The Future City Arizona competition needs volunteers to assist with the model display and competition day. The competition is a completely volunteer organization and this is your chance to see students present their ideas for the future as well as give back to the community. Description or summary The Future City Arizona competition needs volunteers to assist with the model display and competition day. The competition is a completely volunteer organization and this is your chance to see students present their ideas for the future as well as give back to the community. We need volunteers in the following areas for model move-in, library time Q&A, and for model move-out. If you would like to volunteer, please first register through https://futurecity.org/volunteer-registration/ and then contact Jeff Van Skike: 480-529-5444 or jkvanskike@cox.net   Deliverables Model Move-In What: Volunteers will work to escort students and their models in the Burton Barr library.Number of volunteers needed: 3-4Special considerations: There will be physical effort to carry and move models between locations.When: Saturday, January 13, starting at 9 AM (specifics to be provided to volunteers)Where: Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Library Monitors What: During the week, volunteers to sit at the table during library hours.  Direct people to the models, answer basic questions (also provided through the Future City website, provide a presence to ensure no damage to models.Number of volunteers needed: 8 - 10When: Sunday, January 14; Tuesday January 16 through Thursday January 18 during library open hours (starting at 9 AM each day)Where: Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Model MoversWhat: Volunteers will work to move the models out of the Burton Barr library and into a transport semi-trucks.Number of volunteers needed: 8 - 10Special considerations: There will be physical effort to carry and move models between locations.When: Friday, January 19, starting at 11 AM (specifics to be provided to volunteers)Where: Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004Registration AreaWhat: The role of the registration volunteer is to check in all participating teams and hand out the registration packets. There will be alphabetical check in for Schools A-L and Schools M-Z as well as media, judges, VIP, and volunteer check in.Number of volunteers needed: 3When: Saturday, January 20, 6:30 AMWhere: Casteel High School, 24901 S. Power Rd. Queen Creek, AZ 85142 - Please make sure that you contact one of the Future City leaders before attending. We need to know you are coming so that you can be properly assigned where needed. Duties Model Move-in What: Volunteers will work to escort students and their models in the Burton Barr library.   Library Monitors What: During the week, volunteers to sit at the table during library hours.  Direct people to the models, answer basic questions (also provided through the Future City website, provide a presence to ensure no damage to models. Model MoversWhat: Volunteers will work to move the models out of the Burton Barr library and into a transport semi-trucks.Registration AreaWhat: The role of the registration volunteer is to check in all participating teams and hand out the registration packets.  PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair is coming in February. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair is coming in February. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. From a judging standpoint, you will be judging the process and you do not have to be an expert in a particular scientific or engineering area. The high school in-person interviews will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 8-11:30 am in the small gym on the PVHS campus.   The 9th and 12th-grade students who had a fall CREST class will compete along with a few teams from other grades. The time commitment for judges is approximately 2-3 hours between 2/3/24 and 2/8/24 to judge projects virtually, and 8-11:30 am on Saturday, 2/10/24, to conduct in-person interviews at PVHS. Judges will interview the same teams they review the digital content prior.  The PVSchools K-8 SEF will be held virtually and judged virtually only.  Judging dates for K-8 are February 13-22, 2024.  The same time commitment of 2-3 hours also applies to the K-8 judging window and will use the same judge registration form. Logistics Register to be a judge! Who Can Judge? Professionals, Technicians, High School and College students, teachers and professors, and parents. Please list PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing. Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Please track the hours that you spend performing your feedback  responsibilities. If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org) or Pamela Fulk, M.Ed.  NBCT CREST / STEM Coordinator, pfulk@pvschools.net.F Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Happy holidays! Since last I wrote, we were selected by PMI as Chapter of the Year in Category III (>1500 members)! That’s out of the 300 PMI Chapters around the world! I am honored to be part of this incredible Chapter. The PMI Chapter of the Year Awards program recognizes and celebrates those chapters that have made significant contributions to members, the project management profession, and Project Management Institute. Our Chapter builds opportunities for all our members to engage, learn, grow, network, give back, and support each other in our project management journey. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. It is all of us together that has made this a truly special Chapter that PMI has recognized.  I'd also like to thank the three outgoing board members Steve Poessnecker, Marissa Akins, and Karina Dalton, for their commitment and dedication to the Chapter and helping us achieve Chapter of the Year! Help me welcome Heather Cardosi, Aaron Jang, and Sean Ryan to our Board of Directors. These three outstanding individuals have committed their time and energy to our Chapter to help support the vision and mission and ensure we continue to execute our strategic objectives to continue to carry our chapter forward.    Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Happy holidays! Since last I wrote, we were selected by PMI as Chapter of the Year in Category III (>1500 members)! That’s out of the 300 PMI Chapters around the world! I am honored to be part of this incredible Chapter. The PMI Chapter of the Year Awards program recognizes and celebrates those chapters that have made significant contributions to members, the project management profession, and Project Management Institute. Our Chapter builds opportunities for all our members to engage, learn, grow, network, give back, and support each other in our project management journey. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. It is all of us together that has made this a truly special Chapter that PMI has recognized.   Help me welcome Heather Cardosi, Aaron Jang, and Sean Ryan to our Board of Directors. These three outstanding individuals have committed their time and energy to our Chapter to help support the vision and mission and ensure we continue to execute our strategic objectives to continue to carry our chapter forward.  I want to once again thank our corporate partner, Nextiva, for providing space in their beautiful training facility for the PMI Phoenix Board of Directors to meet during day-long strategy sessions. Their hospitality and partnership have been invaluable to allow us to plan and move forward on many initiatives this past year.  As I look back over 2023, our Chapter has held many programs and events:  Our monthly virtual breakfast meeting, hosted by Paul Bartal, on the last Friday of each month (with adjustments for holidays) is regularly attended by 100+ participants. The breakfast meetings are speaker events to address current topics and trends in project management, but so much more: They provide a forum for networking, recognition of certification achievement, and a place to share if they are looking for jobs or have jobs opportunities to fill. It’s a community of project managers and project management professionals coming together to network and grow. We’ve launched monthly Phoenix Fusion Networking for new members to join and connect with existing chapter members. These lively evening events are rotated around the valley in different locations, and are designed for those who've recently joined, those who've been with us for a while, and those curious about our community. These new events average 40-50 attendees each month. Our Social Good Team just completed a full year of events, with five events this year. In addition, during our 45th Anniversary Celebration picnic the Social Good Team organized building hygiene kits to distribute to local non-profit groups serving the homeless. The PMI Phoenix Chapter participates in two collaborative chapter meeting programs that bring different content and viewpoints outside the Phoenix Metro Area:  We are in our third year of participating in the PMI Chapter Xchange Program and were only the second US-based chapter when we entered the program. The PMI Chapter Xchange has grown to include 26 chapters and provides a unique, diverse, and worldview experience to our chapter members.  We began collaborating with the PMI Los Angeles multi-chapter meetings in 2022. These meetings currently include eight chapters and are offered monthly to our members. These meetings offer differing regional views and are very popular with members who travel between chapter cities. Watch our newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram, LinkedIn, and website for details on all these programs and events, along with much more. If you are interested in volunteering, click here.  To stay up to date on everything your membership provides you, keep an eye on our monthly calendar, as we add new speakers and events throughout the month.  Thank you for joining the PMI Phoenix Chapter. You are a valued member, and I want you to get as much benefit from your membership as you can.   