I was planning for a workshop with a group of doctors and was reflecting about the connection between project management and professional staff. I guess I have worked with all types of professionals from doctors to librarians from engineers to social workers from actuaries to surveyors. The list is very very long indeed!
I am often asked when I am out socialising with people I do not know; "what do you do?" I explain that I help companies and individuals deliver projects on time, to budget and with the right results. I explain I do this through training, coaching and consultancy support as well as speaking at conferences. The inevitable reply is; "so your focus on IT projects then?"
In reply, I ask a series of questions of them usually around what they do and what is current in their companies. Suddenly, they realise they are involved in delivering projects!
The current economic climate has resulted in many job losses. People are out searching for a new job and in a relatively short space of time I have spoken with many. I suggested they treat job search as a project. I go through a process where they among other things they:
have a clear objective
identify key stakeholders
identify and develop risk strategies
develop a practical plan to attack the job market
You would be surprised how their shoulders straighten and they get a spring back in their steps, they are in control using project management tools and techniques.
On a project management event we ran a woman told the group that her monthly shop was a project and went on to highlight all of the links with the project management framework we were using. The group were really surprised by their links she made with project management.
A very well project trained friend used his skills to plan his daughters wedding. It even included a calculator looking at hourly costs of running the happy event!
What I am trying to show here is that project management is not simply for those engaged in delivering IT projects; the tools and the techniques can be used in everyday work or in your private lives. These examples here prove it. But the perception is still that of it being IT "related".
Maybe this is why project management is not seen as a universal tool for everyone to use? Maybe this is the reason we need more professional staff to be trained in project management tools and techniques. Maybe this is the reason that project management has the reputation it has!
Ron Rosenhead helps people deliver projects. He is author, consultant, coach and trainer all in the field of project management. To receive your free e-course on project management go to: www.projectagency.co.uk
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