Spectacularly successful SNEC-PMI 2010 Conference

Just returned from the spectacularly successful SNEC-PMI 2010 conference. Great job by all the volunteers who made it happen, under marvelous leadership. Here I am at the SNEC-PMI volunteer table.

I gained valuable insights, inspiration and encouragement from seasoned project managers on my next book. Also got to meet and network with current and past colleagues.

Winning at Westchester PMI 2010 PDD

I just enjoyed an outstandingly successful day at the Westchester PMI Professional Development Day in Elmsford, NY.

Here I am with Michelle LaBrosse (of Cheetah Learning), who started the day off right with a high-energy keynote presentation that had the audience roaring in laughter. She was kind enough to autograph my copy of "Cheetah Negotiations", which now has special meaning to me.

During the day, I learned about the IBM computer (Watson) that will compete on Jeopardy in 2011, and am digesting my very filled notepad. It is fascinating to hear about project problems on unconventional projects. When was the last time you developed a computer that takes in written natural language, and outputs through a plunger to operate a buzzer?

R. Camper Bull closed off the day with a presentation of Project Management Leadership. Guess who is responsible for leadership on your projects? (Don't ask me for a prize - it is a trick question).

As an experienced speaker and Toastmaster, I can't help but wonder what life would be like if we could get presenters to stop using 6 point font on PowerPoint slides.

I am glad that I made the trip to Elmsford for the 2010 Westchester PMI PDD. Brenda Horton and David Morgen made David Ingram and I feel very welcome and the event was superbly organized.

Is it the tools, or the project manager?

It is not the tool that makes a good project manager.A good project manager makes a good project manager, regardless of the tool.

I see people getting hung up on the tool. Should we use MS-Project Version 2000, or 2003, or 2007?

I hear excuses of "We can't manage well, because our company only has an antiquated version of MS-Project"

Nonsense. It is not the tool. It is expertise and mindset that delivers projects.

A project manager with expertise and mindset with a pencil and napkin or Excel spreadsheet will win out over a naive project manager with MS-Project Version 2034.

Don't hide behind excuses of the tools.

If your projects are going South, then look in the mirror and get help to identify areas of weakness and learn the required skills to send your projects North again.

Grow up - You are a project manager, not a professional parent

A lot of literature in project manager circles have the underlying theme that a project manager is a "baby sitter for adults". You see references to project managers as developing team members into leaders and acting as a benevolant dictator. My response is "grow up"

As long as you think of yourself as a "baby sitter for adults" and see your team members as being dependant on you to accomplish their project tasks, you will attract and retain team members that fit your perception. You will also find yourself complaining that your project team members are not working independently and your day will be consumed with micromanagement.

However, if you realize that your highly educated, competent and passionate team members need a facilitative project manager, then you can get out of your own way. Listen to the underlying theme of your project team's communications and "grow up".

Develop a vision for your project. Document, communicate and live your vision. Lead your project team towards your vision and they will follow. They can't follow you if you are stuck in the outdated project management thinking and acting as the baby sitter.

The world needs project leaders, not professional parents with MS-Project and PowerPoint.

What is Project Management?

Project Management is a profession with components of other leadership and organizational professions. It takes many skills to be an outstanding project manager. Yet, how can you concisely describe the profession of project management to a person in another profession?

I offer some suggestions in my latest newsletter, titled "Project Management is like...".

How to succeed in Project Management

What makes a successful IT project manager? Is it someone who has completed their training and passed one of the project management exams, to get a shiny new certificate? Does it require a Master's degree in project management? Are certified project managers more successful than seasoned project managers who never took a formal exam?

The answer is "e. All of the above".

As I continue researching the question "What makes a successful project manager", for my next book, I find recurring themes listed below.

1. Must have passion for the project.
2. Must be willing to negotiate for the project. Give and take, take and give on scope and timelines to not come across as "unreasonable".
3. Must have learned from on-the-job training and know the IT and business landscapes. Know the organizational structure and political structure of the organization that you are implementing the project in.
4. Have learning agility - be able to learn new skills and topics that you need on your project, quickly. You must be able to pick it up on the fly.
5. Seek out mentors - these behaviors are not learned from text books or "PM Bootcamp".
6. Disgust for "clipboard project managers" who walk around with the figurative clipboard and ask for status.
7. No fear of having tough conversations and facing confrontation.

There you have it - absorb these seven winning behaviours into your professional conduct, and you will succeed in IT project management, as well as attract senior leaders to notice you.

Neal Whitten at Upstate New York PMI

I attended an excellent event yesterday at the Upstate New York chapter of PMI, in Albany New York.

Neal Whitten led the interactive workshop which focused on successful and effective project management behaviours.

I don't like everything that Neal says, because he doesn't accept excuses on his projects, even when project problems are clearly someone else's fault. The message is "Well, what are you doing about it?" Most project managers seem to a way to blame someone else, instead of working towards a solution. It is hard to look in the mirror and accept responsibility.

