Guest Writers: Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen Medina, CAPM®, Co-Author

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 50,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton.

]]> http://robertoalborghetti.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/interpersonal-skills-and-you-the-cheetah-know-how-series/ Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:01:46 +0000 roberto alborghetti http://robertoalborghetti.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/interpersonal-skills-and-you-the-cheetah-know-how-series/ By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen Medina, CAPM®, Co-Author

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Please hold for a scene from the movie The Office:

Bob: “What would you say ya do here?”

Tom: “Well look, I already told you! I deal with the goddamn

customers so the engineers don’t have to! I have people skills! I am

good at dealing with people! Can’t you understand that? What the

hell is wrong with you people?”

And we’re back. For those of you who have scene The Office, you most likely know this scene. For those of you who haven’t, watch this short clip – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCC_PxRWVI4   – as it is imperative for the intellectual debate we are about to delve into.

Interpersonal skills often get a bad wrap as being “common sense” or “fluffy”, with people giving more of their time and attention to

develop their technical skills. But the truth is, the more we lose

focus on the importance of interpersonal skills, the more at risk we

are to have a poor emotionally intelligence, which can hurt our

relationships and our careers. Interpersonal skills are becoming

such a hot topic, that this specific subject even has its very own

appendix in the PMBOK Guide – Fifth Edition (which will be tested

starting July 31, 2013).

So why are interpersonal skills so important to project managers?

Let’s take a look at 11 aspects of interpersonal skills stressed in

the PMBOK Guide – Fifth Edition, to get a better understanding of

how interpersonal skills shape your projects and shape your career.

1. Leadership – When you are able to lead from a place of trust and respect (rather than from using punishments to illicit fear) your

project team will be able to accomplish so much more. When you are a good leader, you have the ability to get things done through others,

and use each individual’s strength to the advantage of the entire

team. To be a successful leader, you can’t just create a submissive

team – you need to create an inspired team that shares your vision

and understands how their contributions are helping to achieve that

vision.

2. Team Building – You can’t put together a group of people that

seem to make a good team “on paper” and expect reality to align with your expectations.  And, unless you are really lucky, a team will

need to proactively work on team building in order to be effective.

The team can do this by openly and honestly talking about their

expectations in their unique team roles, deciding how they will deal

with conflict should it arise, and focusing on problems in terms of

possible solutions – not in terms of blaming people for the

problems.

3 Motivation – How do you get a committed team who will work hard toward a project’s goal? First, you need to find out how to motivate them. This task may be more difficult than you originally think, because not everyone is motivated in the same way. One person may be  money motivated, while another is better by professional achievement and growth. Get to know your team and what motivates them, and develop a strategy to improve incentives that speak to those motivations.

4. Communication – As you most likely already know, communication, or lack thereof, can make or break a project team. While a communication plan can greatly help in ensuring effective

communication, there are many other interpersonal dynamics that

impact effective project team communication, such as cultural and

communication style differences. 

5. Influencing – The skill of influence is very powerful, and can be

used either destructively or productively. You, as a project manager

with good intentions, have it in your greatest interest to improve

your influence skills to a level where you have the power to make

significant changes and improvements in your project team and

organization.

6. Decision Making – How will you and your team make important project team decisions? Will you as the Project Manager make decisions on your own, or will you involve your team for most

decisions? Its important to take some time to think about the

decision making process that will take place in your project team,

as it will effect many other areas, such as motivation and team

building.

7. Political and Cultural Awareness – The days are gone where a Project Manager can live in an isolated bubble of their particular

circumstance and experience and expect to be able to relate to

others. In today’s global environment, successful project managers

do not only recognize and accommodate cultural diversity – they

capitalize on it.

8. Negotiation – Think about how many times you negotiate every day. Whether it pertains to what you watch on TV that evening (if I get to choose the restaurant, you can decide what we watch afterward) to what currency in which your newest international deal will be conducted – negotiations permeate every part of our life. The more you listen to the other party and understand their needs wants, as well as your own, the better you will be able to find a mutually beneficial solution that is win-win for both parties. 

9. Trust Building – Can you imagine working on a project team where each person only has their own interests in mind, and neither trusts or likes anyone else on the team? Neither can I. Trust is the

foundation of a good project team, and give the entire team the

flexibility they need to accomplish tasks in the way they best know

how.

10. Conflict Management – When we hear the word “conflict”, we often think of fighting, relationship deterioration, and stress. But this  negative connotation does not have to be your project team’s

reality. Turning conflict into collaborate problem solving is one of

the best experiences a team can have, as it addresses the validity

of dissenting opinions and aims to make the situation better than it

was before.

11. Coaching – A project team reaches the ultimate level of

productivity when each team member feels empowered to reach their full potential.  When you invest in your team in the form of

training and formal or information coaching, they will in turn

invest in the project and organization with their time, skill, and

expertise.

So the next time someone asks you – “What would you say ya do

here?” You can say with confidence that you are a Project Manager

that utilizes your interpersonal skills (“people skills”) to create

effective and successful project teams that can move mountains.

***************************

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 50,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

When you think of the word “Genius,” what first comes to mind?         Perhaps Albert Einstein, Ludwig van Beethoven, or Isaac Newton. You may be imagining someone who is very different from yourself—someone who sits in a basement and tinkers with experiments, and who routinely forgets to use a hairbrush or eat a meal.

It’s time to change what we associate with the word “genius.” Start by getting up and looking in the mirror: Can you spot the genius? If not, you may need to change your perspective, because it is there. The capacity to be a genius is a part of our physiology. The human brain is a fascinating piece of work. It’s a dynamic neural network that makes billions of connections per second. New neurons are being made constantly in response to mental activity and learning. The reason that this is so fascinating and fantastic is because we are not stuck in any holding pattern—the ability to change our minds, literally, and become a genius on a subject matter is within our capabilities. Whether you think that you are born with natural genius, or you obtained it through your experience and environment, the important thing to be clear: You have it—genius, that is. We all do.  Here are some ways to tap into that natural genius.

