggage.
The guy sitting next to me in the flight was zigzagging through the airport, so I assumed he was familiar with the airport, so I just followed him, knowing that he will have to pick up the luggage as well.
Turned out, I followed him to the men’s restroom. I stopped, turned around and laughed at myself. What was I thinking?
This is what happens when you follow someone without thinking. Make sure you know what you are doing and why?
Be informed
Todays post is a melting pot of some of the best articles:
If you are looking for mentors who can help you take the next step, try SIPM, there are no charges for membership and you get to meet PM's from all over the world who will take the time to help you for your next move.
- PMI Global Congress 2010 Summary
- Motivation over Talent
- Clients who ignore you: How to handle them
- Preparing your exit strategy
- How to motivate your team during difficult times
- The Customer life cycle and the Project life cycle
- The Return of Listening
- Technically useful for the PMP exams
- Top 5 reasons why people fail the PMP exams
- Tackling the issues of cross broder projects
- Monitoring how to mentor and be mentored
If you are looking for mentors who can help you take the next step, try SIPM, there are no charges for membership and you get to meet PM's from all over the world who will take the time to help you for your next move.
Interview with Valerie Thorn
I have always believed that Project Managers given their interest in running a business can do it really well. Today’s interview is with Valerie Thorn BSc, FRSA- CEO and founder of AND Technology Research Ltd (UK) who personally has a 30 year practical experience in software and embedded engineering runs a company successfully.
That’s not all, she started her business when she was only 25!
Keep reading for inspiration, lessons learnt and what you should know if you are planning your own business.
Hi Valerie, please tell us something about your organization and how you started it.
We are AND Technology Research Ltd, a small private company – currently 10 staff situated in a small village between London and Cambridge in the UK. I started the company in 1980 when I was 25. I saw great potential in the use of distributed computing power within businesses, for communications and control. I began with some funding of my own and practical support of my parents and sister.
Since you have been managing a company and also running projects, which do you think is more challenging and why?
Running the company is in some ways just the same as running a project so both are challenging; however there are some differences Projects have an intensity and significant time pressures. For instance if you don’t start a project on time, then you shouldn’t be surprised if you don’t finish on time; running a company in which you have a long term interest does not normally suffer from this sort of intensity. However overall I would say that the number of variables and the effects that your decisions have on people’s lives makes running a company more challenging.
How important are mistakes in trying to run a company?
If you don’t make mistakes then you don’t learn, what’s most important is how you deal them. The main thing to remember is that mistakes have to be managed or corrected for the best interest of the company, not for the best interest of the manager/owner. Personal conflict can inevitably occur but handling the conflict should add to the learning. So mistakes are important, you have to learn to recognise when mistakes occur, accept them, deal with them and not get hung up on them.
Do you think a good project manager can also be successful business person?
Yes I do, in fact they can make excellent business people, but they have to be able to cope with uncertainty. Project managers have to engage with a variety of project stakeholders and manipulate resources and time to make to project work. A good business person needs to be able to do this; however business people also need generally to cope with uncertain situations where either the resources or the time are just not as they would like them to be. They have to be a little more creative and inventive and be prepared to take the responsibility for risk.
Three important qualities that both project managers and entrepreneurs should have?
- Vision and focus for what is to be achieved.
- Organisational skills which allow them to stay focused but include enough flexibility to accommodate change
- Ability to inspire others and to carry the message of the vision forward.
The importance of the supply chain to a business. By this I mean, not just where your market is but how to navigate supply chains within the market in order to maximise business potential.
So, when organizations like you hire newbies- what are you looking for?
People who, given a necessary skill level, then demonstrate the potential to learn and to adapt to change, plus an ability to laugh.
Valerie is also an active participant in a number of creative and electronic industry organisations. Her career has involved creating digital and electronics based solutions for consumer, industrial and telecommunications products. AND has received numerous awards for innovation over its 30 year life-span and Valerie’s achievements in small business management have also been recognised. Valerie’s expertise lies in embedded software and the role played by software as Intellectual Property. She is engaged in research into technology management and innovation.
To know more about AND visit their website here.
(Pic Courtesy: Valerie Thorn)
Dear Sr. Project Managers/PMO Directors
Dear Senior Project Managers/PMO Directors,
I have built my own door for someone to come knocking (Hint: If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door -Milton Berle). And I need your help.
I know you are busy- with meetings, stakeholder communications, more charts and graphs, keeping up with your coffee addiction and running PMO’s.
I’ll cut it short and say- I am looking for my next job/project/assignment. I'm diligent, smart and have positive review of my projects and client handling, it led to clients coming back for other projects as well.
So, I know what I am doing and where I want to go after I finish building the door. I like challenges, learning new skills, techniques and just when you think it is impossible- I will change your mind.
I take risks and listen to my inner voice. I deal with clients and team members as other human beings and love what I do so much that I don’t want to give it up.
I’m looking for an organization/PMO preferably in and around Chicago but don’t mind relocating within States or outside as long as I get to do what I love- more projects.
If you don’t have an empty chair in sight, feel free to forward this to someone else who might.
If you would like to know more click here or I can connect with you on Linkedin.
If you really want to know how I work, feel free to contact my co-workers or fellow bloggers independently who have known me for years now, that way you don’t have to worry about me taking them out to expensive lunches to make sure they give good reviews. They know me well enough to talk about my work, ideas, implementation skills, teamwork, independent thinking capability, decision making and completion of sucessful projects.
If you need an updated resume email me (steppingintopm@gmail.com)please.
Yours sincerely,
Soma Bhattacharya.
I have built my own door for someone to come knocking (Hint: If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door -Milton Berle). And I need your help.
I know you are busy- with meetings, stakeholder communications, more charts and graphs, keeping up with your coffee addiction and running PMO’s.
I’ll cut it short and say- I am looking for my next job/project/assignment. I'm diligent, smart and have positive review of my projects and client handling, it led to clients coming back for other projects as well.
So, I know what I am doing and where I want to go after I finish building the door. I like challenges, learning new skills, techniques and just when you think it is impossible- I will change your mind.
I take risks and listen to my inner voice. I deal with clients and team members as other human beings and love what I do so much that I don’t want to give it up.
I’m looking for an organization/PMO preferably in and around Chicago but don’t mind relocating within States or outside as long as I get to do what I love- more projects.
If you don’t have an empty chair in sight, feel free to forward this to someone else who might.
If you would like to know more click here or I can connect with you on Linkedin.
If you really want to know how I work, feel free to contact my co-workers or fellow bloggers independently who have known me for years now, that way you don’t have to worry about me taking them out to expensive lunches to make sure they give good reviews. They know me well enough to talk about my work, ideas, implementation skills, teamwork, independent thinking capability, decision making and completion of sucessful projects.
If you need an updated resume email me (steppingintopm@gmail.com)please.
Yours sincerely,
Soma Bhattacharya.
