Modern Project Management:
The Truth of the Matter is…
Ty Howard, PMP
“Brand U!”
To Nights Journey…
 Discuss real-world challenges that project
managers face and how these challenges can be
opportunities for growth
 Present skills that will be vital for the success of
future project managers
 Explore the blending of both the art and science of
project management
 Call to action: Create your own style and brand "Brand U"
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“Brand U!”
“Real-World” Challenges –
Exciting Times!
 Global Management
 Quick-Faster Cheaper – Microwave Society
 Greater The Innovation=More Change=
More Project
 Fear of a New Species of Mid-Level
Manager
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“Real-World” Challenges –
Exciting Times!
 Those who know versus those who don’t
 Unhealthy Organizations
 New Employment Paradigms
 Business-Survival of the Fittest
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“Brand U!”
Evolution of Business
1900 Industrial Age
Before 1800 Nature of Work
Before 1800 – Crafts Phase-Farming
Tasks
Leadership
Management
M
Leadership
L
T
Management
Team Driven
Micro-businesses
2000 Networked Model
Leadership
Before 1800 Nature of Work
Labor - Tasks
M
L
T
Before 1800 Nature of Work
M
Before 1800 Nature of Work
L
T
M
Before 1800 Nature of Work
L
T
M
Before 1800 Nature of Work
L
T
Management
M
L
T
Labor - Tasks
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Where is Project
Management Going?
 Tom Peters: 1992 book, Liberation Mgmt- writes
about need for companies and individuals to
improve PM skills
 Fortune Magazine: Calls Project Manager the
Number One Career Choice in the Post
Reengineering World
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“Brand U!”
Where is Project
Management Going?
 "The Corporate Jungle Spawns a New Species,
Fortune - Tom Stewart
 “Super Project Managers”
PM
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…continued …Where is
Project Management
Going?
 Top 4 IT Certifications
 10th Best Seller in Business Weekly
 10th Most powerful professional organization in the
state
 Over 250,000 members
 Over 150 Countries
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“Brand U!”
Exercise 1
 Identify 3 of the Greatest Leader’s Throughout
History at your table. Debate amongst yourselves.
And then have a person take lead in presenting.
 Who are they?
 When and under what circumstances did they emerge as a leader?
 Why they would be considered a leader and what was the cause or
situation?
 What set this person apart from others involved in the cause?
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“Brand U!”
Vital Skills for the success
of future project managers
 CEO Skills –vision, leadership, instinct, risk
management, team building
 Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
Ability to Learn, Unlearn, and Relearn
 Communication – 90 Percent of what PMS do
 “Stick-to-itness” – Don’t abandon what you know to
quickly
 PMP Certification – Speaking and Knowing the
Language
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Increasing Demand
Project Manager III (IT -- All)
Responsible for the coordination and
completion of projects. Oversees all
aspects of projects. Sets deadlines,
assigns responsibilities, and monitors
and summarizes progress of project.
Prepares reports for upper
management regarding status of
project. May require a bachelor's
degree and at least 7 years of
experience in the field or in a related
area. Familiar with a variety of the
field's concepts, practices, and
procedures. Relies on extensive
experience and judgment to plan and
accomplish goals. Performs a variety
of tasks. Leads and directs the work
Alsodegree
from Robert
Half's 2005 report,
of others. A wide
of creativity
associates
and latitude isfirst-year
expected.
Typically working as inhouse counsels
are
reports to a manager
or headat
ofcorporations
a
projected
to earn average annual
unit/department
.
starting salaries ranging from $50,000
to $76,750.
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Financial Perspective
PM-vs-Law
 Opportunity Cost – Equal to the amount of money
that would have been made if person worked.
 College Debt (average around 70 k – Did not
include Undergrad)
 Years of Working Money – Wealth accumulation –
4 Year Head start
Scenario-Mock-up w/ 50K Assumption Made
Law School (does not include financing)
Wealth Accumlation at 7 percent of salary a year (@50k)
Opportunity Cost (@ 50 k a yr for 3yrs
Note: extra 23,000 a year would cover this in 10 years (not including financing)
$ 70,000.00
$ 10,500.00
$ 150,000.00
$ 230,500.00
$ 23,050.00
HTML Document
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Tools and methods to
ensure PM successful in a
modern world
 Communication..communication
 Visibility of success (Portal, Reports, Portfolio Management
Systems, Quantifying Results)
 Be a Smart Carpenter – know what tools to use
and when

(WBS,Diagrams, Conflict, Politics, Management, Techniques,
Brainstorming, Forms)
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“Brand U!”
Tools and methods to
ensure PM successful in a
modern world
 Stand-up! - (PM vs Expeditor vs Coordinator)
 Do not stay in survival mode
 “Sharpen the Sword” Covey
 Realize your value!
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“Brand U!”
Exercise 2
 Is Project Management more Art than it is a
science or is it more of a science than Art?
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Blending of both the art
and science of project
management
 Leadership: Art of Accomplishing more than the art
of Science Says is Possible
 Best Project Managers are Outstanding Leaders
 Vision, Motivate, Bring People Together to Accomplish Great Things
 Ensure that everyone understands the vision and mission task at hand
• Napoleon
 Turn an abstraction (idea) into something concrete
 Realize that both theory and real world when
merged together creates harmony!
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Exercise 3
 At your table create the ultimate Project
Management – Consider:
 Type Of Personality
 Strongest Attribute
 What others say about them?
 What is there biggest challenge and how do they handle
it?
 Where is their career heading
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Leadership – Powell
Principles
 Know When to Piss People Off
 Promote a Clash of Ideas
 Day Team Members Stop Bringing You Problems
 "Don't Go Looking For NO!“
 Challenge the Pros...Every organization should
tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no
clothes
 "Keep Looking Below the Surface...Do not shrink
because you might not like what you find.”
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“Brand U!”
Leadership – Powell
Principles
 People over Plans...Plans don't accomplish work.
Goal Charts on walls don't accomplish work...it is
people who get things done!“
 "Trust those in the Trenches“
 "Perpetual Optimism is a Force Multiplier“
 "Prepare for Loneliness - Command is Lonely"
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Other opportunities to
blend Art and Science for
PMs
 Act as if you are taking the PMP Exam when
responding to issues
 Ensure that Project Management Plan is an Active
Living Document
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Overcoming Obstacles to
Excellence
 St. Peter at Gate - Greatest General
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Organizational Politics –
Bell Curve
Good
Fence
Bad
Fence – “I’m on
This side!
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Draw Your Circle Big!
Desire
Confidence
Integrity
You!
Commitment
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Draw Your Circle Big!
You!
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“Brand U!”
Call to action: Create your
own style and brand "Brand U"
 Your own style-Borrow-Beg-Steal…but create!
 Be the Chief Cheerleader- and Leader for your
team
 5 Steps to adhere to Professional Presence:
 Recognize the Inherent Power of Your Professional
Presence
 Establish Effective Nonverbal Communication
 Create your virtual presence- Bring energy!
 Understand Business Etiquette
 Develop Social Savvy
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Continued.. Create your
own style and brand "Brand U"
 Are you better this year than you were last year
 What business are you in..what is your value
proposition
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Closing Parable
 Parable of the Eagle
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Questions-CommentsExperience?