Know Your Strengths and Challenges. Being a natural genius does not mean you have to have a natural aptitude for every subject matter under the sun. Albert Einstein, a legendary genius, failed his University Entrance Exam. While he excelled in the math and science sections, he failed the rest (history, languages, and geography).

What this should tell you is: “Don’t get down because there are areas where you do not excel.” Recognize them as challenges, and work to mitigate them. But to tap into your true natural genius,  discover the areas that you excel, and work to develop those into true genius status.

The Drive To Fail. Fail? What, are you crazy? For most of us “Type A” project managers, the thought of failing bring shivers to our spines. But the fact is, you don’t know where your limits are until you push them, and in pushing your limits you are bound to fail once in awhile. To tap into your genius, you can’t be afraid of failure or run away from it. You have to chase after, fail, and learn how to fix your mistakes so that you don’t fail (in the same way) again.

Deliberate Practice. Casual Practice is going out and playing on anintramural baseball league. Deliberate practice is going to the batting cages every night until you have perfected your swing. You will strike out a lot more in deliberate practice, but this is the only way you will master your skill. So what does this have to do with you? When you find your natural genius, you have the ability to perfect it with deliberate practice, during which you will rise out your comfort zone to see just how good you can be.

Kick Stress to the Curb. Every wonder why you can’t think when youare rushing around late trying to find your car keys? Once you find them, it’s so obvious that, of course, they would be in your key bowl on the coffee table. The thing is, stress reduces our ability to think. If we live with chronic stress, our brain is taking the majority of the burden, and it’s impossible to tap into your natural genius, let alone your natural sanity. Pinpoint the biggest stress factors in your life, then mitigate them fast.

“Somewhere, someone is looking for exactly what you have to offer.”—Louise Hay, Motivational Author.  It’s hard to recognize our natural genius if we are not in the environment that appreciates or needs those specific skills. You can try to change yourself to best fit into a professional environment, but the likely result will be mediocrity. To fully develop your natural genius, you need to find a place to be the “Best of the best,” where you can do what you are best at. Find out what that is, and go there. In 2013, make a commitment to discover your natural genius—it is in you!

About the Author:

 Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 50,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

Everyone reading this is a capable, smart, and skilled project manager, who is proud of managing the key stakeholder in each project with professionalism and finesse.  Do you bring this same care to managing the stakeholder in your personal life? Can you imagine how much smoother things would be if you did? Who are the important stakeholders in the project called “life”? Take a moment to think about that, as this is an important question.

As the holidays approach, we can become more hypersensitive to how miscommunication and familial strife can affect our day-to-day life. And when we boil it down, it’s all about stakeholder mismanagement. Below are some of the most common pitfalls we have when managing stakeholders, in either our personal or professional lives.

Incorrectly identifying who your stakeholders are. You are planning a dinner with friends to celebrate over the holiday. You have a good idea of what your friends like and what they don’t, and have catered the menu with consideration for even your most allergy-ridden acquaintance. Your friends show up with their children, and the festivities begin—but no one told you that 6-year-old Pesky Pete was the world’s pickiest eater ever. As his temper tantrum begins to take over the room, your embarrassed friends politely excuse themselves and leave the party.

I like to call this a hidden stakeholder. This is someone who has genuine power, but is hidden behind another stakeholder who has less practical power. When you are managing a project, at work or at home, don’t stop at the surface when identifying key stakeholders who can make or break your project. There are Pesky Petes everywhere.

Communicating in a method other than what they prefer. You are organizing a holiday party, and have sent everyone a Facebook invite with instructions on what to bring, when to come, and the dress code. The problem is that a third of your prospective attendees are not on Facebook.

Before you spend a ton of energy on preparing information in an attempt to communicate to your key stakeholder, take a step back. Do you know the medium of communication that they prefer? How often do they prefer communication: daily, weekly, monthly? Do they prefer visual representations of the information, or essay format?  When you utilize the medium and style of communication that your stakeholders prefer, you will not squander efficiency through a loss of communication.

Not communicating expectations properly.  You and your loved one are exchanging presents for the holiday. You have put a lot of time and thought into your gift—an engraved golf club set that cost you a fortune. They, the thoughtful ingrates they are, gave you cleaning supplies. In their defense, “Didn’t you need a new mop?”

Unmet expectations are the culprit of many disastrous events. And we only have ourselves to blame.  To set yourself, and your stakeholders, up for success, you need to clearly communicate your expectations, and make sure you have a clear understanding of theirs.

Not getting buy-in from key stakeholders.  It has come to the day of your holiday party, and you are running around like crazy getting ready. Your kids are hiding, but you know they are underfoot as you keep finding their messes. Your spouse is out running personal errands because they forgot about the party. And you are going CRAZY.

When you are working on a project, you need to rally members of your support group and get their buy-in to help you succeed. You can do this by making these stakeholders part of the decision-making process—would they like to invite friends to the party? What do they want to contribute to the menu? When you engage the stakeholders who are there to support you, you will be less stressed and more successful.

This holiday season, remember to treat the people who are most important to you as key stakeholders in the “Project of Life.”  Happy planning, and Happy Holidays!

***

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 50,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques. 

