Archive for September, 2009

What to Do With Henry

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Pamela A. Scott

Did you know that your communication style can create a first impression, just like your clothing does? Are you into grunge, high fashion, or business casual? What does how you communicate say about you?

An executive team and I were sitting at their conference table talking about people’s communication styles and abilities. Joe chuckled to himself. Fred looked at Joe, smiled, and said, “I know who you’re thinking of, right?”

“Yep,” said Joe. “Henry.”

At that, they all chimed in with stories about how Henry can’t communicate. It seems Henry is one of those folks who writes really long emails and apparently believes people read them—all of them, all the way to the end.
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in PDUs2Go Author Article, Pamela A. Scott, SPECIAL EDITION, We Know PMPs | 3 Comments »

TWENTY Stress Reducers

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Jeff Justice, CSP

Laugh at yourself.  For good health, laugh at least ten times a day and five of those should be at yourself.
Realize that most events in our personal and business lives will fall somewhere on a continuum between very positive and very negative. Find your balance.
Do some stretching and breathing exercises every few hours. Being trapped behind a desk or the wheel of a car all day can make the body stiff. Use deep breathing from your stomach to relax you and stretching to loosen the muscles and joints.
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in Jeff Justice, CSP, PDUs2Go Author Article, SPECIAL EDITION | No Comments »

Things You Can Learn From Kids

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Rick Forbus, Ph.D.

Get ready for this article because it is full of personal indulgences and shameless bragging! I am blessed to have four grandchildren. I am not old enough, but miracles do happen. All four are different and I learn lessons on leadership, management and relationship-building from them.

Samuel Maclane Forbus
Samuel is five. If you watch the TV and have ever have watched “Monk” then you know a little about Samuel. Samuel keeps all of his stuff more organized than I do by a long shot! He could count to 110 when he was four. He has completely memorized all NFL and NCAA football teams, their colors, their mascots and at
least one popular player. He knows all of the books of the Bible, sends himself to bed promptly at 9:30 pm and is very hygienic. He keeps up with all of his things, is articulate and loves to play soccer. Not that he needed motivation, but we have been giving him $1.00 for every soccer goal. He made 7 one Saturday and just called to let us know that he was registered for the new league and we should get our dollars ready! Samuel is focused.

Leadership lessons learned from Samuel.
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in PDUs2Go Author Article, Richard Forbus, PhD., SPECIAL EDITION, Trove | No Comments »

Telephone Negotiations

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Ron Shapiro

In our seminars, we are often asked how to be more effective while negotiating over the telephone. Being prepared is a key element in any negotiation. For instance, if you were heading into a three-hour negotiation session, you would have likely spent the prior day assembling materials and creating an agenda. At the very least, you would have had an opportunity to gather your thoughts on the way to the meeting.

The problem with telephone negotiations is that sometimes you can be caught off guard. It is possible that you may be completely involved in another matter when the other side calls to engage you in a negotiation session. You can assume that they have had the opportunity to prepare and have all the pertinent material in front of them. Far too often the tendency is to “wing-it” and enter into the telephone negotiation without any preparation. We strongly suggest that you resist the temptation and try the following:
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in PDUs2Go Author Article, Power of Nice, Ron Shapiro, SPECIAL EDITION | No Comments »

Swimming with Monkeys

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Mac. M. Martirossian, CPA

The crab eating Macacque (pronounced ma-kak) monkey is found in Indonesia and over centuries of evolution has developed the ability to swim in water and under water out of the necessity to eat (http://www.videosift.com/video/monkeys-swimming-underwater). These Monkeys can hold their breath under water for as long as 20 seconds….not bad for a small creature!

Nearly 15 million people in the United States are unemployed; millions of others are at risk. We are all going through an evolution of our own. What we have in common with the Macacque monkey is our need to eat. What we don’t have is the luxury of waiting for centuries of evolution to change our habits or develop new skills.

Here is what we can learn from the crab eating Macacque:
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in Mac M. Martirossian, CPA, Making a Difference, PDUs2Go Author Article, SPECIAL EDITION | 5 Comments »

Six Steps to Maximize a Career Transition

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Bob Rausch, Ph.D.

