Have you taken the right risk?

So you are the aspiring PM and you know that everyone talks about taking some risk and you want to tread lightly about risks this year given the economy and yet you don’t know how much risk to take?


At some point or the other we all take risks. It’s risky and how much of it you can take is on you- your finance, your goals, your lifestyle.


So how much you can afford to take is something you have to decide before you go out for it.

• Consult- Make sure you talk it out with your mentor or senior friends who have been in the same place. Listen to everyone’s opinion before taking your decision. No one knows how it to be in your shoes perhaps, so the decision is all yours. Speaking with others give you alternative views that you might not have considered.
• SWOT- strength, weakness, opportunities, threats is something you should think about. Once the risk has been taken, there are rarely chances of reverting back.
• Complications- Be prepared that the risk can evolve into complicated situations. Make sure you are ready to take on whatever is thrown at you.
• Profit- Analyze the benefit of taking the risk, how much is it worth- financially or emotionally. What will you get out of it? Is it worth all the things you will have to give up?
• Happiness- This will always be important because at the end of the day you can do so much if it makes you happy. If the risk is all stress and no gain, it might not be a beneficial risk. Best risk takers analyze it all well before going for it.
• Don’t regret- if you have considered it all and taken the risk and then realize its not working out, don’t panic or get depressed. Be calm, think positively and find the best way out of the situation. Sometimes the best decisions or thoughts come in moments of stress or helplessness because you have nothing at stake.
• Remember your goal- Remember why you took the risk, what was it all for. If you know what you want, you will come up with a solution that will still lead you to your goal perhaps in a different way.

You are a Project Manager, you should be able to analyze risk, mitigate them and still happily deliver your project on time, schedule and budget. If you can do this evryday in your professional life, why not do it in personal as well. Its just another project with another name!


(Image Courtesy: Google Images)


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Women- this new year

This New Year came in like a gush of strong winds from nowhere.

I’ve been travelling in India for weddings etc and if you haven’t noticed I am trying to re-arrange my life and focus on things I like to do than those that I have to do.

This year is about observing and putting them in words, so if you are someone from somewhere who can relate to it, you know you are not alone in the journey/fight.

There’s so much happening these days in India related to the economy, jobs and growth factor and yet there are scenarios where people fight for silly reasons and dowry (a sum demanded by the groom’s family during marriage) and the culture remains prevalent.

You cannot point at India and say- this is what the country is because it’s not! It’s a range of people from progressive thinkers, to idea makers to traditional people who swear by the tradition that women have to do certain things irrespective of their job, talent or the money they make. They are restricted, instructed and considered a bad mother and wife if failed to stick to them.

Women become household glues that are bound to hold on to the family even when the rest have strayed away. Their talents undermined; their jobs ridiculous and openly discussed by some mother-in-laws how they don’t need daughter-in-laws who work because “my son makes enough”.

On the other hand, you will find bikini clad female professionals roaming around in the beach and looking for the next Europe vacation or BMW to buy.

The problems are here to stay unless women stop obstructing other women. In most cases it’s not men who don’t consider women equal, it’s the women who think women should be lesser than men- lesser qualifications, lesser salary and lesser in quality.

This year hopefully we can all create some differences, be aware of where we are and help someone get to the door- so they can see the world the way it is!

Happy 2011 to you all!


(Pic Courtesy)

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Happy New Year to you all

If your resolution is in place, so is mine 

I hope the new year brings you joy, peace and happiness.

Happy New Year to all!

This Christmas look into your gifts

This holiday season while you think about the new resolution list and the weight loss and office politics and job hunting and the much awaited salary raise and the calorie intake at family dinners- stop. Take a moment and think about what you really want. 

 

What are you hoping in life? What makes you happy, what makes you go that extra mile? When was the last time you thought about yourself and not your office self?

We are so busy trying to manage projects and team and globally located teams and their endless problems that we forget why we chose our profession- what made us happy, what made the eyes sparkle, what brought the smile and contentment in life.

This year make the most of the time, respect yourself and make you emotional well being your priority. Look into:  

• what makes you happy?
• do you stil have a hobby?
• when was the last time you took a real vacation?
• what was the last book you read?
• what do you do to improve yourself emotionally every year?
• do you enjoy going to your job everyday? or are you tired and exhausted every morning at the idea of going back to work again?
• do you feel content with your life?
• do you make time for your personal life and specially for you?

This Christmas while you open gifts, look back at the years and what has happened, dont regret mistakes instead learn from them and look into the future positively. Take time for you and make time for others to inspire them, help them and grow with them! 

Merry Christmas to you all!

(Pic Courtesy: Google Images)

PM Town Updates

Updates in town:

• Elizabeth Harrin 
• Alec Satin
• Jurgen Appelo
• Baas de Baar 
• Samad Aidane

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.

(Image Courtesy)

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.

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)