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

ROBERTO ALBORGHETTI – LACER/ACTIONS PROJECT – IMAGES OF TORN AND DECOMPOSED PUBLICITY POSTERS – 2010

By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen Medina, CAPM®, Co-Author

Imagine yourself at the starting line, stretching and flexing and         making sure that your shoes are tied tight and that your winning bib  number is securely fastened. This is you, at the gate, achieving   your wildest dreams. As the starting gun sounds, you sprint to            action, with every muscle in your being toned and prepared to get   you to your end goal. As you race across the finish line, the crowd,    full of your friends and family, go wild, yelling your name and            congratulating you for your race of a lifetime. Now, come back to reality. How did that scenario make you feel? You just completed an amazing accomplishment with the support of friends and family; an accomplishment you were so passionate about that it compelled you to perform at your very best. Now imagine if every  goal you went after ended this way. It can happen when you pursue  your goals vigorously and passionately. Here are 10 ways to help you sprint towards your goals at Cheetah Speed.

1 – Make sure your goals are SMART. You have a big, hairy, audacious  goal—that is fantastic. Now how will you know when you’ve reached  that goal? When making a goal, ensure that it’s SMART, which  means: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. When your goal is measurable, you can be held accountable for your  goal, and will be more likely to achieve it.

2 -  Don’t Limit Yourself with Limiting Beliefs. What are your limiting beliefs? If you’ve ever thought to yourself: “I’m unlucky,” or “I’m not the running type,” or “I’m a bad negotiator,” these are limiting beliefs, and they just aren’t true. Take a moment to take inventory of any limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from going after your goals. When you get rid of your limiting beliefs, you get rid of your limits.

3 – Visualize Your Goal. Just as you visualized finishing the sprint    just a few minutes ago—practice visualizing how you will feel when  you have accomplished your goal. See it in your mind—that is, see    yourself achieving the dream, whatever it is. Like passing the PMP  exam, or having happy children, a very successful career, your         dream house, a very in-shape body—whatever your dream is. Think   and feel how awesome it is you achieved your dream for a few  seconds… (1,2,3)… Amazing right?

4 – Take Small Steps. One of the biggest things that can stop us in     our tracks is when the enormity of our goal paralyzes us. To prevent that, break your goal down into bite-size deliverables that can be accomplished every week, and decide when and where you will make time to accomplish that weekly goal.

5 – Make the Time. When is the last time that you sat down and focused on your goal, and only your goal, for 30 minutes straight without interruption? This is called timeboxing. Like a sprint, timeboxing  will help you cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Set a timebox for yourself today, and sprint towards your goal.

6 – Write it Down. You write out your grocery list, your “to do” list,   your guest list—what about your GOAL list? According to a study    done by Dave Kohl, a Virginia Tech professor, people who regularly  write down their goals earn nine times as much over their lifetime   as people who don’t. What goals can you put on your goal list             today?

7 – Learn to say “NO.” Say it with me: “NO!” Now get used to saying  this word over and over again. Why is the word “No” so important?  If you always say “Yes” when asked to do something, you are giving  away your time, your resources, and your talents. Say “No” in order to create the time and space you need to go for your goals.

8 – Get Psyched. Napoleon Hill, in his book “Think and Grow Rich,” said: “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a    small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.” What goal      ignites your desire? What gets you over-the-top psyched? Get that  feeling towards achieving your goals and watch how fast you can              turn your dreams into reality.

9 – Get in the Driver’s Seat. YOU are the driving force in reaching     your goals. While others can help you, no one can do it for  you.     This means that you cannot live in your circle of concern and            worry about what you can’t control and how that is preventing you   from achieving your dreams. Focus on what you CAN control, and    steer yourself in the direction that you need to go to successfully complete your goal. No one will do it for you—embrace the driving force inside you so you can race towards your goal today.

10 – Today is the Day. There is a wise Chinese Proverb that says, “The  best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is  today.” Do you have a tree you’ve been meaning to plant, but stop  yourself because you are “too late”? The power of the present  should not be underrated. Plant your tree today and watch your     dreams grow, and do it TODAY.

We hope you are excited as we are about you racing towards your   goals today. On your mark, get set… GO!!!

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a  penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder   of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses. Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees,  contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 50,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques. Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah  Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at   the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and  industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the  world. Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications. She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

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ROBERTO ALBORGHETTI – LACER/ACTIONS PROJECT – IMAGES OF TORN PUBLICITY POSTERS – LITHOGRAPH, 50X70, 2008, FRAMED

Take a calming deep breath and maintain focus on the matter at hand. Find your center and stay balanced, calm, and ready. Now, tell me, are you on a Yoga mat or in a boardroom preparing to negotiate? The reality is that the techniques learned in Yoga can be applied across a broad spectrum of areas, especially in stressful situations such as negotiating.

Yoga requires you to maintain a calm state of being while putting your body under stress. This same physical stress can arise when you are negotiating an important deal. When you learn how to find your inner Yogi in these times of distress, you will be a better negotiator and therefore develop better relationships with whom you are negotiating. Here are some specific ways that you can utilize your Yogi powers to become a better negotiator.

Know Thyself. OK, so you might be thinking—I know myself. I know what I like, what I dislike. I spend 24 hours 7 days a week with myself—how could I NOT know myself?

In Yoga, knowing yourself goes far deeper than what we typically think of as self-awareness. Yogis attest that many of us live with a personal case of “mistaken-identity.” We think that who we are is our job, what car we drive, our likes and dislikes, our education, our amazing sense of humor, and so forth. This type of surface awareness does not take us far when it comes to resolving conflict or solving problems, which are key skills needed to be a good negotiator.

You can tackle the task of getting to know yourself on a deeper level by pretending that you are getting to know a new person. The key is to not assume that you know everything there is to know about yourself. Within your subconscious there is an entire realm of “you” with certain tendencies, self-talk and life theories that you might not even be fully aware of. When you become better acquainted with yourself, you will not only be more self-sensitive, but you will be able to connect to other people better and in a more compassionate way.