The Upstate New York Chapter of PMI did an excellent job of organizing this event. I was very impressed with everything from the location to the registration table and the room setup. Congratulations to the volunteers who must have put in many hours to create such a valuable and enjoyable experience.

If you get a chance, attend one of Neal's workshops. It is an excellent investment in your career.

How to network in Person

So many of our daily interactions as project managers are virtual, that our in-person network skills can fall into disuse.

To brush up on your in-person networking skills, review these five tips for in-person networking. Focus on the person you are speaking to when you are networking at a project management chapter meeting, or convention.

Monorails and Project Management

I was fascinated by the documentary on monorails on TV yesterday afternoon. The Schwebebahn (Monorail) in Wuppertal, West Germany was built over 100 years ago and continues to demonstrate the following significant advantages of monorail transportation:

1. It is unobtrusive to traffic. Urban monorails run above the traffic, unlike buses and trams. They reduce traffic instead of adding to the congestion.
2. Provide inexpensive and safe public transportation which is a big advantage over buses and trams.
3. Is a tourist attraction.

Other monorails offer additional benefits.
1. They can be fully automated
2. They run silently, therefore can run close to urban housing, such as high-rise apartments in cities without the noise from heavy traffic.

Obviously, monorail transportation is an under-utilized form of public transportation and we should be erecting more monorail systems.

The purpose of this post is not about the benefits about monorails. It is about the lessons we can learn from monorails for project management.

Status reports are a part of project management. The amount of time and energy consumed to produce scorecards, dashboards and PowerPoint slides varies on your organization, and can be a significant drain on your resources.

However, think about the Schwebebahn as you go about reporting status on your projects this week. How can you make your weekly project reporting process:
1. Above the traffic? (Get the reports out, without congesting the resources doing the work?)
2. Fully automated? (Without manual copy-and-paste from Excel to PowerPoint?)
3. Inexpensive? (Outcome of point 2)
4. A tourist attraction? (OK - Maybe this objective is a little far-fetched, for a status report)


Look up the Schwebebahn on Google and learn about this amazing world of monorails. Then you will see the benefits of applying monorail concepts to your project management services.

Mainfold tips for project managers and Toastmasters

Hot off the press - my March 2010 Newsletter containing tips for project managers and Toastmasters went out yesterday. Already received compliments for the value of the tips.

What is the business of Project Management?

Latest free newsletter discusses the business of project management and comes with money-back guarantee if you don't see your organizational project management service in a new light after reading it.

What is the value of your project management service? (Hint - your value is probably not reflected in your paycheck).

Project management service has value that is usually not defined nor marketed. You need to see the value and market the value of project management services if you are to prosper. You must help sponsors to distinguish valuable project management services from bureaucrats calling themselves project managers. Otherwise you will continue to be a commodity.

How to be a good Director on the Board

You should serve on the board of directors for the non-profits that you believe in. As a project manager, you should be involved in your project management association and serve on the Board of Directors for your local chapter, at the least.

The Board of Directors is the responsible entity to govern the association and serve the members of the association. You should volunteer to serve your profession as a Director for your association.

If you are wondering how to fill a Directorship role, without being Bored in the Boardroom, then read my latest article listing the 16 Top Tips to keep Boredom out of the non-profit Boardroom.

New Year Revolutions

As I enjoy the last day of the New Year long weekend, reflecting on the activities of the past year and decade, my mind considers what can be achieved in the coming years. We overestimate what we can accomplish in the coming year, but severely underestimate what we can accomplish in the coming five years.

Here is food for thought on how we can revolutionize project management executions in the next five years.

1. Find innovate ways to communicate project status. Instead of the nauseating Green, Yellow, Red status on spreadsheet columns and 34 page PowerPoint status decks attached to three page status emails, lets find ways to automatically update project status from MS-Project to stakeholder iPhones for real-time status, and offer a the project manager's commentary on implications of status via MP3 for an executive to be informed of status on the daily commute or while working out in the gym. In other words, lets use innovative technology to mange innovative technology programs.

2. Focus on developing project leaders through professional coaching and mentoring. Stop relying on classroom style training and passing a text-based project management exam to develop exemplary and prosperous project leadership behavior. Archaic project management training programs and sorely lacking real-world effectiveness in developing project leaders of the future.

3. Educate project managers to manage their own time and set the example. Project managers should never complain that they "Have too much work and not enough time". If a project manager cannot schedule his/her own time, then how can he/she be scheduling tasks and durations for project team members with any credibility?

