Monday Morning Links – 7th December

Posted on | December 7, 2009 | Author: | DanS | Comments Off

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Back again, refreshed from a week off with the family. Naturally, I started thinking about projects.

On my week off. But I digress.

Something summed it all up the other day – a colleague spoke about attending a session where someone asked a presenter, “Isn’t life a project?” Some eyes rolled, and after I considered it and tried to give the affirmative response a fair shake, mine eyes, too, rolled in complete circles.

If life were a project, one would have to assume that methodology, planning and delegation would leave the office/job location everyday. No stone would be unturned – how you pay bills, how you raise a family, how you turn on the telly, how you clean up after the dog, even how you raise your cholesterol once a week with that breakfast you treat yourself to. Just call yourself Disney, because you’d be micromanaging to the hilt. It would be all you’d know.

Does anyone see their mum or dad doing such things in this manner? Some might, but most – I expect – wouldn’t. Too machine-like and soulless, I’d surmise. I try to imagine my old man bringing his working patterns and methods home every day, applying it to his everyday life tasks including father, husband, barbequer, gardener, painter (artistic and redecorative), exotic pet owner (turtles, oversized goldfish, dog), and serial event chauffeur for the kids. He all but told me of his pride in leaving work right where it belonged.

These two elements of your life, work and after-work, serve as escapes. You get away from the everyday family to hang out with your work family for a few hours. You return home and chill with the everyday family. It’s work-life balance, a staple of the working life that most people spend all of their adult lives trying to perfect. It’s a matter we addressed in our Project Management Benchmark Report two years ago.

If it works for you, feel free to apply PM principles to your everyday life. But if its not natural, stay away.

Five For Linking:

Ron Rosenhead of his own self-titled blog asks what project management training should senior managers receive? http://bit.ly/60wOFX
Bas de Baar, the Project Shrink (see below) wonders where the blame lies in the the relationship with your team: you (Kermit the Frog) or the team (rest of the Muppets?)” – http://bit.ly/5yWXHt
Braintool doesn’t do Top Ten lists – they dish out 11 Things Every New Project Manager Ought to Know – http://bit.ly/688W1a
Mike Clayton of his own self-titled blog considers the matter of identifying risks. Namely, who is the person for that job? – http://wp.me/pxbtF-2a
Dr. John Estrella of his own self-titled blog deals with a take of the importance of solid project management words – http://cli.gs/TqD4gQ

Tweeter of the Week: projectshrink – Bas de Baar may not be a certified shrink – it only seems that way. When it comes to projects, this Dutch software project manager is undoubtedly THE NAME for project knowledge. Moreover, he gives off the vibe that he has his finger on the pulse of the project management world. Observe:

Seems to be the hot topic The Difference Between Project Leadership and Project Management http://bit.ly/5S57TO

Shameless Arras/Camel Plug of the Week: It was brought up earlier, but I’ll formalise it now. The Project Management Benchmark Survey for 2010 will begin soliciting the responses of project management professionals nationwide next week, 14th December. Here’s a look at what lies ahead and what we’ll need to once again surmise the project management professional climate heading int