Tis the season to be Thankful! We all have things we’re thankful for and everyone’s list is different. Here is my annual list of what I’m thankful for in this dynamic career we call Project Management!
Having a Thanksgiving Dinner Release Plan. Our family is hosting a lot of people on Thanksgiving! Lots of people means lots of food, and lots of food prep. Being a project manager, I’ve been helping my wife (sponsor) with planning. We have a timeline established, but will remain flexible if the turkey takes a little longer to cook! And I’ve been assigned the task of cutting up onions.
Learning From Those I Mentor. I have been doing more mentoring this year for three educational institutions. About half of those I mentor have jobs and the other half are full-time students. I enjoy asking questions, listening, and offering advice. What’s also been a huge benefit is learning from those I mentor. Their points of view are unique and they share what they learn in classes. I’m thankful for the opportunity to do this! Mentoring also leads into…
Continuous Learning. One of the areas I’m most thankful for is continuous learning. Every project, team member, and stakeholder gives an opportunity to learn something new. These nuggets of knowledge will help me grow and continually improve my skills. I’m thankful for that!
A Solid Support Network. One thing about the project management community; if you have something happen and need advice, help is just a call/email/text/shout away. I’m not talking about putting a random question on LinkedIn and getting random responses. I’m talking about trusted advisors who take the time to listen, ask questions, and offer sound advice. I’ve expanded that network this year and very thankful I did!
Variety. I have a theory; 80% of the skills I have are applicable to any industry. The other 20% are industry-specific and need to be learned. Therefore, I’m not limited to one specific industry and have the option to consult at a variety of companies doing a variety of projects. IT, biotech, healthcare, construction, legal, all areas I’ve worked in. I like changing scenery and I’m thankful project management offers that variety.
To all those who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for the project management career, and hope you are too. Best wishes!
Bridge the Gap Consulting, LLC 