Find Your Balance. Yoga practice aims for balance in the body, mind, and soul. For example, assertive is the balance between the aggressive and passive extremes. Deliberate action is the balance between fight or flight reactions. When we are balanced in life, we feel happy, at peace, and content.

When you are negotiating, you can feel the balance of power shifting in the room like a ping-pong ball. Negotiation is a delicate game of balance, where the best outcome is an equilibrium reached when both parties feel balanced and satisfied. Because we live in the real world, this doesn’t always happen easily. If you’re in an unbalanced negotiation situation, where one party has more power than the other, the weaker party still has a chance to get what they want if they strive for balance.

In negotiations there is often real power (physical assets, knowledge capital) and perceived power (authoritative demeanor, quick wit). If you do find yourself at a disadvantage in comparison with the other party in one of these powers, work on increasing your power in the other area to arrive at a better-balanced negotiating situation.

Take a Deep Breath. One of the biggest ways you can lose your cool in a negotiations setting is by responding emotionally rather than objectively. We are all humans, and it is normal to have an emotional reaction, especially in a situation that has turned negative.

If the other party is evoking negative emotions from you by not “playing nice,” remember your inner Yogi and take a deep breath. When you control the flow of your breathing, your heart rate is effectively slowed down, bringing your body and mind back to a calm place that allows a clear mind. This allows you to release all the adrenaline that the other party may have induced.

When you take a breath instead of automatically responding out of emotion, you regain rational thinking and take back control. Having control over your responses is so important for good negotiations—so don’t forget to breathe!

Non-Reactive Presence and Deliberate Action. One important practice in Yoga is attaining the mindset of non-reactive presence. What this means is that you are present in the moment, and not reacting in an automatic way to external stimuli. Yogis strive to simply witness actions around them as well as the emotions that these actions evoke, rather than being subjected to these emotions. This separation allows for deliberate action rather than a reactionary response.

While it might sound all well and easy to remain non-reactive while reading this article, the real challenge is to remain non-reactive when you feel you’ve been personally attacked. This can happen many times in negotiations as people lash out to try to get what they want. When this happens, find your inner Yogi, the one that is compassionate and knows that others actions are not about you at all, and come back to your place of being present and calm where you can go forward with deliberate action.

So the next time you go into an important negotiation, leave your Yoga mat and towel at home, but bring along your inner Yogi to obtain a resolution that everyone is happy with. Also, don’t forget to ask about Cheetah Learning’s Masters Certificate in Negotiations (www.cheetahlearning.com, 888-659-2013) to become a Zen master at Negotiations. Thank you for reading, and Namaste!

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. 

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

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By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, CAPM®, Co-Author

Roberto ALBORGHETTI – “No Clouds”, Canvas/Mixed Media, 70×47 – Lacer/actions Project/Images of Torn and Decomposed Publicity Posters

Passionate Pauline is driving down the boulevard in the early morning, whistling to the tune “Oh Happy Day” with a big smile on her face, ready to take on the day with a vengeance and excited to tackle any challenges that may come her way. In the next lane over, Sullen Sue is sulking, and somehow stuck in the slow lane … again! Things don’t typically go her way, she dislikes her job, and she’s dreading the mounting paperwork that is piling up on her desk.

Which driver’s seat would you rather be in every workday morning, 52 weeks a year, for the odd 40 working years of your life? Your career is an endeavor that requires a great deal of your time, energy, and focus. If you’re sitting in Sullen Sue’s driver’s seat, only you can change directions to find a career that ignites the passion in you and makes you find the fun in your field.

Don’t let society define your role.  Why did you choose the career you are currently in? Did it seem like the “thing to do” after you graduated college? Or did you have some time to introspectively analyze your innate strengths and interests, and decide on a career path based on that?

As a single mom, I have heard all types of stories of how hard my life must be. This role as a struggling victim didn’t quite suit me, however, and instead of focusing on what others expected of me in my “role,” I focused on how I could best create a life for my children and myself in the best way I knew how. We are all unique individuals with strengths and assets that direct us to a special purpose in life.  Fuel your career growth by doing your thing, regardless of what society says you can or can’t do.

Change Your Job Description. Who knows you better – the HR director who hired you while they were interviewing 40 other candidates, or YOU? We all have parts of our job that we love, and other parts that we hate. Chances are, the person sitting in the next office space is in the same boat. What you see as boring and tedious, another might regard as satisfying and even fun. In order to create a job description that fits like a glove, make sure to keep an open and honest dialogue with your peers, subordinates, and mangers about what work keeps you energized vs. which work sucks your life force.

Be Proactive.  The happiest workers are those who have a strong sense of control over what they’re doing and why their efforts are important to a company’s mission. If you don’t like the projects you’ve been assigned, be more proactive in seeking your roles in projects – it never hurts to ask.

If there is a certain process that you find to be cumbersome, tedious, and (in your opinion) useless, take the initiative to change it to improve it. Your work is your world, and the more waves you make that are of your own initiative, the more fun you will have. So don’t sit idly by hoping things will get better – jump to it!

Smell the Roses. At the end of the day, we all want to feel that we’ve accomplished something of importance – that we’ve been an asset to our employers, made the world a better place, come a step closer to solving poverty, and all that before lunch if we can. But the truth is we are all human, and sometimes our best intentions can lead to us neglecting what keeps us going.

Every day, make sure to take some time for just yourself to re-energize and refocus so that you can go back to work ready to take on the world’s problems. Try taking a quick walk at lunch and smell the roses. On the busier days simply allow yourself to get up from you computer, and take five minutes to focus on your breathing and to stretch. You owe it to yourself, not to mention your organization, to be at your best. So put it in your Google calendar if you have to, and take your breaks!

We all have the decision every day – which driver’s seat do we want to be in – Sullen Sue’s or Passionate Pauline’s? Whatever your decision, make sure you are making it consciously and with intention. And remember, the Passionate Paulines have more fun!

