Author Archive

Start with the Basics

While my husband calls me a dreamer, I prefer to think of myself as a future-thinker. I like to plan for the future even though I may not know all the steps to get where I want to go. I guess I get this from being a project manager. Most of the time, I am ...Read more.

Obstacles are Opportunities

I read an article this week that recommended we focus on solving problems rather than focus on reaching goals. The article’s author suggested that solving the problems of others will make us happier than if we attempt to create situations that make our life easier. I have been trying to create a future for myself ...Read more.

A New Year – Now What?

Every year it seems as if we have to come up with resolutions … resolutions to exercise more, eat less, get a better job, you name it, someone has resolved to do it in the new year.  But why? Why do we feel like we have to wait until the new year to start something ...Read more.

Success from the Heart

Success is the elusive goal of many people in many areas of life: financial, professional, personal, physical. With the number of books and training available on achieving success, you would think we would all be wildly successful by now. However, this is most definitely not the case, as we are not all millionaires, we are ...Read more.

Coaching Others to Succeed

“How do you win? By getting average players to play good and good players to play great. That’s how you win.” – Coach O. Andrew “Bum” Phillips, former NFL Coach When you think of coaching, what comes to mind? Some burly guy (or girl) standing on the sidelines yelling plays to the team? It seems ...Read more.

Don’t Ignore the Importance of Project Financials

Well, I am wrapping up an eight-week course on financial theories, and am using this as an excuse for my lack of blogging. But, my last assignment was just submitted, so I feel that I have a little breather to share with you my opinion on financial theories and how they relate to project management. ...Read more.

What Makes A Great Leader?

As long as there have been leaders, people have wondered what makes a great leader.  From Plato’s “great man” to Machiavelli’s prince to modern charismatic and transformational leaders, defining the characteristics of a great leader has been difficult, at best (Clawson, 2006, p. 379).  The characteristics of one great leader may not match the characteristics ...Read more.

On Leadership

After finishing up the first week (of about 150 weeks to come) in my doctoral program, I am realizing just what a big undertaking I have started. Balancing family, work and the doctoral program is going to take some planning and lots of organization. Several of my classmates have discussed the importance of balancing our ...Read more.

Plan for Success and Plan for Failure

Contrary to popular belief, implementation planning is not merely installing a system one day and letting end users at the new system the next. Rather, implementation planning starts as soon as the project starts and actual implementation activities begin well before the system is ready to deploy. Too often, managers overlook the need to plan ...Read more.

Too Much or Too Little?

I recently finished a book by Curtis R. Cook, Just Enough Project Management, that suggests that not all projects have to apply the same level of project management in order to be successful. This small book is chock full of sample templates and checklists that can be applied to projects large and small.  Mr. Cook’s ...Read more.