Project Management
August: Set Standards for Success
July: Celebrate Your Independence with Project Management
By Michelle LaBrosse
What does independence mean to you?
Some people remember their first job or first apartment. Others think about the sovereignty of nations.
Here's what the dictionary has to say:
In-de-pend-ent
Adjective1) Free from outside control; not depending on another's authority. Self-governing, not belonging to a political party; not influenced by others.
2) Not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence, capable of thinking or acting for oneself, not depending on something else for strength or effectiveness; freestanding.
I especially like number two. Those are powerful words, and they resonate clearly with how Project Management empowers people. When you have a consistent, clear way to approach and solve problems quickly, you are effective, strong and freestanding.
As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, I challenge all of our readers around the world to use Project Management to free yourself from whatever is holding you back.
Don't wait for life to happen to you.
Too many of us wait for life to hand us a defining moment. The truth is that defining moments happen when we decide to make the change ourselves. When you talk to people who have accomplished something significant, they almost always begin to tell you about the plan they developed and then followed with passion and perseverance. Success doesn't just land in our laps. Instead, it's the realization of our vision. Whatever it is that we want to accomplish (both large and small) we all have our "bucket lists." The difference is some people actually cross things off that list, while others wait for the opportunity to appear.
Project Management connects the plan with the opportunity.
So, what do you want to do? Is there something you want to tackle once and for all? Is there a lingering project that has never been accomplished?
It's different for all of us. For some of us, it's our health or our finances. Whatever it is for you, we've developed PDU classes that help you earn your PDUs while at the same time accomplishing goals that are personal and meaningful to you. Sometimes, all we need is the structure to accomplish something that's been on our to-do list for too long.
Project Home Improvement helps you complete the home improvement project of your choice, bringing to life the Project Management phases and processes.
On Par Project Management lets you get in 10 rounds of golf while learning about Project Management and The PMBOK® Guide.
Project Prosperity shows you how to use the capital you already have to achieve your goals.
Project Weight Loss SmartStart uses Project Management methodologies to design a weight-loss or fitness program so you can get that monkey off your back for good!
And if you're like me and you're thinking about creating long-term security and peace of mind, take power of your power with Project Energy Independence. Learn how to reduce the risks of increasing power costs for your home or business. Self-sufficiency is true independence every day of the year.
Still looking for some more ideas? If you're thinking about how you want to make a difference in your life or your career, you can also download our PM Career SmartStart Guide. It's a great way to carve out your own path of independence.
Make your own fireworks
Fireworks don't just have to be for historic celebrations. They can be a regular occurrence when you look back at what you've accomplished. It just takes getting started. Go!
Chief Cheetah Podcast Is Yours for the Downloading
Want to hear what Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, and Chief Cheetah has to say about Project Energy Independence? Download our podcast at http://podcast.cheetahlearning.com/podcastgen/ and hear the words straight from the Cheetah's mouth.
August: Setting Standards of Success
By Michelle LaBrosse
Many people make the mistake of thinking success is either lucky or there's some magic mojo that is out of reach for them.
Both personally and professionally, I've found that success is actually quite simple. It's defining and following through on your standards for success. Let me share with you what has worked for me and how I apply these standards of success to my passion for Project Management.
Levels of Learning: Move from awareness to mastery
Your time is invaluable. You want to spend it where it matters most. That's why when you learn, you want to make sure you move beyond the basics and transform your skills to mastery. This has been the driving principle behind our course development and delivery at Cheetah Learning, and it has been my personal mantra when I look at my own development.
It's not just what you learn. It's how you learn.
Today, it's easy to get information. The Internet. Books. Online articles. Webinars. Information is everywhere, but the key question is: How do you retain the information you need and put it into action?
Most courses you take stay at the awareness and knowledge levels. They never improve your skills or help you attain mastery. That's a key standard of success for us at Cheetah. We focus on building your skills by applying the knowledge you have and developing mastery by showing you how to get consistently great results with your skills.
Where success happens
If your learning stays at the awareness and knowledge levels, your career and your opportunities for success are limited. Success happens at the top of the pyramid with skill — the application of knowledge and mastery — the ability to consistently get results with your skills.
Where is your learning happening?
Use your time wisely
Another standard for success is making the best use of your time. When you learn, you want to make sure every moment is counts. That's why we believe that accelerated learning is the way to go.
The power of accelerated learning
Accelerated learning is a proven way to teach people new skills because it does the following:
- Improves your retention and your ability to apply the new knowledge.
- Helps you quickly use what you've learned.
- Benefits every project you tackle, both personally and professionally.
Accelerated learning techniques were pioneered over 40 years ago in the teaching of foreign languages. Since then, they have been applied to a wide variety of fields in business and in academia, as well as in the military to rapidly train people in a variety of areas. These techniques use a combination of teaching principles to make you comfortable and create an environment where participation leads to learning, almost without any conscious effort.
An accelerated learning program is conducted as if the participants are playing a game and not actively engaged in a typical learning event. There is a lengthy testing and revision process of courses developed with accelerated learning methods to make sure that every technique used achieves the desired learning outcomes for the participants. The environment is tightly scripted in courses using accelerated learning to ensure participants leave with a high level of competency.
In a world that is moving full speed ahead, why leave any learning experience to chance? Experience accelerated learning in any of our Cheetah courses, and see why it is one of our standards of success at Cheetah Learning.
What are the standards you're looking for?
If you want to learn from someone who is approved by a standards developer, look for the IACET logo. When you see it, it means that an organization has met IACET's internationally-recognized educational standards for continuing education and training.
Set the standard
In a tough job market, now is the time to make sure your managers, peers and prospective employers see how you set the standard for those around you. If you're a PMP®, keep the credential current, and if you're not a PMP® yet, think about what standards of excellence you want to adhere to.
FREE downloads to get you where you want to go
Download our Cheetah Exam Prep SmartStart™ Guide or our white paper on Accelerated Learning Techniques in Project Management. They're yours for free to take you to the next level of success.
Chief Cheetah podcast is yours for the downloading
Want to hear what Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, and Chief Cheetah has to say about accelerated learning? Download our podcast at http://podcast.cheetahlearning.com/podcastgen/ and hear the words straight from the Cheetah's mouth.
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About the Know How Network and Cheetah Learning
Copyright (c) 2009, Cheetah Learning. The Know How Network monthly column is written by Michelle LaBrosse and distributed to hundreds of media outlets around the world. Visit www.cheetahlearning.com for more information. You can also get your career in gear with CheetahWare, free Project Management tools from Cheetah Learning.
About the Author
Michelle LaBrosse, PMP, is founder and Chief Cheetah of Cheetah Learning and author of Cheetah Negotiations and Cheetah Project Management. The Project Management Institute selected Michelle as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Project Management in the World and one of only two women from the training and education industry.
Cheetah Learning is a virtual company and has 100 employees, contractors, and licensees worldwide. Michelle has run her company virtually for the past 20 years, growing it 100-fold in the past 20 years. She credits her success to using Cheetah's Project Management method to better manage people and technology, and has made it fast, easy and fun for more than 30,000 people to learn and do Project Management.