4. Train project leaders to identify and sell the value of their services. Project leaders should say "This project is worth $2 million dollars. The value of my management service is a mere $150,000. If you choose to manage it yourself or allow a bureaucrat into the building, then it will probably go over schedule and over budget, and ultimately cost you $3 million before you cancel the project. I recommend that you use my services, as other clients have wisely chosen to do". It is beyond amateurish to inform a project sponsor that you have no idea what it costs to manage a project successfully, but that appointing three full-time project managers working 50 hours a week will lead to a successful project. How can a project sponsor measure efficiency in this situation? How will you defend your position if a project sponsor receives a proposal from an outsourcing vendor promising to deliver the project with only two full time project managers in India? Project leaders need to understand and market the value of our services.

There you have it - let's see which of these New Year Revolutions can become reality over the next five years. Keep this posting and remind me to report back in 2015, via our portable hologram devices.

Compendium of study tips when preparing for your professional exams

After many requests to share my exam-preparation techniques, I have compiled them into an article. Hot off the press - get your copy today. Don't take your professional exam until you have reviewed this list of tips.

This is "Wayne's way to prepare for your professional exam", based on my decades of experience as student and instructor helping hundreds of adult students acquire professional education.

I encourage you to read Tony Buzan's books and work on use of mind-maps for exam preparation and also purchase a memory-improvement audio CD program.

Lessons from the ancient pygmy tribe in Africa to improve your 2010

Just posted January 2010 newsletter, with advice to improve your experience of 2010.

Read what the ancient African pygmy tribe's theme is 2010 and remove tolerations from your life.

How are you doing?

At the end of 2009, and planning for 2010, how are you doing? Have you developed new skills that make you a better project leader? What skills should you focus on developing in 2010?


Read my latest article to find out, and take the assessment to see which demonstrable project management behaviours influence positive project outcomes.

Announcing Mentor Program

People frequently ask for my advice on professional speaking, creating audio products and authoring their books. Although I willingly help out where I can, it has become too time consuming.

Therefore, I have created a mentor program now with two options to help people access my value in a way that provides equitable compensation and a win/win situation for both of us.

You can join the brand new mentor program here.

Professional Networking Tips for Project Managers

Hot off the press is my latest article. This is the first value provided from my new Samsung NC10 Netbook.

I am thoroughly impressed by this Samsung NC10 Netbook. It is an innovative development in the world of portable PC devices and has made notebooks obsolete. Who wants to lug around a 15 inch notebook when you have more power in a portable 10 inch netbook? My notebook has already been relegated to the basement for storage while the Samsung NC10 is the vehicle of choice to provide written value to all the project managers in the world seeking prosperity.

So, without further ado, here are the Top Networking tips for Project Managers. Read this article before hitting the vacation parties over the next week and get your professional network off to a super-start for 2010.

Why Prosperous Project Leaders Have A Coach

Do you want to know why top performers seek out and engage a professional coach? Find out the benefits that project leaders get from working with a coach.

Perhaps you know someone who would also enjoy these benefits?

From Inbox Captivity to Email Ecstasy

Are you frequently in email jail? Do you feel as if your inbox dictates your schedule and your "to-do" list grows longer with every incoming email? Is your email holding you hostage and preventing you from devoting time to address important project issues?

I just posted a series of three free articles to help you gain control of your email and confidently use email as a project communication tool instead of allowing email to be the master of your time.

If you are a project leader then you would benefit from reviewing your philosophy towards email, and learning new email strategies and tactics for email success. You cannot afford not to master email if you want to continue prospering as a project leader.

How to facilitate productive virtual meetings

Do you abhor attending conference call meetings that are unproductive? Do you want to learn how to facilitate productive and effective virtual meetings?

My latest article provides the twenty tips that superstar meeting facilitators employ to lead successful virtual meetings. Add these valuable skills to your repertoire and make sure to highlight them to your manager at review time.

2010 Reading list for Prosperous Project Managers

You need to continually expand your skills, and stretch your mind to be in a significantly better place when you start 2011. There is no time, nor excuse to be complacent with your career in 2010.

To keep you growing in 2010, I just released the official "2010 Wayne Botha list of recommended reading for Prospering Project Managers", free of charge.

Your 2010 Reading list should include:
1. "Tribes" by Seth Godin.
2. "Influence" by Robert Cialdini.
3. "Life Balance" by Alan Weiss.
4. "SPARK" by John M. Ratey and Eric Hagerman
5. "You're broke because you want to be" by Larry Winget
6. "The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
7. "Brag!" by Peggy Klaus
8. "Neal Whitten's No-Nonsense Advice for Successful Projects" by Neal Whitten.

Feel free to obtain these books on audio programs, instead of hard copy if audio copies are available. I prefer audio copies of books so that I can learn while driving or working out.

Getting your next promotion.

Now that the economy seems to be improving, have you given thought to how you will take advantage of the upturn? If your income was hurt during the past tough economic situation, then now is the time to plan for a prosperous future.

To learn what you should do now, to get your next promotion, then read this month's newsletter. This is what I do to continue growing my network and preparing for my next promotion, and you should also constantly be preparing for your next promotion.

There is no time like the present, and there is no time to waste in getting started on these tasks.