The Best is Yet to Come – Message from the Board
By Ray Ju, President
I remember watching a movie from the 70’s about a cross-country race across the United States
that had many sequels and variations to it called the “Gumball Rally”. The premise of that film
was based on a true story of a series of annual automobile races coast-to-coast. They weren’t in
it for the money. The incentive was to have the prestige of driving as fast as you can to achieve
the lowest elapsed time and bragging rights of holding the Gumball machine trophy and title for
a year. The cars, drivers and their navigators going through this adventure while avoiding
speeding tickets, road obstacles and gamesmanship made for some great comedy too.
Cannonball_Baker_Sea-To-Shining-Sea_Memorial_Trophy_Dash
What stood out for me was one famous line from the Italian racing team who
of course was driving a stunning Red Ferrari. The first thing that the driver,
played by Raul Julia, did was to firmly grasp the rear view mirror, rip it off
and throw it out the window as he accelerated away from the other
competitors. He also said something to the effect, “No need to look back, what
is behind me doesn’t matter”, while keeping his eyes on the horizon and curves
ahead.
That is how I felt starting out my first month right out of the gate in April 2010 Thumbs up from the Leadership
Team at the recent strategic
as your President and continued with this mindset throughout the next twelve
planning session.
months concluding at the end of March 2011. Getting behind the wheel of a
high performance supercar to travel the open road at speeds beyond the
national 65 mph speed limits over a yearlong journey. We were able to reach Autobahn speeds in offering
programs, services and activities to our members such as:
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Holding the Career Central employment event to provide hope, support and opportunities
Conducting our first Agile Open Space
Connecting the Bay Area Agile Professional Leadership Network with UC Berkeley Extension to jointly
start a new curriculum and program
Welcoming new members to Dinner Meetings with formal orientations
Recognizing our volunteers for the personal contributions they make
Providing leadership development, public communications, and succession planning opportunities
Representing the Chapter at the Region 7 in Phoenix, and Leadership Institute Meetings in Brazil and
Washington DC amongst fellow component leaders to share Best Practices
Opening up new sponsorship relationships and rekindling existing ones
Managing our performance through metrics of the Project Management Office
Broadening our message and appeal by communicating through Social Media channels
Collaborating with the Global Diversity Community of Practice to start an external organizational
chapter-to-chapter model with the National Association of Asian American Professionals to expand
throughout North America
Celebrating International Project Management Day with our own full day of speakers, workshops and
networking
Expanding our global outreach with our six Sister Chapters
Launching a redesigned and award winning Web site,
Sponsoring the PMI Project of the Year
Looking back, “We” accomplished a lot to be proud of in a relatively short time frame of 12 months. It was not
just “I” that made all of this all happen in 2010. It took the commitment of an entire Leadership Team and
dedicated volunteers to actually take concepts and ideas through planning to
implementation. So how do we keep the “pedal to the metal” and reach our travel
destination and performance targets in 2011 together? Well, that is already being
put into motion with the Q1 Strategic Planning session that was held in January
2011. Our Leadership Team sequestered itself for a full weekend to talk about
themes like The Speed of Trust, Open Communications, and Leadership
Development.
Pondering and prioritizing -the Leadership Team at work
The outcome resulted in having us revisit our Strategic Vision and reprioritizing
our actions for the next year and beyond, and distilling these actions down further to 15 Key Priorities that have
been assigned to the Board and their respective teams. This further focuses our energies, volunteers and
finances to maximize the member ROI that we are responsible to provide to you.
You will be seeing and hearing more about these initiatives in the coming months from the “A+ Team”, Alan
Yue-President, Elaine Law-CFO VP Finance, Bill Dominguez-Community
Relations, Rob Weaver-VP Operations and Catherine Dupont-VP Professional
Development, your 2011 Board members. Watch our web site, calendar of
events and newsletters. Please continue to extend your support and contribute
your ideas and timely feedback to them so they stay on track and make course
corrections as necessary to slow down for those risky mountain S-Curves and
go full out on the Bonneville Salt Flat straight-aways.
Participants in the Chapter’s
Strategic Planning weekend
I highly encourage you to personally get involved in the direction that the PMI
SFBAC continues to grow, develop and evolve to meet the current economic
trends and make positive change happen for all of us.