Stephanie Hanko  2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Chair  Brendan grew up in Arizona, he graduated from Collins College in Tempe with a BA in Film and HDTV, after which he had an existing 15-year journey as a producer- shooting, producing and delivering films and content. His interest in Project Management was kindled during a lunch and learn session about PMO’s and how the PMO’s work – he was intrigued and spoke with the VP of PMO who said start here , and gave him a book - “Effective Project Management" by Robert Wysocki,  , he really liked the book and the Project Management space and got his PMP a year later. He accepted his first job as a marketing project manager with a construction company where he manages multiple projects, within the marketing department of about ~18+ people. His work involves managing projects for marketing of various construction equipment and other materials. He is now expanding in process and workflow streamlining with the senior executives like CEO, COO within his organization.   When asked about challenges he faced when he moved into the PM role – he says the key challenges were about getting into the field and learning the lingo which team members speak (what we called the PM Jargon!)  which he found quite new and challenging as his professional background had been mainly in film and content production till now, but once he learned the vocabulary it became so much easier to connect and march ahead in the existing realm of Project Management. He really enjoys solving problems using processes and workflows. He loves creating solutions to problems, like simplification of a complex task and process or improving the efficiency of repetitive processes in a team’s day to day work.   He became a PMI Phoenix chapter volunteer during summer of 2023 , as he was seeking avenues to learn and experience new professional connections and was looking for networking opportunities , so he decided to apply and got the volunteer role in the marketing team , he got through the interview process with Cynthia Ford , who helped him explain the exciting opportunity and volunteer position . His key volunteer assignment was to organize the 45th anniversary celebration, which he projects managed – including aspects like the organization of the event, staffing and marketing amongst other activities. He loved the connection, experience, and camaraderie which came from managing the big event. It was a successful event, and everyone had a blast. As he was managing that project, he was connected with Danielle Lee, the marketing board member, who was looking for some help on her team – and he eventually ended up getting the role of Marketing Director in Danielle’s team. His advice to new members is that volunteering is a great opportunity to learn other disciplines and aspects within Project Management, you can dip your toes in marketing, events, social good, accounting and will provide you flavor of each of these aspects. PMI is always looks for great people to volunteer! but also about finance, marketing, organization, event management and will provide you flavor of each of these aspects. On the personal front, he has a fiancé, 4 dogs, and 2 birds! He also loves playing ice hockey - He says “Yes!  there is hockey in the desert.”     The thought of being alone during the holiday season often brings to mind a sense of isolation and sadness but it doesn't have to. Whether you're alone for personal choice or life has hit some bumps along the way, there are ways to help you navigate the holiday hazards, and maybe even enjoy a few of them.    The thought of being alone during the holiday season often brings to mind a sense of isolation and sadness but it doesn't have to. Whether you're alone for personal choice or life has hit some bumps along the way, there are ways to help you navigate the holiday hazards, and maybe even enjoy a few of them.      Accept the facts.  Avoiding the facts won't help but setting some expectations for yourself can go a long way. If you need to tell yourself "Holidays are going to be rough, and I probably won't enjoy them, but I will make it through" then do so. Despite what all the marketing and holiday hype tells us, it is okay to hate every minute of the holiday. 1     Redefine your expectations.  Watching TV, shopping, even just a trip to the corner store for a gallon of milk can be an emotional roller-coaster. All around us are depictions of holiday cultural expectations. But remember, there is no ONE way to celebrate. Don't lock yourself into one set of expectations that you must meet to be happy.    In fact, just think for a moment about all the ways people spend this time all over the world. Not all cultures involve family gatherings, presents, and similar rituals. People have found other ways to commemorate these dates. Looking at the holiday season from a different angle may help you remove the emotional pressure. Reassessing your expectations for how the season will go instead of how it should go can help.2     Make your own happy.  Giving your time to others can be a great way to support your local community and provide the social interaction you may not realize you need. Volunteering can make you feel good about yourself and can also help you build relationships with others.   If you don't feel comfortable with strangers, be willing to speak up at work or school. Let people know you will be on your own during the holiday and find out if there are others who may be as well. You can adopt each other for the season and celebrate together.3      Treat yourself; you matter.  Nutrition, hydration, sleep, and movement have a huge impact on your mental health. When those things go off the rails, all the negative emotions we’re already dealing with can feel even worse. When that happens, staying up on self-care feels even more impossible. It’s a hard cycle to be trapped in. To the best of your ability, try to tend to your basic needs so your cruddy holiday can at least exist on top of a sturdy foundation. It won’t fix everything, but it will help.    Give yourself permission to buy that one thing you have wanted but didn't really need. Take yourself to the spa, sports game or a movie, whatever brings you joy. You deserve a treat too. And of course, practice a ton of self-compassion if and when these practices don’t come easily to you, or you can’t manage them on certain days.1     Review time.  While there are many reasons and causes for being alone during the holiday season, it can be hard and that’s okay. Be willing to redefine your expectations, and don't hesitate to reach out to others. Togetherness, through volunteering or a shared holiday celebration, will help redefine what the season means to you. Take care of yourself, body and mind, and don’t forget that special fun treat. And finally, most important, YOU matter.      References  "9 Self-Care Tips for Anyone Spending the Holidays Alone". Anna Borges. Self.com, December 11, 2020. <https://www.self.com/story/holidays-alone-self-care>  "Reframe your expectations". PsychCentral, November 18, 2021. <https://psychcentral.com/health/spending-holidays-alone-coping-tips>  "Single and Alone for the Holidays? 6 Strategies for Surviving and Even Thriving the Holidays Alone". Sally Connolly. Mentalhelp.net, December 19, 2011. <https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/single-and-alone-for-the-holidays-6-strategies-for-surviving-and-even-thriving-the-holidays-alone/>     Alex started his professional career in healthcare in Houston as an intern, where he got to be part of a big project at a large oncology practice and interacted with Doctors, Administrators, Nurses, and other cross functional teams. This ultimately led to a job there as a Contracting and Credentialing Coordinator. He moved from Houston to Phoenix and got an opportunity with a government subcontractor in the healthcare space. There he helped the organization oversee program compliance for a national hospital patient satisfaction survey. He moved from being coordinator to a Project Manager and wanted to get the formal certification. He had a colleague who had recently got her PMP certification and helped him connect with the PMI PHX study group. He earned his PMP certification in July 2021. The certification helped him land a new project management job with a tech start up in Scottsdale in early 2022. He credits the PMP certification for removing barriers to entry for such a role and believes it helped him to get the job he is currently at. He is grateful for the support provided by Marrisa Atkins, Bob Gates, and Conrad “Skye” Sandoval for helping him in his PMP preparation. The knowledge of budgeting, scheduling, and Agile Project Management which he learned during PMP exam preparation helped him in his new job and positioned him to stay on top of project activities. He became a volunteer at PMI Phoenix in 2021, as he was thankful for the support he received from the organization and wanted to give back and get involved. One initiative he volunteered for was the 2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Arizona Project Management Summit. He liked the idea of meeting and working with other project managers of all professional backgrounds to discuss timely industry topics and share and learn from each other’s experience. It was lot of work, but it was quite rewarding for Alex, and he definitely recommends other chapter members to volunteer at events like these to learn new skills and expose themselves to challenges and rewards. He is an enthusiastic fantasy football player, a Houston Astros fan and likes traveling and weightlifting in his spare time. He believes PM skills are relevant to any kind of goal setting, whether it’s saving for a trip or getting in shape – all goals are more likely to be obtained using some PM skills. He feels this is a fantastic way to practice PM skills daily.  His advice for chapter members who are thinking about volunteering is “There are a myriad of opportunities throughout the chapter. Whether you have an area of expertise you are looking to work in or want to branch out and try something new, you can find what you are looking for at PMI PHX.” His favorite destination to travel is New Orleans, as it has a great combination of food, culture, history and fun and is like Paris. According to Alex it has the best food in the country.   First Lego League is looking for judges to participate in the upcoming tournaments. The focus this year is “Masterpiece:  explore how the arts can teach us about how to communicate, how to engage and how to entertain an audience of any size”. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals.  Sign up    First Lego League is looking for judges to participate in the upcoming tournaments. The focus this year is “Masterpiece:  explore how the arts can teach us about how to communicate, how to engage and how to entertain an audience of any size”. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals.  Judge Responsibilities  As an Innovation Project judge, you will interview FLL teams (made up of 4th to 8th graders) and assess their process and documentation for developing a project solution. Teams will:  identify and research a problem   design a new solution or improve an existing one based on their selected idea, brainstorming and plan,  create a model, drawing or prototype of their project solution,  test and iterate their solution by sharing with others and making improvements based on feedback  Before teams leave the room, judges also serve as mentors to provide feedback to the team by communicating team strengths and areas that can be improved. Interested participants also need to complete the required youth protection background screening. In the event selection, there are several FLL tournaments to choose from. The specific tournaments needing volunteer judges are:  12/2 “Robotics Is For Everyone” at Chandler High School, 350 N. Arizona Avenue  12/2 at Metro Tech High School, 1900 W. Thomas Road  12/9 at Red Mountain High School, 7301 E. Brown Road  12/9 at Ridgeline 7-12 Campus, 39808 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem  12/9 at Microchip Technology, 2355 W. Chandler Blvd  12/9 at Thatcher Middle School, 1300 N. 4th Avenue  Logistics  Volunteers should sign up via the link: https://www.firstinspires.org/ways-to-help/volunteer/how-to-register?hsCtaTracking=4ed829f0-bfa9-4ba8-ad1a-7e3a471f7471%7C921f31dd-192e-466f-935c-1a284382f43b  Please note all judges and volunteers will need an account and acknowledge privacy and youth protection screening.  Reference the “Volunteer Registration User Guide” available on the site.  Send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor.  Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities.  Feel free to contact Nancy Okabe, Arizona Regional Judge Advisor (Nokabe1@cox.net) with any questions.    PMI Phoenix Social Good Team is holding a virtual and a PMI Phoenix Community coat drive in partnership with One Warm Coat and Arizona Housing, Inc. on October 1 - December 9, 2023. We need your help!        PMI Phoenix Social Good Team is holding a virtual and a PMI Phoenix Community coat drive in partnership with One Warm Coat and Arizona Housing, Inc. on October 1 - December 9, 2023. We need your help!    Donate coats to our drive! During October 1 - December 9, 2023 stop by and drop off gently worn or new coats*. All coats collected will be donated locally to our neighbors in need. Our goal is to collect 100 coats! Get all the details here: DROP ZONE MAP Donate dollars!  Every $1 donated warms 1 person - what an incredible impact!  You can donate directly to our coat drive and help us reach our goal of warming 1,000 people by clicking here:   www.onewarmcoat.rallybound.org/Member/MyPage/6486317/PMI-Phoenix-Social-Good  We hope you will support our coat drive and help us warm our neighbors in need. You can learn more about One Warm Coat by visiting their website at onewarmcoat.org. Share the warmth and donate a coat today.  Interested in joining us to give back to the community? We are recruiting volunteers to support our charitable work, and you can APPLY HERE to volunteer.  October 2023 Coat Drive Contact:   Meghan Booth *Coat can be defined as outerwear. This would include: coats, sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, scarves, hats and gloves  Ignite Hope benefiting Phoenix Children's Hospital is a candlelight walk for families and friends to bring hope and joy to the patients during the holidays - such a tough time for a child to be hospitalized. We are walking and fundraising for these kids and hope you will join us. Help us reach our goal to help the kids at Phoenix Children's.  Our team appreciates any donation you make.    Ignite Hope benefiting Phoenix Children's Hospital is a candlelight walk for families and friends to bring hope and joy to the patients during the holidays - such a tough time for a child to be hospitalized. We are walking and fundraising for these kids and hope you will join us. Help us reach our goal to help the kids at Phoenix Children's.  Our team appreciates any donation you make. Just click the support button to help me reach our team goal.  Every contribution to Phoenix Children's Hospital has a direct impact on our young patients. Donations from caring people like you make it possible for us to offer the very best medical specialists, cutting-edge technology, and family-friendly services without regard to the family's ability to pay. Thank you for investing in our life-saving work! About Phoenix Children’s HospitalIn 2023, Phoenix Children’s was named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals for the 13th consecutive year. The health system also earned recognition as the top children’s hospital in Arizona for the third consecutive year, and it is home to nine Centers of Excellence. For more information about the hospital, visit http://www.phoenixchildrens.org.   Event Day Details: GET READY TO SHINE YOUR LIGHT We’re reigniting the Toy Drive Drop-Off with Amazon at Ignite Hope. We encourage you to bring a new, unwrapped toy in its original packaging and take it to the Toy Drive Drop-Off tent hosted by Amazon. All donated toys will go to in-patient families at the Hospital this December. Not sure what to get? View the Amazon Toy Registry. We look forward to having you join us for Ignite Hope 2023. Here’s some important information to help you prepare for the event.   Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023 (rain or shine) Festival & Walk Start: North High School Baseball Fields1101 E. Thomas RoadPhoenix, AZ 85014 Schedule: 3:00pm - Festival 3:30pm - Thomas Road street closure begins 5:30pm - Walk starts 6:10pm - Holiday carolers program 6:35pm - Self-guided return walk to North High School Contact: IgniteHope@phoenixchildrens.com PARKING The Ignite Hope festival takes place at North High School’s baseball fields. Limited parking is available on campus through the entrance on Dayton Street. Additional parking is available in the surrounding neighborhoods. We ask that all Ignite Hope participants be respectful of the residents and the community. Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  I hope your summer was healthy and safe. Now that fall is almost here, so is our Arizona PM Summit! This extraordinary adventure is waiting for you, ready to show you how to bring more passion, joy, and fulfillment to your projects. PMI Phoenix, ASU PM Network, and PMI Tucson are excited to bring together incredible changemakers, leaders, and project professionals committed to helping you reimagine your future into reality. Get the skills to build a stronger future for yourself, your work, and your world. Engage with speakers, start life-changing learning experiences, and experience great networking opportunities September 29-30, 2023.   Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  I hope your summer was healthy and safe. Now that fall is almost here, so is our Arizona PM Summit! This extraordinary adventure is waiting for you, ready to show you how to bring more passion, joy, and fulfillment to your projects. PMI Phoenix, ASU PM Network, and PMI Tucson are excited to bring together incredible changemakers, leaders, and project professionals committed to helping you reimagine your future into reality. Get the skills to build a stronger future for yourself, your work, and your world. Engage with speakers, start life-changing learning experiences, and experience great networking opportunities September 29-30, 2023. Register here.  I have big news to share: Our Phoenix Chapter was selected as one of 17 finalists for a Chapter of the Year award – that’s out of the 300 PMI Chapters around the world! I am so honored to be part of this Chapter. This recognition from PMI demonstrates how our Chapter has committed to truly building opportunities for all our members to engage, learn, grow, network, give back, and support each other in our project management journey. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. It is all of us together that has made this a truly special Chapter that PMI has recognized. Regardless if we are selected as a winner for the award, just being a finalist is a true recognition and honor.  And the good news keeps on coming! We are 45 years old this year, so we are planning quite a birthday celebration. Grab your family and friends and join us at Enchanted Island in Encanto Park for a day of games, good food, and an opportunity to meet new friends. Register here. Let's also use this celebration as an opportunity to give back to the greater community that we are all a part of.  We will have a donation station for the charitable organization, One Warm Coat, to take any unwanted outerwear and accessories in good condition for those in need.  We just opened our Board of Directors elections. We have three outstanding candidates. Please take a moment and review their bios and cast your votes. It is through your participation that we continue to get such skilled and committed board directors to carry our chapter forward.  I wanted to call attention to the growing project management networks outside of the Phoenix metro area:   The Yuma Changemakers network has established itself this past year as the place to come to network and learn together thanks to the efforts of Andrea Jones to lead and coordinate that network. In addition, Yuma now has a site for certification testing!  The Flagstaff PMI Network launched August 17th as a gateway to a community of industry experts, aspiring project managers, and seasoned professionals and was launched and coordinated thanks to the efforts of Alison Conquest.  Plans are underway to launch a network in the Verde Valley and Sedona areas. If you are interested in helping support those new networks, contact Cynthia Ford at Cynthia.ford@pmiphx.org.  Did you know our Academic and Outreach Team is responsible for establishing working relationships with our academic partners, such as Arizona State University (ASU) and Grand Canyon University (GCU), and identifying ways to engage students and young adults in learning and growing their project management expertise? In addition to establishing these partnerships, this year the Academic and Outreach Team also:  Created a set of materials for volunteers and teachers to use in teaching students about project management. PMI Phoenix members should be on the lookout in a future newsletter on how members can access and use them in their child’s school or organization.  