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. 

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

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By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, CAPM®, Co-Author

Do you remember when you were younger and the excitement you had when you learned something new? That feeling when you were riding your bike and suddenly realized that there was no hand holding your seat anymore – and you were zooming down the street all by yourself. Or the thrill of picking up those little books in kindergarten and seeing that you didn’t need to have someone read you a story – you could do it on your own.

While these are my memories, we all have similar ones from growing up and feeling the excitement about becoming more and more free every time we jumped in and did something that we previously could not do. As we grow older, we can sometimes forget what this excitement of learning looks and feels like. But you only need to look at the face of child learning to ride a bike for the first time to remember the excitement.

We were taught at a young age that knowledge is power and freedom. Don’t forget this lesson!  Constantly focus on rekindling your spark for learning in order to claim your independence.

Take Responsibility for Your Learning.  We all have unique circumstances in our life that can either promote learning moments or not. How we use our powers of influence to capitalize on these circumstances affects our learning and our independence.

Let’s take for example the case of Bored Bill. Bored Bill has worked in the same job for 10 years and does the exact same thing day in and day out. Bill would like to advance in his career, but his company will not pay for continued education or credentials, so Bill sees no other option than to remain where he is, bored out of his mind.

Sitting across the cubicle from Bill in a cozy corner office is Crafty Chris. Chris started in the same job as Bill 10 years ago but, since then, Chris has been investing in his education by earning credentials that are important to his career path, as well as taking night classes to earn a degree in his field.  Chris recently got promoted to manager of his division, and is stimulated and challenged daily by the work tasks that lay before him.

When thinking about your learning goals, rather than focusing on your circle of concern (what you can’t control), focus on your circle of influence (what you can control).  Learning is a very personal investment that will stay with you throughout your life wherever you go. So make sure to take responsibility of your learning goals and invest in them as you would any other valuable asset.

Believe in You. One of my favorite quotes is from Vincent Van Gogh; it says: “If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”  With my recent interest in the show “Dancing with the Stars,” a voice started to creep into my head that told me – “Wow, those dancers are talented. You are way too uncoordinated to do that!” And that is when I decided to start salsa lessons. In these weekly salsa lessons, as I learn new moves, I get excited at the realization that I am getting better, and while I might be a way off from “Dancing With the Stars” status, I am much better than when I started.

What internal voices do you have that keep you from learning something new? Sometimes you have to be really quiet to hear them, as many of these voices have been around for so long that they have become a belief system that we no longer question, but just take as fact. Things like, “I’m not good at math,” or “I have two left feet and could never dance well.” The thing about these statements is that they are self-fulfilling prophecies, because if you believe them you will never strive to improve.

Take a moment to write down all of the negative self-talk that your sneaky subconscious has led you to believe. Then, on a new piece of paper, write the opposite, such as “I am awesome at math” or “I can achieve ‘Dancing with the Stars’ status.”

If there is a learning goal you are going after, you first need to tell yourself that you are capable of doing it – and you will be. Claim your independence through learning today.

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. 

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

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Every month I’m very glad and proud to post Michelle LaBrosse articles. They always rise interest and attention (and a lot of readers!) Michelle LaBrosse is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses ( Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world).

She’s an indefatigable woman who brings us passion, enthusiasm, motivations and a deep knowledge of human behaviours and relationships. I have been moved by the idea to ask ker for an interview… Said and done. This is my interview with Michelle LaBrosse. It’s really a great honour for me. I thank so much Cheetah Learning’s Founder for her kind and generous collaboration.

* * *       

• - Michelle, your articles that I post at my blogs always receive lot of consents and warm attention. According to you, why your writings raise such a well deserved interest?

That is a great question, and thank you for that compliment! When writing articles, I write them for the everyday professional who is interesting in learning how to reach their goals fast. My background, and that Cheetah Learning, is in Project Management and Accelerated Learning. In the articles I write I want to make it very clear that you don’t have to be a “Project Manager” to do good projects, but that everyone can benefit from learning basic project management skills.  The truth is, the better we are at managing project, the better we can be in every area of our life. I don’t exclude anyone when considering the audience that I am writing to, and I think that is why people pay attention to these articles. 

– You have created and founded a great experience – and a great human, professional and educational reality – through Cheetah Learning and Project Management. When and how have you felt the first intuitions and inspiration to plan them ? Have you moved by personal and particular reasons or aims? 

I have always had a passion for learning. When I was an engineer at Boeing, part of my job was to teach people how to win government contracts. I was so bored with the regular form of teaching (which was really just a practice in keeping your eyes open) that I developed a new fun approach of training that actually worked. This love for teaching and learning tranlated into everything I did. I became interested in Project Management because I saw how it was so important for organization to have professional managed projects to ensure that projects were completed on time and within budget. When I combined both passions, Accelerated Learning and Project Management, out popped Cheetah Learning.

– Which are your main inspiration fonts when you create a text, a new activity or new educational tools? Daylife? All what is surrounding you? The human behaviours?

I think it is a combination of all those things you mentioned. I think its important to listen to your customers and people who are in the industry to get a beat on what it is that people want to learn about. I also use my own life as a sandbox to test out different ideas I have, and I like to share those results with others to perhaps save theme time or learn from my success stories as well as my mistakes.

– According to you, and your experience in accelerated learning, what human beings need more to improve their life?    

I think one of the biggest barriers that people have to achieving their dreams is often their own belief system. If you think that you can’t accomplish something, you will prove yourself right again and again. When you become good at project management, and at consistenly achieving your goals, your belief system with envitiably change to that of one that speaks to success and competency. 

– From your point of view, which is the most important problem that today is altering human relationships?   