You may be familiar with the adage: “No pain, no gain.” However, it’s difficult to believe that idea when you’re caught in the middle of a difficult career transition. That’s when you want to know if you will ever work again. Knowing how to manage perplexing thoughts and feelings is critical. You won’t receive the greatest benefit from a transition until you can do that. Use the following six steps to not only survive, but maximize, your next career transition:

Get Your Attitude Right – Accept that the overall purpose of a transition is to strengthen your character. Just like a weightlifter adds more weight to develop stronger muscles, a transition produces resistance that helps strengthen personal confidence and determination.
(more…)

Tags: Leadership
Posted in Bob Rausch, PhD., PDUs2Go Author Article, Physics of Performance, SPECIAL EDITION | No Comments »

Secrets of Leadership Success

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Drew Stevens Ph.D.

A recent IBM Global Human Capital Study mentions that 40 percent of organizations believe that a lack of leadership capability is one of the primary workforce related issues. As companies and employees grow and mature one of the ailments of many organizations is developing the needed bench strength for the future.

As researchers in this area we notice several factors that contribute to these issues:
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in Drew Stevens, PhD., PDUs2Go Author Article, SPECIAL EDITION, Split Second | 5 Comments »

Public Speaking for Introverted Project Managers

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, Ph.D.

As a project manager, you’re probably expected to make a lot of presentations. But what if you’re an introvert by nature? No worries—in fact, you may be surprised to learn that your introverted temperament can be a real asset.

Odds are, you “think first, talk later”—a key characteristic of introverts. Such care and consideration can help drive you to prepare—thoughtfully and thoroughly—and, in doing so, feel more confident and at ease, not just with your material, but with your audience as well.

So, for your next presentation, leverage your unique skills and strengths, as a “quiet” project manager, to prepare and practice. Start by asking yourself three fundamental questions:
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in Introverted Leader, Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD., PDUs2Go Author Article, SPECIAL EDITION | 1 Comment »

The Power of Relevancy for PMPs

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Lakecia Carter, PMP

There are thousands of PMPs making a positive impact on organizations around the globe. I am sure you are one of them! On the contrary, many PMPs are struggling in the industry for a variety of reasons. Some hard-working, experienced PMPs aren’t getting the jobs they are qualified for. Some PMPs are watching top projects go to the non-certified PMs instead of them. Others aren’t progressing in their careers as they planned. What do you think is the problem here? What is the difference between a “game-watcher” PMP and a “game-changer” PMP? How does one move past the certification into greater levels of leadership and influence? One of the answers to these powerful questions lie in one word: RELEVANCY.

The Wikipedia definition states: “Relevance is a term used to describe how pertinent, connected, or applicable something is to a given matter. A thing is relevant if it serves as a means to a given purpose”. PMPs are expected to exemplify a high standard and serve a clear purpose on the projects they lead. However, the only way PMPs can achieve this purpose is to be connected to people and projects in a way that achieves success and results.

As a PMP, there are 3 things you can do to experience the Power of Relevancy:
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Tags: Leadership
Posted in Lakecia Carter, PMP, PDUs2Go Author Article, PMPepTalk!, SPECIAL EDITION | No Comments »

Perfectionism

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

By Caroline Nightbird

The belief that perfection can be achieved affects the lives of countless numbers of people. Many people are obsessed with achieving perfection to the point that it affects their physical and psychological well being. These individuals are commonly referred to as “perfectionists.” They seek the perfect mate, the perfect job, the perfect body, and they are often unhappy in their quest. Even the most mundane task can become an ordeal since the task must be performed to an exacting standard. These people experience disappointment and dissatisfaction and are often unable to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. They believe that perfection is attainable; they experience falling short of the goal as failure. These individuals spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make certain that they will avoid making mistakes.

Perfection is meant to be an abstract ideal toward which we strive in an attempt to gain proficiency and to excel. It is a concept designed to spur us on to greater heights. The meaning of the word perfection is illustrated by the phrase “striving toward perfection.” Few people who adopt seeking perfection as a value (as opposed to achieving perfection) expect to achieve it. Seeking perfection merely connotes that process of moving closer to an abstract ideal.

Tags: Leadership
Posted in Caroline Nightbird, Corporate Post Traumatic Stress Disorder™, PDUs2Go Author Article, SPECIAL EDITION | No Comments »

« Older Entries

Archive for September, 2009

What to Do With Henry

TWENTY Stress Reducers

Things You Can Learn From Kids

Telephone Negotiations

Swimming with Monkeys

Six Steps to Maximize a Career Transition

Secrets of Leadership Success

Public Speaking for Introverted Project Managers

The Power of Relevancy for PMPs

Perfectionism

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