Promoted volunteer involvement in project management doctoral research by Arizona State University.  If you have any questions about these materials, the partnerships, or are interested in volunteering on the Academic and Outreach Team, please contact Steve Poessnecker at Steve.Poessnecker@pmiphx.org.   Finally, I wanted to share that our Finance Team has established an investment strategy to increase the rate of return on our CDs, providing the Chapter with more working revenue to provide more programming.  Watch our newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram, LinkedIn, and website for details on all these programs and events, along with much more. If you are interested in volunteering, click here.  To stay up to date on everything your membership provides you, keep an eye on our monthly calendar, as we add new speakers and events throughout the month.  Thank you for joining the PMI Phoenix Chapter. You are a valued member, and I want you to get as much benefit from your membership as you can.   Stephanie Hanko  2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Chair  Culture and behaviors are inseparable facets of human existence, intricately interwoven in the tapestry of societies around the world. As diverse as humanity itself, culture defines our beliefs, values, traditions, and customs, while behaviors reflect our actions, attitudes, and interactions. Within a professional organization, culture is the collective set of values, beliefs, behaviors, norms, and communication styles that define its identity and influence the interactions and work environment of its members. It sets the tone for collaboration, decision-making, and overall organizational effectiveness.  Culture and behaviors are inseparable facets of human existence, intricately interwoven in the tapestry of societies around the world. As diverse as humanity itself, culture defines our beliefs, values, traditions, and customs, while behaviors reflect our actions, attitudes, and interactions. Within a professional organization, culture is the collective set of values, beliefs, behaviors, norms, and communication styles that define its identity and influence the interactions and work environment of its members. It sets the tone for collaboration, decision-making, and overall organizational effectiveness.   So, how does PMI define culture? “Our culture is a community wide agreement of how we get things done, how we treat each other, and how we can all expect to be treated”. It includes the following important elements: How we collaborate with each other How we act What it feels like to volunteer or work with PMI Our mindset, behaviors, and attitudes At PMI, our systems and processes are WHAT we do. HOW we do them, the mindset and behaviors we choose, is culture. When we talk about organizational culture at PMI, we are talking about our communities of staff and volunteers, not the wider project management community.   What are the Culture Values and Behaviors at PMI? Make it Easy Aim Higher Be Welcoming Embrace Curiosity Together we can   Over the next several newsletters, we will delve deeper into each of these culture values and behaviors. Check out the PMI Culture Hub to learn more.   Katianna Pappas Volunteer Sptlight Katianna joined PMI about 7 months back and joined the chapter in Feb 2023 to connect with Project management Community and build her network of PM professionals. She became a volunteer in the Program team led by Derick Brownell and was instrumental in organizing the first in person event since COVID. The event had a great turn out with lot of industry leaders and Project Management community members, she arranged the ice breaker event to ensure all participants feel comfortable and connected. She studied health care innovation as part of her university degree program focused on health care policies and technology which shapes the innovation in this space and is very motivated by technological advances in health care space. She originally started off in IT recruitment, hiring IT NetSuite professionals and managing clients, which made her interested in IT, but wasn’t sure which aspect of IT she wanted to get involved in till she stumbled upon Project Management. She got a job offer to work on IT Projects along with business development opportunities with a health and wellness organization in the valley.  She has been in this role for almost a year and really likes managing and negotiating vendor terms and agreements. She likes the flexibility of designing scope and giving the projects shape and structure. She was surprised by how much she enjoys doing the Project Manager role and it motivated her to get the PMP certificate last week (Congratulations!). She finds PMI Phoenix chapter to be very welcoming for the new members and she found it easy to blend in with the community while she was studying for her PMP certification. When asked about her most rewarding experience as a volunteer she says “Seeing the success of our first in person event was a rewarding experience. I enjoyed being part of the process of planning and putting together an event that helped others build connections and community within the Phoenix Chapter.” Her hidden talent is Cooking! In her own words – “I come from a Greek family who loves to feed people. My dad taught me everything I know about cooking. I always have Tzatziki in my fridge ready to snack on or add onto any dish. Some of my favorite things to make are Lamb Shank, Tiropita, and of course Gyros.”   Her proudest moment in career was just past her first year at her previous company, she closed the largest deal in the office’s history! Her other passion is cars and watching Formula 1 racing, as she gets up early and stays up late to watch the races on TV and is planning to go to a Live race someday soon!   Calling All-Compassionate Volunteers: Join Us at Mom's Pantry on September 23, 2023! Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members, Are you ready to make a tangible difference in the lives of families facing food insecurity in our community? We are thrilled to announce that we are planning our second annual volunteer event at Mom’s Pantry and would like to extend an exclusive invitation to all members of the PMI Phoenix Chapter to join us on September 23! About Mom's Pantry: Mom's Pantry is a local non-profit organization dedicated to combating hunger and providing essential food items to those in need. Our mission aligns perfectly with the spirit of giving back that we cherish within the PMI Phoenix community. Since our inception, we have been at the forefront of the fight against food insecurity, ensuring that no family in our neighborhood goes without a meal.   Calling All Compassionate Volunteers: Join Us at Mom's Pantry on September 23, 2023! Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members, Are you ready to make a tangible difference in the lives of families facing food insecurity in our community? We are thrilled to announce that we are planning our second annual volunteer event at Mom’s Pantry and would like to extend an exclusive invitation to all members of the PMI Phoenix Chapter to join us on September 23! About Mom's Pantry: Mom's Pantry is a local non-profit organization dedicated to combating hunger and providing essential food items to those in need. Our mission aligns perfectly with the spirit of giving back that we cherish within the PMI Phoenix community. Since our inception, we have been at the forefront of the fight against food insecurity, ensuring that no family in our neighborhood goes without a meal.   Why Volunteer with Us? As professionals committed to excellence and making a positive impact, volunteering at Mom's Pantry offers you a unique and fulfilling experience. Here's why you should consider joining us on September 23: 1. Meaningful Community Engagement: This volunteering opportunity will allow you to actively engage with our local community and contribute directly to its well-being. Your compassion and support will make a real, positive change in the lives of families struggling to put food on their tables. 2. Team-Building and Networking: Volunteering together is an excellent way to strengthen relationships among PMI Phoenix Chapter members and foster a sense of camaraderie. This experience will provide opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals who share a passion for giving back. 3. PMI PDUs: For those seeking Professional Development Units (PDUs), volunteering at Mom's Pantry is eligible for Category E under Giving Back to the Community (up to 8 PDUs). This allows you to grow professionally while making a difference.   Event Details: Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023 Time: 9:00 AM- 2:30 PM Location: Mom's Pantry, 13440 N Cave Creek Road, Phoenix We are looking for 10 - 20 volunteers to join us!   How to Get Involved: To join us on September 23 and be a part of this meaningful initiative, please follow these simple steps: 1. Click the link here to sign up to volunteer. 2. If you did not volunteer at Mom’s Pantry last year, you will need to register on their website and complete a background check. Here is a link to the volunteer page on the Mom’s Pantry website: https://momspantryphoenix.org/give/ 3. Arrive with Enthusiasm: On the day of the event, come to Mom's Pantry with a smile and a heart full of compassion. We will provide a brief orientation before getting started. The PMI Phoenix Chapter has always demonstrated its commitment to making a positive impact on the community. Together, we can create a significant change and contribute to a hunger-free future for local families. Don't miss this chance to volunteer at Mom's Pantry on September 23 and be a part of something truly special. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us by emailing garet.burns@pmiphx.org. We look forward to seeing you there! Thank you for your generous spirit and willingness to make a difference. Introducing Volunteer of the Month for May 2023 Amy became a PMI member in 2015 and was part of PMI Chicago chapter until 2018 when she moved to the sunny state of Arizona and joined the PMI Phoenix chapter. She started her career as a process manager and moved through various career stages, including an extensive stint as Executive Assistant  to the C Suite leaders. She was always fascinated by the extensive breadth of a Project manager role as it lets her utilize skills like organizing and planning. She worked as a Project manager  in corporate where she worked with the Executive team, and worked on various high-level strategy projects like acquisitions, non-GMO strategy, structured processes, projects and programs, rebranding and systems implementation  . She is also very passionate about estate management and led the creation of a website called www.myestateneeds.com  where she created a checklist of important information helpful for anyone looking for estate management needs. She also wrote a chapter in a book called Wisdom of the Silver Sisters ~ The Last Gift.   