I think that many people today have a backward view of the path to success. If you are going about your professional career with only yourself in mind, you will fail. The fastest way to succeed is in helping other succeed. So to answer you question, one of the biggest problems today that is altering human relationships is the “every man for himself” mentality. We are all connected and we need to help eachother succeed if we want to succeed.

– Michelle, are you working on new activities? Are you planning further steps for the development of your Company and Institute?        

Yes – always! The newest project that we are working on is our Agile Exam Prep Course (called Cheetah’s Exam Prep for the PMI-ACP^sm Exam). This has been an exciting time to launch this course as Agile is becoming more and more important in the Project Management Industry, and is a methodology and practice that I really believe in as it focuses on people over processes, collaboration over contracts, and responding to changes over following a plan. I see Agile as a very practical application for PMs, so it is exciting to be apart of this movement.

– I operate in art… I wonder if in the future Michelle is going to point out some reflexion, or planning some programs, about art and how to support art expression and education…

I am a big believer that art is highly integrated with Accelerated Learning. If you’ve every seen a memory map, it looks like a piece of art, with supporting ideas branching off main ideas. Now Art and accelerated learning are similar in that it is the act of creation, not consumption. You create art, and you create learning moments.

–  Michelle, I’m sure that you have dreams… Which is the first one you’d like to make true?   

Great question! One of my biggest dreams is to help the entire world realize their potential when it comes to taking control of their life and reaching their goals. The whole world you ask? YES! This is my dream and you didn’t say it had to be practical. If everyone in the world changed their belief system to one that was positive and geared towards success, the world would truly be a better place. And project management is the path to get us there. Thank you Roberto for your time, it was a pleasure!

* * *

ABOUT MICHELLE LABROSSE

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. 

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

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By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, CAPM®, Co-Author

Some of us are natural-born “planners.” We plan out every moment of our lives in detail, from what we will be doing on the weekend to how many children we want and what their names will be, to how our career will progress – in detail! Others of us are “doers” and are more spontaneous, nervous if too many plans are made for us; we would rather live our lives with flexibility and freedom to make plans as we go.  If you sit down and think about how last year’s activities evolved, you will probably be able to determine on which side of the spectrum you belong: a planner or a doer?

What’s great about project management is that it brings both sides of the spectrum together so that planners will eventually execute and do their project tasks and doers must first plan their project tasks before jumping right in. A relatively new way to do project management has made this merger of “planners” and “doers” even more seamless: Agile principles and practices.

What Exactly Is Agile?  Agile is a philosophy that focuses on people, collaboration and shared values to get projects done. The Agile philosophy can be best described by the Agile Manifesto, which was written back in 2001 by a group of software project managers. The Agile Manifesto describes Agile as valuing the following:

Individuals & Interactions   over           Process & Tools

Working Software    over          Comprehensive Documentation

Customer Collaboration   over          Contract Negotiation

Responding to Change             over         Following a Plan

From taking a look at these, it would seem like Agile falls more to the side of the “doers” than the “planners” – and this is partially true.  Agile practitioners pride themselves in doing what they say and saying what they do, as well as allowing for and embracing change in project requirements.

But not to worry, planners, there’s plenty of opportunity for you as well in the Agile realm.  In Agile, teams plan in “Sprints,” which is exactly how it sounds – planning in small, fast bursts. Before every sprint there is a “Sprint Planning” meeting where the team meets with the products owner and decides what needs to get done in the next sprint. After the sprint the team goes through a “Sprint Review” where the team will demonstrate the incremental value that was attained during the sprint.

Using this method, planning and doing go back and forth in rapid succession to create clear transparency in what everyone is doing and what the project team should be focusing on.

How Does Agile Relate to Traditional Project Management?  While the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide – Fourth Edition) does not specifically mention Agile methodologies, it does not contradict them, either. In fact, the PMBOK discusses iterative approaches to project management, which can be applied to projects managed using Agile principles and practices. Therefore it’s not an either or relationship, but rather that they complement each other. The use of Agile techniques is particularly useful in projects that require quick responses to change along with communication to customers.

Why Should You Care?  OK, let’s cut to the chase. Why are we talking so much about Agile when this isn’t even an article about yoga? In the project management field, Agile principles and practices are topics of growing interest and importance. PMI’s research shows that the use of Agile methodologies has tripled from December 2008 to May 2011. In fact, it’s predicted that by the end of 2012, Agile development will be used on 80% of all projects involving software development. But it’s not just about software anymore. Agile methods are being use more and more by industries other than software because of its proven ability to decrease product defects, improve team productivity, and increase the delivery of business value.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss the Agile boat!  And find out how to become Cheetah Agile at http://www.cheetahlearning.com/Dave/agile.

About the Author:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.  

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and websites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network, is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. 

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton. 

Check out Cheetah PHAST – an exceptional new quarterly magazine 

http://www.cheetahphast.com/?page_id=17

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By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, CAPM® , Co-Author

As we cruise through our career path, it can be tempting to fall into comfortable patterns and turn autopilot on as we coast from project to project. But as the world changes and projects become more complex, it is imperative to remain in the drivers seat to ensure that we are constantly removing road blocks that make our project teams falter and pause. Follow the below tips to ensure that you and your project team are moving along at Cheetah Speed.

Create Limits with Your Space and Time. Have you ever sat at your desk thinking about what you needed to do, but kept putting off the tasks at hand in favor of procrastinating? Sometimes when we are sitting in our work area we trick ourselves into thinking that we are being productive. This is because we are so close to actually being productive in our work space – we have the desk prepared, the computer is powered on, and the pen is readied. But we are fooling ourselves; productivity is not an area, it is an action.