Let me wrap up this reality show episode by saying that it is has been an extreme pleasure and honor to serve as
your President, and to keep in mind what one of my favorite crooners Frank Sinatra sang, “The Best is Yet to
Come”.
The Best is Yet to Come - Frank Sinatra
Enjoy life, love and live,
Ray
PMI SFBAC Sister Chapter Program Current Achievements
Since its foundation, The Sister Chapter Program has been actively contributing to PMI SFBAC’s community.
Our goal is to enhance the professional development of chapter members through constructive relationships
with other chapters from all over the world. Here is a review of the current achievements the program has made.
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We would like to welcome PMI Japan, the newest member, to our Sister Chapter program, effective on
FEB 10, 2011. Ray Ju, President SFBAC and Hirotoshi Kamba, President PMI Japan met at the
Washington DC, Leadership Institute Meeting last October to start preliminary discussions on
developing the program. This relationship with PMI Japan actually began four years ago when a
member of their leadership team, Shigenori Takekoshi was attending a leadership presentation given by
Ray at the PMI EMEA Global Congress in Budapest. They exchanged business cards and continued to
stay in touch to co-develop a course on "Emotional Intelligence for Project Leaders". This demonstrates
the value of global networking and connections we can all make with each other in-person and virtually
by our Webinars. The Japan Chapter will be holding a Japan Forum this coming July in Tokyo. We will
invite The National Ignition Facility, project of the year team to participate and present their story.
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We are also communicating with Honolulu, Hawaii chapter on a potential sister chapter relationship
establishment.
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The Sister Chapter Program hosted a webinar ‘Value Innovation’ in January 2010, with Bill Dominguez
as the speaker, Yi Lei, Ambassador of Lima-Peru as the webinar host. This webinar was very successful.
We attracted 260 registers and about 126 of them made it. The audience was from Sydney, Lima-Peru,
Mexico City, Japan, Washington and all other places. We received very positive feedback from the
audience. They think the webinar content, presentation, IT quality and the involvement with many
chapters was great, and they want more webinars arranged.
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We will continue deliver beneficial webinars to our members. In late March, we’re honored to have
Roger Lewis, a Human Resources Practitioner and Change Management professional and Consultant
with over 20+ of progressive leadership and management success, as a speaker for one of the webinars
we’re going to have. Detailed information will be available soon.
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Sister chapter team has also successfully established and maintained warm relationships with PMI
Washington DC, PMI Mumbai and PMI Lima Peru, PMI Islamabad, Pakistan chapter.
We feel proud to be able to contribute positively to the PMI SFBAC community and we will continually direct
our efforts to do so.
Open Space – An Attendee’s Perspective
By Rosana Francescato
When most people hear the term “open space,” they think of a green area in or near a
city, a place set aside for our enjoyment of nature and to give us a breather from the city’s
density. But in the world of project management it’s come to have an entirely new
meaning: an open space, in this sense, is a self-organized meeting or event without an
initial agenda, and with just one rule, the Law of Mobility and Responsibility (a.k.a. the Law of Two Feet): “If
you are not learning or contributing where you are, find a place where you can learn or contribute.”
An open space also follows these four principles:
1. Whoever comes are the right people.
2. Whatever happens is the only thing that could.
3. It starts when it starts.
4. It’s over when it’s over.
I got to experience this firsthand recently at the 2011 San Francisco Bay Area PMI Open Space, titled
“Managing Projects in the New Decade — Are You Ready?”
Like many of the attendees, I didn’t know what to
expect — and I admit to having felt some misgivings
when the facilitator, Ainsley Nies, had us all sit in a
circle as she walked around the inside explaining how
the day would proceed. Anyone could propose a topic,
announce it, and post its title and location; then we’d
all peruse the topics and decide which sessions we’d
like to attend. Once in the session, the facilitator
(usually the person who’d proposed the topic) would
be responsible for keeping the discussion alive and taking notes. Beyond that, anything could happen.
Though it felt a bit touchy-feely at first, the open space shaped up to cover some compelling topics, making it
difficult to select which to attend at each of the four sessions. Agile development was a common theme, so
much so that three of the topic proposers joined forces to create one session on the various flavors of agile. I
picked this one over another on how to convince a new group of the value of project management — a tough
choice. Other sessions I attended:
The role of a PMO in an agile environment Project management in nontraditional areas Project management best practices in a fast-­‐paced, global environment •
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I’ll be sharing more details about the open space in
future posts on my blog.