For the last few years, she took a break from the corporate world to focus on personal well-being and other creative pursuits and she now feels ready to come back to the traditional corporate roles and is actively looking for opportunities. At PMI Phoenix chapter, she is a Mentorship Team Manager in Ken Goebel’s team since November last year. She got involved with the Mentorship Team and immediately made an impact. She used her strengths like creating the organizational structure in SharePoint; developing Excel database and pivot tables for all mentorship members; documenting and updating mentorship process (via Visio); Documented mentorship program process steps and actions, which helps run the activities of the mentorship function smoothly. Her advice to anyone looking to volunteer at PMI Phoenix is “If you want help support others and / or gain experience, this is a safe place to grow, learn and develop.  You have a whole group of like-minded individuals ready to support you while you are supporting others.  It is a wonderful community feel.” According to her she recently discovered her hidden talent “During covid, I learned how to make pie crust and now make pies and quiches.  The friends who have had my pie now call me “Martha Stewart.”  The friends who haven’t don’t believe it.  J “ The proudest moment of her professional life was when she got her PMP certificate.  Her company didn’t require it but supported her through the process.  She found a support group and learned how to study and take tests.  It was a journey of personal and professional growth for her.   She loves to travel and spent time in Europe when she was in her teens and has fond memories of various trips especially her time in Germany. Here favorite quote is from Alan Cohen – “It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.”  Hello PMI Phoenix, I (Dr. Emily Mertz) and my colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Castillo, with the Faculty Leadership and Integrative Studies at Arizona State University, invite you to participate in completing a survey as part of our research on sustainability in project management, A Pilot Study: A Multi-Scale Study of Factors that Enable and Constrain Sustainability Change and Green Project Management in Organizations. We are conducting a research study to: 1) explore how to operationalize sustainability in practice and apply it to specific projects; 2) bridge the disconnect between academic knowledge and practical need for tools, techniques, and methodologies for sustainability solutions; and, 3) develop a systems view of how elements at multiple scales (e.g., individual project managers, project management offices, and organizational culture, policies, and structures) intertwine to promote or constrain adoption of sustainable project management practices and organizational sustainability initiatives.   Hello PMI Phoenix, I (Dr. Emily Mertz) and my colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Castillo, with the Faculty Leadership and Integrative Studies at Arizona State University, invite you to participate in completing a survey as part of our research on sustainability in project management, A Pilot Study: A Multi-Scale Study of Factors that Enable and Constrain Sustainability Change and Green Project Management in Organizations. We are conducting a research study to: 1) explore how to operationalize sustainability in practice and apply it to specific projects; 2) bridge the disconnect between academic knowledge and practical need for tools, techniques, and methodologies for sustainability solutions; and, 3) develop a systems view of how elements at multiple scales (e.g., individual project managers, project management offices, and organizational culture, policies, and structures) intertwine to promote or constrain adoption of sustainable project management practices and organizational sustainability initiatives. Despite the emerging recognition of the importance of integrating sustainability and project management, there remains a lack of understanding on how to operationalize sustainability in practice and apply it to specific projects.  Your participation in this research study will allow us to assess this gap by identifying relevant factors at multiple scales to generate recommendations and a toolkit that facilitates the adoption of sustainable project management in various organizational types (e.g., private, public, nonprofit) within different industries.  This research could contribute to a critical gap in project management on how to operationalize sustainable project management theory into practice. Your participation in this study is voluntary.  If you choose not to participate or to withdraw from the study at any time, there is no penalty to you.  There are no foreseeable risks or discomforts to your participation. You must be 18 or older to participate in the study.  The anticipated time frame for the collection of the survey data is June 19 - July 7.  This survey will be followed with recruitment to participate in focus group interviews anticipated July 24 -August 11, 2023, depending on participant availability.  We expect that individuals will spend 15 minutes participating in the survey followed by a one-hour focus group (if you choose to participate) for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes for the proposed research activities.  If you are interested in completing this 15-minute survey to help advance research in sustainable project management, please follow this link to the survey. If you are interested in learning more about the study proposal or the research grant, please reach out to customercare@pmiphx.org for a copy. Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Boy, do I have a lot to report since my last letter to you in March: First, I want to share that this is now our 45th year as a PMI Chapter! We are actively planning a fall celebration to mark this milestone. Watch for more information about the event. We’re in need of an Event Project Manager and Event Coordinator to assist in planning this event. If you’re interested, see the details here.  In more exciting news, Shane Cretacci, our Past-Board Chair has received the 2023 PMI Chapter Leadership Impact Award. Shane served as the Board Chair during the pandemic period when multiple board director roles were vacant. While filling those responsibilities, he helped to successfully launch our robust social good program and partnered to participate in the PMI Xchange events. In addition, he implemented a virtual platform and multiple process efficiencies that enabled our chapter to provide member value during Covid. Help me congratulate Shane for his outstanding leadership and commitment to this Chapter!  Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Boy, do I have a lot to report since my last letter to you in March: First, I want to share that this is now our 45th year as a PMI Chapter! We are actively planning a fall celebration to mark this milestone. Watch for more information about the event. We’re in need of an Event Project Manager and Event Coordinator to assist in planning this event. If you’re interested, see the details here.  In more exciting news, Shane Cretacci, our Past-Board Chair has received the 2023 PMI Chapter Leadership Impact Award. Shane served as the Board Chair during the pandemic period when multiple board director roles were vacant. While filling those responsibilities, he helped to successfully launch our robust social good program and partnered to participate in the PMI Xchange events. In addition, he implemented a virtual platform and multiple process efficiencies that enabled our chapter to provide member value during Covid. Help me congratulate Shane for his outstanding leadership and commitment to this Chapter!  I again want to mention our partnership with the PMI Tucson Chapter and Arizona State University (ASU) Project Management Network to offer a two-day Project Management Summit this fall: September 29th will provide a virtual option, and September 30th will be an all-day in-person option. You can attend one or both, so mark your calendars and be watching for news on this exciting event.  We are working on infusing a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) strategy across the entire chapter in all that we do. We are committed to ensuring we proactively consider and evaluate how we represent and support all our members and volunteers. Help us make this a welcoming and inclusive chapter.  Our annual Board of Director elections nominations has just opened: We are looking for one Board Chair-Elect and three Board Directors. If you’re interested or want to see more about what this might mean, check out the details here. I began volunteering to grow my project management connections and community in the Phoenix area, and I have been rewarded with both personal and professional growth as a result. You never know what you can learn by taking on a new role or helping out on an event.  Did you know we have a PMI Phoenix Job Board and a link to the PMI Job Board? If you’re looking for a job in project management or have a job to post, check out these resources.  I also want to recognize the outstanding commitment of our volunteers. We are a volunteer-run organization, and I am consistently amazed at what we can do with volunteers who have only a couple of hours a week or month to help. Through our volunteers we have been able to offer exceptional programs and events, such as:  Three eight-week PMP Credential Study Groups each year to help people prepare for their PMP exam. Our last study group ended May 6th and the next Study Group begins July 8th. We are looking for both participants and facilitators.  