To help rid yourself and your team of this habit, make sure that you set limits on your workspace and time. If you are sitting in your workspace and not working, it means you need to take an actual break, as you are not making yourself more productive by staring at the computer screen. Set a time limit to take a break to do whatever it is that is distracting you from work, whether that is getting lost in the world of Facebook status updates or scrolling through your Pinterest account. Then come back to your workspace with a goal in mind, and don’t take any breaks until your goal is completed. Most people find their groove when they are working towards a goal, so don’t be surprised if you don’t need a break after you have accomplished your task. By creating more boundaries for yourself within your work, you’re remove the barrier of distraction and are able to accomplish more.

Healthy Team Dynamics. While team members’ hard skills are an important aspect of any project team, it is important for the team to not lose sight of the soft skills that make working together possible. Conflict within a project team can be one of the biggest barriers to speed and can not only be frustrating but a waste of time and resources.

Growing up, we’ve all learned the Golden Rule: Treat others the way that you want to be treated. But to ensure that your project team is harmonious and successful, make sure that you are all following the Platinum Rule: Treat others how they want to be treated. The more you pay attention to how others prefer to communicate and the style of work that they prefer, the better you will be able to work in a way that maximizes their capabilities.

Take a “Funk-buster” Break. It’s three p.m. You are on your third cup of coffee and staring at your computer, but for some reason your brain won’t work, and you still have to finish your quarterly report! This condition is commonly referred to as a “funk” and happens when your body thinks it is sleeping because it hasn’t exerted any energy for a significant period of time. When you find yourself in a funk, instead of trying to push your way through it, take a break. Get up out of your chair and do some jumping jacks. Take a walk around the block. Have a small dance party for one. Stop the funk as soon as you can by getting some motion into your body to remind your brain that it needs to be on alert and ready for action.

Achieve Flow. You now have a productive project team that sets time and space boundaries, has great team dynamics, and is funk-proof. The next thing to do is to ensure that your team has the skills and motivation required to get the tasks done. For your project team to be the most efficient, each member of your team should be able to consistently achieve a state of flow while performing project tasks. Flow is a mental state where an individual is completely immersed and focused on the tasks at hand. Flow happens when there is a balance between ability level and challenge, and when there is a very clear goal.

The three biggest barriers to achieving flow are inadequate skills and/or preparation, confusion as to what the end goal is, and a lack of personal meaning in the task at hand. Make sure that your project team has the skill sets they require for their project deliverables, are able to keep their eye on the prize with clear goals, and has a personal vested interest in what it is they are doing.

Keep these tips in mind when you are safely steering your project team around barriers to speed and towards project success!

About MICHELLE LABROSSE

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses. Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and web sites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton.

Check out Cheetah PHAST – a great new quarterly magazine

http://www.cheetahphast.com/?page_id=17

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By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, CAPM® , Co-Author

How do you know when you are truly wealthy? Your perception of prosperity will most likely change throughout your life. At the age of 5, being prosperous is having your favorite toys within reach, being able to eat ice cream after dinner, and being allowed to stay up an extra hour later than usual. At 16, it’s the ability to drive your family’s old beat up car, by yourself! In your early 20s, you most likely felt wealthy if you could successfully pay off your student loan payments, while still having the reserves to keep a small apartment and money to hang out with friends. In your 30s, it usually means getting a nicer home for your changing needs, being able to afford a couple of nice vacations a year, and a nicer car. Your 40s is marked by how you can provide for your family’s education and your own retirement. In your 50s, it may become more about how much time you can take off and still live the lifestyle to which you’ve become accustomed. In your 60s, it’s about how far you can stretch your dollar and scale back on the need to work to support yourself while helping your children launch their own families. Prosperity viewpoints are age dependent.

As we become more established in life, the concept of wealth and prosperity morph into the next phase that we wish to achieve, so that we are ever chasing a more prosperous life. This mentality can serve us well if we take smart action to reach our next goals. Here at Cheetah we call this path to prosperity GROW – Goals, Run, Organize, and Wow.

Goals – If you are like most people, you made goals for yourself for the new year. Of these goals, how many are measurable? What is the date by which you wish to accomplish this goal? What is your specific plan to reach this goal? If you haven’t answered these questions, then your chances of accomplishing the goals you’ve set are slim. When setting goals, either new years resolutions or other, make them measurable, and make yourself accountable, in order to ensure success.

Run – Once you have made a goal, do not sit back and wait for the “perfect time” to begin your journey to that goal. The truth is, there will NEVER be a perfect time! Go ahead and dive in right away to begin making your goal a reality.

If the hesitation of running toward your goal comes from your perceived lack of skills, make getting those skills your first goal. You owe it to yourself to make sure you are equipped to tackle any goals you set.

Organize – One of the biggest reasons that people don’t reach their goals is because they lose sight of the goal due to the clutter in their lives. When you can’t clearly see the steps to take next to ultimately attain success, you can quickly get lost in the white noise of life and let your goal fall to the wayside.

Start small. Organize your office, your paperwork, your bills, and your calendar. Then go big and organize the milestones that have been accomplished to reach your goal, as well as the steps that you still need to take.

Wow – When is the last time you did something to impress no one else but yourself? Perhaps you made a very fancy meal for one, or ran a mile further than you’ve ever run before just so you knew you could do it.

Make sure the goals you are setting will be sure to WOW you. This means that you are reaching for something that is challenging for you and that by accomplishing it you are bettering yourself. If you set goals to WOW others, you may find that your stamina and dedication wane before you’ve reached your destination.

To get started on the right foot, take a look at last year, and ask yourself what accomplishments you made that really impressed you. What was the path you took to reach these goals? Once you’ve figured it out, give yourself a pat on the back, and develop a plan to enhance your goal-completing machine this coming year.

Lastly, remember that becoming prosperous is a project, just like any project you have ever undertaken. The path to prosperity requires commitment, competency, and a well-developed plan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses.

 Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning techniques.

Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was

previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world.

Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and web sites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network is carried by over 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton.

 Check out Cheetah PHAST – a great new quarterly magazine

http://www.cheetahphast.com/?page_id=17

By Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Chief Cheetah and Founder of Cheetah Learning, and Kristen LaBrosse, Co-Author, CAPM®

It is a basic concept, but it is something that many of us have forgotten how to achieve in our ever-busier lives. It is a frame of mind that can be all too quickly brushed aside in the name of efficiency, career advancement, or other obligations. What is this illusive concept that I am referring to? WELLNESS!

Wellness has been on the backburner for many professionals striving to make

careers for themselves in their chosen profession. These people may have been under the notion that in order to be the best they had to give up their personal needs. Things like rest, exercise, and time with family and friends were thrown by the wayside in order to reap the benefits of hard work in a career. Finally, there is a new wave of individuals who are challenging this way of life and are claiming their rights to wellness.

I recently received an email from Mike Lamitola, PMP®. Mike wrote to me in

appreciation of Cheetah’s article, published in the Cheetah PHAST Magazine

(www.cheetahphast.com), entitled “Wellness Buddies.” Here is part of what Mike had to say: “I went through the Cheetah Exam Prep course with Jeff Allen and was so impressed that Cheetah used nutrition and basic yoga/breathing exercises to help increase alertness and mental clarity. After 12 years working in the construction industry and living the business professional life I’ve had some eye opening experiences and have seen some serious struggles with fellow coworkers. I became such a huge advocate for health and wellness that I decided it was time to move in a new direction that was calling me.”

Mike’s new direction was to enter the wellness profession as a Health Coach/Nutrition Counselor through a company that he and his wife started called “Welcome to Wellness!” (welcometowellnessnow.com). In his website, Mike says: ”Life is a series of projects. Some big, some small and some all happening at the same time. We need to make time within these projects to focus on our well being.”

So, how do you make time to maintain your health to ensure that you are successful in all of your endeavors, including being the best project manager you can be? The good news is that a lot of the same ideals that are followed to maintain optimum health can be translated to project success. Follow the tips below to achieve ultimate health, for you and your projects.

Plan for Longevity. How many of you start a project, planning on failure? If you do that, you will be out of a job quicker than you can say “negative Nick.” Likewise, when you begin a wellness plan, you need to think about the future you, 10 years down the road, and have positive expectancy. What activities and habits can you form today that will benefit your wellbeing? What activities can you eliminate that will ultimately cause harm? In order to enhance the quality of your life, realize that every day counts toward your wellness goals, and set up your day-to-day actions with the mindset of achieving a lifetime of healthy living.

While projects are usually shorter than a lifetime, the same philosophy applies. While working on your project day-in and day-out, keep your end goal in mind. Don’t let daily hiccups deter you from your project’s end goal. When you plan for longevity you give yourself, and your projects, a life force that can pull you, and your projects, through hard times.

Live in the Moment. Being present with our surrounding and ourselves is easier said than done. When there is all that noise running through your mind, you may find yourself saying, “Excuse me, what did you say?” far too often. An important part of your wellness is to be present in each and every moment, because the past events and future possibilities are inconsequential compared to what is happening in the here and now.

This practice can be greatly beneficial to the projects you work on as well. Instead of getting lost in the anxiety that can comes with worrying about what might go wrong in the project tomorrow, or how stupid that mistake was that you made yesterday, focus on the task at hand and what needs to get done today. By being fully present in your project tasks, you are better able to perform them correctly with clarity and confidence.

Stakeholder Buy-In. As a project manager, you are the master of communicating with stakeholders and ensuring the project you are working on is meeting the needs of the various stakeholders in order to get their buy-in. Use these same skills in your wellness project, and treat yourself as the primary stakeholder. Analyze what your needs and wants are to maintain your wellness goal, and recognize other stakeholders that might be involved with you achieving wellness. For example, your stakeholder might be your significant other, and the buy-in might be to cook dinner every other night so that you can work out after you get home from work. When you get buy-in from all stakeholders, you have set up their expectations of you appropriately, and are more likely to achieve your wellness goals.

Celebrate Progressive Achievements. When you have achieved a wellness goalcelebrate! After all, you worked hard for it, and will be more motivated to achieve greater states of wellness if you take the time to acknowledge your efforts and awesomeness. This is also true for your project team. When your team members, either individually or as a group, accomplish a major project milestone, don’t let it go by unnoticed. Celebrating intermittent achievements fuels the fire for the entire project.

After you read this article, take a moment to evaluate your own wellness goals and how you are achieving them. If you are not where you want to be in terms of wellness, find out what the specific barriers are that are keeping you from getting there. You are, after all, a resourceful project manager that procures resources when needed, manages and communicates with important stakeholders, and brings a project from start to successful finish. Use your skills today for the biggest project of your life: your wellness project.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is an entrepreneurial powerhouse with a penchant for making success easy, fun, and fast. She is the founder of Cheetah Learning, the author of the Cheetah Success Series, and a prolific blogger whose mission is to bring Project Management to the masses. Cheetah Learning is a virtual company with 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. To date, more than 30,000 people have become “Cheetahs” using Cheetah Learning’s innovative Project Management and accelerated learning

techniques. Recently honored by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), Cheetah Learning was named Professional Development Provider of the Year at the 2008 PMI® Global Congress. A dynamic keynote speaker and industry thought leader, Michelle was previously recognized by PMI as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the world. Michelle’s articles have appeared in more than 100 publications and Web sites around the world. Her monthly column, the Know How Network is carried by more than 400 publications, and her monthly newsletter goes out to more than 50,000 people. She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Manager’s (OPM) program and also holds engineering degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Dayton.

Check out Cheetah PHAST – a great new quarterly magazine:

http://www.cheetahphast.com/?page_id=17