As expected, the sessions varied widely, as did their
size. Some were more like presentations than
discussions, but I preferred the smaller sessions that
allowed for more conversation. It was in these that I
felt the benefit of an open space, one that many
Artist's rendition of the open space process. attendees noted in the final “closing” of the space: The
open space creates a fertile environment for sharing
real-world ideas and experiences. This was particularly noticeable to people in the group who’d been studying
project management but hadn’t yet accumulated experience. And in my own situation of having learned on the
job but not yet had much formal project management training, I found it at least as valuable. I learned that other
project managers are dealing with many of the same situations that I face at work, and I got concrete ideas from
them that I can apply. That alone was worth the price of admission.
About the Author Rosana Francescato is a Program Manager in the Community Help and Learning department at Adobe Systems. When she's not managing software documentation projects, she likes to use her project management skills to make her condo complex more green. You can read about both project management and sustainability on her blog. A 14 Year Old’s Perspective on the National Ignition Facility
By Jon Dochtermann
Jon here, I am 14 getting close to 15, in high school and born in CA. My dad
is originally from Canada so I say to my friends I’m Canadian .
I am interested in science because of the potential and fun you can have in
every part of science, there is science in gaming! What makes science my
favorite is not only explosions chemical reactions but also you can make
lights for discos. \0/ LoL To be honest without science we would still be
playing leapfrog with dinosaurs.
When I went to the National Ignition Facility I was at first ok this is cool a
bunch of people Vanessa leading everyone around and when we got there
they gave a short presentation and a video explaining it, I already kind of knew it had 1) lasers b) LOTS of glass
and c) materials to create a star, I found it as a review… None the less we put on the hardhats and glasses as
they told us what would happen and to stick with them. The N.I.F community and staff take safety to the next
level and it’s no joke to them as I saw all the possible things that could “zap” you with a lot more than 450
volts.
Jon Dochtermann
They started the tour and oh boy that place was HUGE, the videos don’t depict how huge the place was and
who knows about 3/4ths of it was hidden glass inside the “pipelines” as you will. Lights everywhere and
everything was labeled. This all took them 10-20 years from what I heard half of it to build the facility. Forgot
to mention on the first part of the tour when they had the first window to view it the lasers are actually quite big
about 4 feet tall 3 by 2 blocks of lasers. I would mention that I’m not use to hardhats and put mine on tight and
ended up not eating anything since 6:30ish in the morning so I had to sit down and they have a nice staff helped
me got something to drink and eat. Afterwards we went around the rest. The major part was when we went
down to the “main” floor standing next to the mirrors and channels… All I have to say is “WOAH!” very tall
and long massing around as tall as the football post and as wide as a football field. They stated 3 football fields
but it felt like 4. Afterwards they took us down for refreshments, the tour was 4 hours long in total, and I met …
Bruno? I can’t seem to spell his name but he’s the “top dog” in light’s laser’s and I assume that deals with
spectrums anyways you know what I mean. So to wrap this entire thing together check out the N.I.F sometime
its quite the masterpiece and they said sometime in 2011 they will hit ignition meaning Goodbye solar power,
hello star power.  Help Your Staff Maintain Work/Life Balance in the New Year
In an environment where employees have had to help firms do more with less for some time now, many are in need of a
healthier work/life balance.
Promoting alternative work arrangements and other ways to help staff achieve a better balance can lead to many positive
results for your firm – and not just in terms of keeping productivity high. It can enhance the overall health and well-being
of your staff, thereby reducing both absenteeism and “presenteeism” (coming to work when ill). After all, who can work
continuously under stress without eventually becoming physically run down?
Emphasizing work/life balance and making it part of your firm’s culture also can improve retention. Consider the results
of Robert Half’s recent Workplace Redefined survey: “Having work/life balance” was the third most important work
environment factor cited by all demographic groups surveyed – baby boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y.