Providing judges for the annual International Christian School STEM Competition April 22nd at Grand Canyon University – the competition provides STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) competitions for students in grades 7-12 at Christian schools across the United States and internationally. Our Academic Outreach volunteers work to establish relationships and collaborations with schools and universities to educate about project management principles. If you’re interested in helping, check out the volunteer opportunities.  Two Mentorship Programs each year – the last group graduated May 17th and our next one will begin this summer – it is continually growing, so if you’re interested in being mentored or being a mentor, be watching for the announcement.  Our monthly speaker breakfast meeting that routinely averages 100 attendees – the variety of speakers and information offered for professional development is always exceptional. Check out our past breakfast meeting recordings in our webinar library.  In-person networking events both in the Phoenix and Yuma areas, with plans to expand to other areas around the state. If you live in an area outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area and are interested in hosting a networking event in your area, please reach out to Derick.Brownell@pmiphx.org and Cynthia-Ford@pmiphx.org.  Partnerships with PMI Authorized Training Partners and the International Institute for Learning (IIL). These partnerships bring you valuable training and professional development opportunities.  Watch our newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram, LinkedIn, and website for details on all these programs and events, along with much more. If you are interested in volunteering, click here.  To stay up to date on everything your membership provides you, keep an eye on our monthly calendar, as we add new speakers and events throughout the month.  Thank you for joining the PMI Phoenix Chapter. You are a valued member, and I want you to get as much benefit from your membership as you can.   Stephanie Hanko  2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Chair  Andrea Jones has been a PMI member since 2020 and decided to join the Phoenix chapter last year as part of her preparation for her PMP certification. She has been working for the last 20 years in event planning and administration till she decided to go for PMP certification and got a job as a Project Manager which she really enjoys doing now. She is now leading multimillion $ projects which are helping her organization's growth plans.  Andrea Jones has been a PMI member since 2020 and decided to join the Phoenix chapter last year as part of her preparation for her PMP certification. She has been working for the last 20 years in event planning and administration till she decided to go for PMP certification and got a job as a Project Manager which she really enjoys doing now. She is now leading multimillion $ projects which are helping her organization's growth plans.  She is a volunteer in the membership team led by Milan Dordevic. As a membership manager in the Yuma area, she utilized her leadership skills and efforts to initiate and host two in-person networking events so far, with phenomenal responses and attendance of about 15-20 Project Management professionals each time.   According to her “I wanted to grow a PM community in my local community of Yuma, AZ, something I saw a need for and didn’t have so I decided to take charge and start the effort here with the support of our leadership in Phoenix.”    When asked about the most rewarding experience of this journey so far – she says her most memorable experience has been getting to meet and connect with other PMs in my community from various industries. Also rewarding has been helping to connect future PMI members with resources we have available that may assist them in their current or future PM role.   “As a volunteer I was participating in something bigger than myself and giving back.  That is rewarding “.   She has some words of wisdom for new volunteers based on her own experience so far - “Although I joined PMI Global, I didn’t really engage with PMI fully until I became a member of the local chapter then eventually became a volunteer”. She also recalls from her experience being patient with new initiatives, things sometimes look like taking more time but understand that it will happen - keep the faith and lean on team members as and when needed.    Outside of work and volunteering, she is an active member in the community, she is a mom and a soccer coach and loves to cook. She volunteers as a soccer coach for her daughter's soccer team. She is very involved in her daughters' sports activities and help whenever she can. She loves to travel and hopes to travel to Europe in near future.  Every year the PMI Phoenix Chapter holds an election for offices on the Board of Directors. The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board of Directors is responsible for:     Every year the PMI Phoenix Chapter holds an election for offices on the Board of Directors. The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board of Directors is responsible for:  Adhering to the Chapter’s mission and vision  Growing project management talent through professional development and volunteer opportunities  Delivering quality educational and networking opportunities and maintaining high quality technology through the website, newsletter, virtual access, and audio/visual presentations  Marketing the Chapter to earn new members  Creating strong external business and academic partnerships  Achieving the Chapter’s financial goals as a non-profit  Ensuring Chapter administration and governance aligns with PMI Global   Serving on the Board takes time and dedication but is very rewarding. As a Board member, you have the opportunity of expanding your skills and professional network while impacting the strategic direction of the Chapter, all while earning PDUs!  Board positions up for election are listed below; each position requires a two year term:  Board Chair Elect  Board Director (duties determined by the board)  Board Director (duties determined by the board)  Board Director (duties determined by the board)  Details of each position’s responsibilities can be found here in the Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities document.  How do I know if I qualify?  To run in the election, a nominee must:  Be a Chapter member in good standing at the time of the election  Receive at least three nominations  Agree to serve in the position for which I am nominated   How do I get nominated?  Any Chapter member in good standing may nominate another member   A Chapter member may nominate him or herself as one of the three nominations  Nominations are submitted by an e-form at Chapter Elections Nominations under Current Opportunities (scroll down to Call for Nominations at bottom of page).    What is the elections process for 2023?  The call for nominations begins May 1  PMI Phoenix Chapter Nominations Committee evaluates nominees May 1 - June 30  Nominee’s agreement to be on ballot  Resume submission  Panel interview from Nominations Committee  Nominations Committee confirm nominees and requests presentations in July   Ballot finalized by August 1  Nominee's presentation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members in August   Elections open September 1  Elections close October 1  Results presentation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members in October  Transition of outgoing board to incoming board (includes shadowing of outgoing board by incoming board) October - December  If you have questions, please email elections@pmiphx.org  “Volunteering is a selfless act, and seeking recognition should never be your goal. While I am humbled by this recognition, I did not expect it. Volunteering is truly an opportunity to give back for no other reason than to give.” These are the wise words of Dennis Kinton, volunteer of the month.  “Volunteering is a selfless act, and seeking recognition should never be your goal. While I am humbled by this recognition, I did not expect it. Volunteering is truly an opportunity to give back for no other reason than to give.” These are the wise words of Dennis Kinton, volunteer of the month.  Dennis has volunteered for PMI’s involvement with Future Cities Arizona and most recently was the Director of Future Cities Competition.  His role involved directing the Future Cities PMI portion competition and acting as a Judge for the competition. Work networking opportunities led Dennis to his volunteering: “Riley Sedam, the previous director of the future cities, asked if I wanted to volunteer, and I said yes :).”  Since then, he states that the rewarding part of the role is “being able to see the end results from the [student] teams and seeing how they put their project plans into action.”  Outside of PMI, Dennis in a multi-faceted individual.  From a continual improvement perspective, he is passionate about continuous learning in whatever form.  It can through official education or certification or even courses on linked in or YouTube. It becomes obvious that this comes from his heroes: his parents and his wife. “Through all my certifications and my education, I will never learn more than my parents taught me about life. And my wife has been the pillar that has held our home together as I have gone through school and sought certifications.” Dennis is currently celebrating his proudest moment of opening his own business. “Seeing my name as owner of Chuck’s Wagon Crafts was a moment I had always dreamed of but never thought that I could achieve.”  Dennis also has some fun sides, too.  His hidden talent is knowing how to juggle and make balloon animals, a talent he has yet to find a use.  However, he states, “but if my career as a project manager ever ends, I know I can always transition to the circus!”  And he ‘fessed up to being a huge Taylor Swift fan!  In conclusion we can learn much from Dennis’ philosophy: “Never accept mediocracy or allow others to limit your ambition. Your path is what you make it, and there are countless ways to achieve your goals.”  Christopher Downey has been a PMI member since 2017, but in the past year, has become a member and volunteer of PMI Phoenix as well.  He jumped in with both feet and volunteered as Future City Project Manager for the whole competition.  Christopher Downey has been a PMI member since 2017, but in the past year, has become a member and volunteer of PMI Phoenix as well.  He jumped in with both feet and volunteered as Future City Project Manager for the whole competition.  