allPM Today October 2010, Issue 122, Frank P. Saladis, Editor

October 2010, Issue 122, Frank P. Saladis, Editor

President and Chief Executive Officer of IIL
E. LaVerne Johnson

Senior Executive
Director of IIL
Dr. Harold Kerzner

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In this Issue:

*allPM's Letter from the Editor, Frank P. Saladis, PMP

*allPM September Poll Results and New Poll Question

*Theme of the Month: The World Class Project Manager

Becoming A World Class Project Manager
By Giancarlo Duranti, PMP

*The World Class Project Manager
By Estelle Groult, MBA, MSc, Prince2 Practitioner

*How to Identify the World Class Project Manager?
By Amro Elakkad, PMP, M.Sc.

*Program & Project Manager Power – What are your most important traits to achieve success
By Jeff Hodgkinson, PMP, Gary Hamilton, PMP and Gareth Byatt, PgMP

*Positive Leadership In Project Management – The World Class Project Manager
By Frank P. Saladis, PMP

*Ask Harry: Cross Cultural Virtual Teams: Key Suggestions for the Project Leader
By Harry Rever, PMP – Director of Six Sigma

*The Black Belt Chronicles: Who Wants to Improve? Not Me!
By Harry Rever, PMP – Director of Six Sigma

*El Análisis de Negocios y la Dirección de Proyectos
Por Francisco Ambriz, PMP

*Risk Doctor: Typical Risk Process Problems
By Dr. David Hillson, PMP, FAPM

*PM Crossword Connections™: A Fine Body Familiar Items Found in the PMBOK ® GUIDE (Part 1)
By Frank P. Saladis, PMP

Past Issues- Archives

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Theme of the Month: The World Class Project Manager

From the Editor's Desk— Frank P. Saladis, PMP

Project management has certainly found its way into the spot light in October and there will be much more activity within the world of project management in November. In early October, The Project Management Institute® held its annual North American World Congress in the Washington D.C area and featured former President Bill Clinton as the opening keynote speaker. During his talk, Mr. Clinton emphasized many times the value that project managers bring to the business and non-profit environments. He specifically focused on the projects and the challenges of bringing order and recovery to earthquake stricken Haiti.

Read more >>

September Poll Results

Stakeholder analysis is a key factor for project success

a) For all projects regardless of size - 95.41 %
b) Only for mission critical projects - 0 %
c) Only for projects that are politically sensitive - 3.67 %
d) Stakeholder analysis is minimally important - 0.92 %
The October poll question is:

The most prevalent issue facing a project manager today is:

a) Management does not support a formal PM process
b) Resources are overburdened
c) Arbitrarily set completion dates
d) Scope creep

If you have not already done so, please stop by allPM.com and add your opinion today.
Test your PM knowledge. allPM will be posting sample PMP test questions and answers daily. Don’t miss out - visit allPM today.

Becoming A World Class Project Manager
By Giancarlo Duranti, PMP

When I started working as project manager my skills were based on suggestions and directions of the senior project managers as well as best practices I experienced directly in the field which I used to translate into lessons learned. Over time my project management knowledge improved, I felt even more the need to have support for me to re-arrange and rationalize my competences.

The World Class Project Manager
By Estelle Groult, MBA, MSc, Prince2 Practitioner

Project management is becoming more and more common as a profession. Organizations have realized the advantages of adopting a disciplined approach for delivering successful projects. Yet, becoming a project management practitioner is not like becoming a medical practitioner, there is not a standardized educational and professional path that leads one to project management. How many times have we heard managers saying that they fell into project management by accident?

How to Identify the World Class Project Manager?
By Amro Elakkad, PMP, M.Sc.

There are Poor Project Managers (PPM), Average Project Managers (APM), and then there are World-Class Project Managers (WCPM). It is easy to identify a PPM by late or failed projects combined with dissatisfied teams members and stakeholders. The APM might do a decent job, since the project might have been completed on time, in scope and budget but they have a few dissatisfied team members along the way, they did what the project required but just fell short of becoming a world class project manager.

Program & Project Manager Power – What are your most important traits to achieve success
By Jeff Hodgkinson, PMP, Gary Hamilton, PMP and Gareth Byatt, PgMP

“Happiness is the full use of your powers along lines of excellence in a life affording scope…’ John FitzgeraldKennedy, 35th President of the United States

‘An Analogy…
Years ago as kids, when we all didn’t know (or worry about) what project management was, our PMBOK’s were comic books (we acknowledge that many adults read such material today).

Positive Leadership In Project Management – The World Class Project Manager
By Frank P. Saladis, PMP

Several years ago, around 2000, two authors collaborated on a book that focused directly on the professional development of project managers. The authors, Robert K. Wysocki and James P. Lewis, with some help from Doug Decarlo produced “The World Class Project Manager,” Perseus Publishing Services, HarperCollins Publishers, New York NY. This book became a reference I went back to time and time again. The title itself just beckons for attention.

Ask Harry: Cross Cultural Virtual Teams: Key Suggestions for the Project Leader
By Harry Rever, PMP – Director of Six Sigma

Virtual teams are not the exception; they are now the norm and they present a unique set of challenges compared to the traditional project team. I mean, after all, team members are located all over the place doing who knows what during your project. There’s a tremendous sense of loss of control; trust becomes an issue as does participation and dedication to the project.

The Black Belt Chronicles: Who Wants to Improve? Not Me!
By Harry Rever, PMP – Director of Six Sigma

An internal Six Sigma Black Belt, Will, talks with a newly trained Six Sigma Green Belt, Lane, about the natural resistance to improving results. An interesting discussion ensues.

El Análisis de Negocios y la Dirección de Proyectos
Por Francisco Ambriz, PMP

Podemos empezar por preguntarnos qué tan necesario es hacer una buena planeación, ¿Qué será mejor?:

Dedicarle bastante tiempo a planificar para decidir qué hacer y cómo hacerlo
Solo definir una línea de acción muy sencilla e irla modificando durante la ejecución

Risk Doctor: Typical Risk Process Problems
By Dr. David Hillson, PMP, FAPM

A recent Risk Doctor Briefing listed eight steps as essential components of a basic risk process.

These are:

Getting started (risk process initiation)

Finding risks (risk identification)

Setting priorities (risk assessment)

PM Crossword Connections™: A Fine Body Familiar Items Found in the PMBOK ® GUIDE (Part 1)
By Frank P. Saladis, PMP

(Click here or the image above for a crossword in a new window.)

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