Helping your employees strike the right balance between their professional obligations and personal life is easier, and less
costly, than you might think. Here are a few suggestions:
•
Allow for flexible work schedules – Your firm’s regular business hours may not work well for all staff. For
instance, an employee who must pick up her young children from school daily could be allowed to start and
end the workday a bit earlier. Others might benefit more from a compressed work week: instead of five eighthour days, designated employees might be able to work four ten-hour days, resulting in one less day in the
office per week.
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Provide opportunities for telecommuting – Offer personnel whose jobs can be done remotely the option of
working at home at least a few times a month (especially those with long commutes). E-mail and other
communication tools will ensure they never miss a beat.
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Avoid the temptation to contact staff after hours – While technology can indeed keep us connected 24/7,
resist the temptation to phone or email your employees outside of work hours – unless it’s truly urgent.
Respect that your staff need time every day to “unplug.”
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Give time off for a job well done – After the successful completion of a long or difficult project, allow
employees to have a day off – or at least, a partial day – to relax.
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Consider bringing in reinforcements when necessary – If you know when workloads are likely to peak in
the year ahead (for example, around tax time), make plans now to ease the burden on your staff by scheduling
interim personnel.
Most importantly, remember to set the standard for your firm. Show employees that you value your personal time, too,
and you know when to step away from the laptop or put down the smartphone.
This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm. The company has
a global network of more than 400 offices worldwide, including Bay Area locations in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. For
further information, please visit www.rhi.com.
New Members February 2011 Amy Burditt Debra Dee Dr. Richard Earl Norris, II Kathleen Mitchell Ken Skulina, Ph.D., PMP Les G Breeland Michael Joseph Gillespie Miss Lisa Countryman, PMP Mr. Andre Scroggie Mr. Andrew J Venuti Mr. Bryan Payton Mr. Casey Miller Mr. Chip Driggs Mr. Dan Ha Mr. Dattaram Ramkrishna Rakhonde, PMP Mr. David Colby, PMP Mr. David Cowfer Mr. DAVID MICHAEL PETERS Mr. Emmanuel Hyppolite Mr. Farin Robert Januszewski Mr. George M. Ross, Jr., PMP Mr. Gregory Close Mr. HARUFUMI ONO, PMP Mr. James Dunbar Mr. Jason Lester Mr. Joel R North, P.E., PMP Mr. John Edward Gonzalez, Jr., PMP Mr. Kedrik Kenneth Knight Mr. Kenneth Lo, PMP Mr. Kevin Prescott Adkins Mr. Kevin Ray Skaggs Mr. Meechai Phantumakomol Mr. Milton David McClaskey Mr. Presley Chan, PMP Mr. Rajeev Siddhoju Mr. Randy D Horn Mr. Richard Piehl, PMP Mr. Riley William Bright Mr. Rocky Goforth Mr. Sandeep Banerjee, PMP Mr. Tomasz Marian Skowronek Mr. VIJAY SHANMUGAVELU, PMP Mrs. Isis Spinola-­‐Schwartz Mrs. Megan Marie Fitzgerald Mrs. Nance A. Donati, PMP Mrs. Paula Gladys Lim Mrs. Sandy H Leaver Ms. Carla M Peebles Ms. Carrie Lynn Branam Ms. Chia-­‐Hsin Chen, PMP Ms. Elizabeth M. Steffler Ms. Julie Ma Ms. KimThu Doan, PMP Ms. Leah M Dineen, PMP Ms. Lisa Nannizzi Alaimo Ms. Mosunmola Adenike Ogunsanya Ms. Rachael Kornblau Ms. Susan Gail Ronhaar Ms. Yasmine Abdillahi Olurotimi Ladeinde Wayne Ragas, PMP Wesley L. Loesch Zaida S Aronovsky, Ph.D., PMP New PMP February 2011 Jarrod Porter, PMP Mr. Kent Winfield Blodgett, PMP Mr. Michael D Clark, PMP Mr. Peter G van de Mortel, PMP Mrs. Francine Eiselin Sneddon, PMP Ms. Andrea Lane, PMP Ms. Catharine Ann Martin, PMP Ms. kerry joshi, PMP Ms. Kimberly Nicholson, PMP Ms. Lori A Stoudemire, PMP, CAPM Ms. Rosemary Kim, PMP Phyllis R Hootman, PMP Ricardo E Llewelyn, PMP Yolanda Latoya Reynolds, PMP