The opportunity caught his eye during the Pheonix Chapter new member orientation. Chris’ volunteer efforts have involved multiple months of work.  From August through January, he supported the Future City Competition Executive Committee with project management resources and planning; provided a brief presentation on project planning; and culminated on January 21st assisting in competition setup, orienting students and teachers to the site, guiding other volunteers on event activities, and coordinating with the awards & stage crews.  During that process, the most rewarding part was seeing so many of a younger generation applying STEM and Project Management. “Observing the time and effort these students put in to prepare for this extra-curricular competition exceeded my expectations.” When asked about what made the difference, Chris stated, “Volunteering for the local Chapter really expanded my networking with other professionals since I am relatively new to the Phoenix area. There are different kinds of volunteer opportunities within PMI-PHX that are not what you’d expect and putting yourself out there to support programs like these makes the experience fun to be part of.” Chris’ hard work is also evident in his work life. He is an Army veteran and now works for a high-quality, high-output wallboard and building products manufacturer.  His team is geographically dispersed and it is his intent to be always “adding value” everyday. Outside of work and volunteering, Chris has an adventurous side.  He states “My wife and I typically plan our personal travels based on the best food recommendations. Favorite foodie destinations for us thus far include Las Vegas, Austin, and Du-bai. We have had some great food so far in Phoenix and glad to accept recommendations from other Chapter-members.”  Chris resides in Casa Grande with his wife and two kids (ages 7 & 2). Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Spring is here and the Board has been actively working to design and enhance our service offerings for you. As part of these efforts, the Board met for an extended working session on February 25th at Nextiva’s beautiful new Training Center to finalize our 2023 strategic objectives, target performance measures, and operating budget. I wanted to personally thank Nextiva for providing us with their training center for this work, and they’ve kindly offered to continue to allow the Board to use their space for our working sessions throughout the year. It is through partnerships like these that we can truly support our members and work to bring you the best programs and membership value.   As a result of our 11-member strong board’s efforts, we have just been notified that PMI has approved our Chapter renewal – a key milestone that brings with it increased opportunities for collaboration and funding from PMI.  Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Spring is here and the Board has been actively working to design and enhance our service offerings for you. As part of these efforts, the Board met for an extended working session on February 25th at Nextiva’s beautiful new Training Center to finalize our 2023 strategic objectives, target performance measures, and operating budget. I wanted to personally thank Nextiva for providing us with their training center for this work, and they’ve kindly offered to continue to allow the Board to use their space for our working sessions throughout the year. It is through partnerships like these that we can truly support our members and work to bring you the best programs and membership value.   As a result of our 11-member strong board’s efforts, we have just been notified that PMI has approved our Chapter renewal – a key milestone that brings with it increased opportunities for collaboration and funding from PMI.  In addition to this achievement:   Our Social Good Program is just winding down its first quarter event – a blood drive. If you haven’t donated blood yet, be a hero and save someone’s life. It’s not too late! Click here to pledge your donation.  We had our first networking event for project management professionals in the Yuma area and are planning networking events for both the Phoenix area and other communities outside the Phoenix metro area. Watch our newsletter, Facebook page, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and website for more details as we get things finalized.  Our Mentorship Program more than doubled in size this last session and is winding down, so be on the lookout for more information about the next session.  Volunteers made a difference for students in the Future City competition as we helped our future technologists imagine a better future world.  We continue our successful monthly Breakfast Meeting with speakers as well as our well-attended PMP credential study groups provide ongoing professional development support and opportunities.   Looking ahead, we are busily planning a number of events. The biggest of which is a Project Management Summit this September 28 and 29. We are partnering with Arizona State University’s (ASU) Project Management Network and the PMI Tucson Chapter to bring you both a ½ day virtual event on September 29th and a one day in-person event on September 30th hosted on ASU’s campus. Both events will offer great speakers and opportunities to learn and grow while also providing networking opportunities and seeing the latest project management related vendor tools and software.   To stay up to date on everything your membership provides you, keep an eye on our monthly calendar, as we add new speakers and events throughout the month.  Finally, I want to thank all the volunteers that keep this Chapter running and offering so much to our members. This Chapter is run by volunteers, and we are always looking for volunteers who want to learn new skills and enhance their project management skills. We provide a safe, welcoming environment, and while volunteering you gain PDUs and can build your resume with diverse project management-related experiences. Click here to volunteer!  Thank you for joining the PMI Phoenix Chapter. You are a valued member, and I want you to get as much benefit from your membership as you can.   Stephanie Hanko  2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Chair  Be a Donor, Be a Hero. My family and I will always celebrate August 24th as the day I was given a second chance at life. With the help of Blood and Plasma Donors like you, along with the EMTs, Emergency Response Team, ER Nurses, Doctors and Surgeons, and my loving family, I am here writing this message and heartfelt request to you. Be a Donor, Be a Hero.   My family and I will always celebrate August 24th as the day I was given a second chance at life. With the help of Blood and Plasma Donors like you, along with the EMTs, Emergency Response Team, ER Nurses, Doctors and Surgeons, and my loving family, I am here writing this message and heartfelt request to you.   You never know whose life you could be saving. There are total strangers, many heroes out there who provided me with the 9 units of blood and doses of human plasma derived albumin that I needed to stay alive after a traumatic cycling accident.   While competing in the Bicycle Leg of the Chicago Triathlon in 2014, I was struck, head-on, by another cyclist who had lost control of his bike. The impact of his bike and helmet were taken mostly on my left side, throwing me off my bike and into nearby concrete barriers and curbing.   I don’t remember much except the initial impact, going airborne, hitting the concrete, taking a deep breath, and passed out. It was lights out for a long while.   Two weeks later, I woke up in the intensive care unit of Northwestern Hospital. My sister from the east coast was sitting vigil with me while my wife, two adult children and other friends were taking a rest from their constant oversight of my care. I had endured a 10-hour emergency surgery to reinflate both lungs, reconstruction of my left ribcage, stoppage of much internal bleeding, and during that time, receiving the life-saving whole blood donations and plasma to replace what I had lost. I had survived because of generous donors like you.   Our daughter, who was working in California, organized a special blood drive, with many of her friends donating blood on my behalf, to backfill the lifesaving donations I had received. These generous donors, along with many others provide life-saving whole blood and human blood derived therapies that save and improve lives. Will you be the one to save a life? Will you be someone’s hero? Click HERE to pledge Grand Canyon University is hosting the annual International Christian School STEM Competition on Saturday, April 22nd at GCU. Grand Canyon University is hosting the annual International Christian School STEM Competition on Saturday, April 22nd at GCU.  The competition provides STEM competitions for students in grades 7-12 at Christian schools across the United States and internationally.  Judges from industry are needed to evaluate team deliverables based on established judging criteria.   2022-23 STEM Challenges include: Aerospace Glider Rehabilitation Challenge: Biomedical Engineering Capture the Flag (Honeypot) Deep Racer Challenge Innovation in Service Onsite Design Challenge Robotics Thunder Lunch Software Development: Side Scrolling Game   Judges should expect to be at GCU on Saturday, April 22nd from 7:30 AM – Noon.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Judges should sign up by completing the form: https://canyonpd.org/icsc23judges  Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities.     If you have any questions, please contact the competition coordinator: Cece Bosma M.Ed. K12 Professional Development Manager | K12 Educational Development Grand Canyon Education 602-639-8073 Office | 480-415-5843 Cell | cecelia.bosma@gce.com   PMI Phoenix proudly presented Natalie Robert from Highland Lakes with the Best Project Manager award through professionalism, using project management methodologies and tools, and knowing how to keep her team focused and motivated This year's Best Project Manager award recipient was Natalie Robert from Highland Lakes.  Though the competition was fierce, Natalie appeared calm and confident. She indicated that the team wanted to learn how to work together "professionally" in going through the steps necessary to build a city. Natalie also candidly referred to challenges the team had with motivation and "burnout " toward the project's end. She further indicated that when this occurred, she took it upon herself to help the team regain their focus and remind them of what they wanted to achieve together. Dennis Kinton, PMI Phoenix Future City Director, (right) award Natalie Robert (center) with the Best Project Plan Award. When asked how the team kept organized, on time, and within budget, Natalie said using online tools like "office and zoom" were instrumental from a technical perspective to stay on track; however, finding motivation was a key factor for the completion of all phases. She felt making sure her teammates were still "happy with the work they were doing" was essential to get past setbacks. The example used was their challenge in cutting Styrofoam for the model. They found that many shapes cut were uneven and not to scale. So they had to cut them repeatedly. During these times, they needed to re-focus as a team and remember their original goals. PMI Phoenix proudly presented Natalie Robert from Highland Lakes with the Best Project Manager award through professionalism, using project management methodologies and tools, and knowing how to keep her team focused and motivated. Good job, Natalie! More articles about this year's competition: PMI Phoenix Gives Back During Future City Competition 2023 Regional Finals – Arizona PMI Phoenix Awards Future City Best Project Plan Award Each year, the Future City Competition provides middle school students the opportunity to showcase their vision of a “city of the future.” This year, students were challenged to utilize engineering and project management principles to incorporate climate change initiatives into their city’s design. The Arizona regional finals culminated on January 21, 2023, where PMI Phoenix Chapter members supported the Executive Committee with volunteers and judges connecting these up and coming project managers with real-world professionals. Each year, the Future City Competition provides middle school students the opportunity to showcase their vision of a “city of the future.” This year, students were challenged to utilize engineering and project management principles to incorporate climate change initiatives into their city’s design. The Arizona regional finals culminated on January 21, 2023, where PMI Phoenix Chapter members supported the Executive Committee with volunteers and judges connecting these up and coming project managers with real-world professionals. Congratulations to Team Bunjil from Mesa Homeschool Group for winning this year’s regional competition and representing Arizona at the national finals in Washington D.C. The 2023 competition kicked off in August 2022 with a launch event for educators and parents, where PMI Phoenix members provided project management tips and moderated a panel of experts to introduce this year’s challenge topic. From there, students prepared their project deliverables, wrote essays to codify their city’s design elements, and began preparing scaled-models to be presented at the regional finals competition. Throughout the year and the day of competition, PMI Phoenix oversaw the judging of the Project Plan deliverables. Dennis Kinton served as this year’s volunteer Director of Future City who led the judging coordination to determine the Best Project Plan and Best Project Manager awards. We would like to thank our volunteer judges for their support: Mark Plihcik, John Chico, and Edwina-Sampler Wright. Members of PMI Phoenix also supported the Future City Executive Committee coordination efforts. Steve Poessnecker, Board Director of Academic Outreach, and Christopher Downey, Project Manager to Future City, volunteered to support various planning initiatives leading up to the regional finals event. PMI Phoenix would also like to thank our other day of competition support from Chapter volunteers: Marcia Solochek for model moving and registration support, and Delia Van Heukelem for registration support. More articles about this year's Award recipients: PMI Phoenix Awards Future City Best Project Plan Award PMI Phoenix Awards Future City Best Project Manager Award Each year PMI Phoenix judges support the Future City competition to Arizona Schools by providing guidance and feedback to the teams. This year, our volunteer judges at PMI Phoenix have determined that the award for the Best Project Plan is given to Team Blue M&M from Arizona Virtual Academy.  Each year PMI Phoenix judges support the Future City competition to Arizona Schools by providing guidance and feedback to the teams. During the competition, each team is given four requirements to complete before the project deadline to be eligible for the best project plan award. These requirements include creating Project Goals, Project Schedules, conducting Project Status Check-ins, and completing a Project Reflection. This year, our volunteer judges at PMI Phoenix have determined that the award for the Best Project Plan is given to Team Blue M&M from Arizona Virtual Academy. Team Blue M&M excelled at completing the foundational elements of defining their goals for the project, showing excellent skills in forecasting their objectives, assigning team roles, acquiring resources, and providing fantastic project assumptions and risks. Dennis Kinton, PMI Future City Director, (right) presents the Best Project Plan Award. Schedules are a core component of any project. Team Blue M&M excelled in creating its project schedule by capturing tasks and critical milestones in an excellent Gantt Chart. Keeping a rigid task list of their remaining work and working as a team, Team Blue M&M was able to meet their Milestones and complete their project on time. One essential item that set Team Blue M&M apart was their thoroughness. Every requirement, task, and question was answered in length and in remarkable detail. All these items combined let the team do a fantastic job coming together to complete their original goals, earning them the best project plan award. Good job, team Blue M&M! More articles about this year's competition are here: PMI Phoenix Gives Back During Future City Competition 2023 Regional Finals – Arizona PMI Phoenix Awards Future City Best Project Manager Award Give back to schools by being a judge for the Elementary and Junior High Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair.  In-person judging occurs March 4.  PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community.  This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the Elementary and Junior High Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair.   The Paradise Valley Elementary and Middle School Science and Engineering Fair (Jr. PVSEF) is quickly coming up. From a judging standpoint, you will be judging the process and you do not have to be an expert in a particular scientific or engineering area.  The students greatly benefit from interacting with professionals and adults which will better prepare them to continue to complete research projects and compete at the next level. PMI Phoenix and the Fair Committee is very appreciative of your efforts. Details: The fair is in-person. It will be held on March 4, 2023, from 8:30 - 11:00 am. Judge orientation is from 8:00 - 8:30 am Each judge will be assigned 6-8 projects to judge. Project judging will be 10 minutes per project with 5 minutes between projects to finish digital judge forms (15 minutes/project). The awards ceremony will be virtual on Monday, March 5, 2023, at 5pm. Student awards will be sent to each school so teams can have their own school celebration. Winners of Jr. PVSEF move on to the state science and engineering fair (AZSEF) on March 30, 2023 (Projects must be registered by March 15, 2023)   Logistics Judges should sign up via the following link for PV Schools District Science Fair Judges Registration by filling out this Judge's registration form.  (The school is also asking that you please share this email or judge registration link with anyone else you think might be interested in being a judge.) List PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing (sixth field down on the form). Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities. If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org) or Pamela Fulk, STEM/CREST Coordinator for Paradise Valley Schools (pfulk@pvschools.net). This Valentine’s Day give a gift from the heart - donate blood and help someone in need today!    Join the PMI Phoenix Social Good team and the American Red Cross’ (ARC) virtual SleevesUp Campaign.  PMI members, family, and friends can register for an appointment anywhere in the US under our campaign to donate blood on behalf of the PMI Phoenix Chapter.   Let’s provide a lifesaving gift for patients in need! Our goal is to donate 100 pints of blood in the next 45 days. The campaign will be open starting February 14th to March 31st, 2023.    This Valentine’s Day give a gift from the heart - donate blood and help someone in need today!    Join the PMI Phoenix Social Good team and the American Red Cross’ (ARC) virtual SleevesUp Campaign.  PMI members, family and friends can register for an appointment anywhere in the US under our campaign and donate blood on behalf of Phoenix PMI.   Let’s provide a lifesaving gift for patients in need! Our goal is to give a minimum of 100 pints of blood in the next 45 days, campaign will be open from February 14th to March 31st, 2023.     Step 1 - Click this link: Phoenix PMI Sleeves Up Step 2 - From our American Red Cross campaign page click on the button  Step 3 - Enter your details in the window and click   Step 4 - The ARC website will provide location and appointment options to best suit your needs. You can donate wherever and whenever you'd like. Our campaign is live from February 14th - March 31st, 2023. To complete your appointment, you must create an account or sign in to your profile.   Step 5 – Take a photo of yourself donating blood and post on your favorite social media platforms using the hashtag #PMIPHXSocialGood  Step 6 - Eat cookies and feel good about the wonderful gift you have just given.    Donating blood only takes minutes but can make a lifelong difference for someone in need. One of our PMI Phoenix members will share their life-saving story in the next newsletter.  If you have additional questions, please refer to the American Red Cross FAQ page.   ear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Thank you for your support during the last elections process. I am excited and honored to be your incoming Board Chair. It is a daunting task to get up to speed, but I have an incredible group of Board Directors and volunteers to support me as I take on leading the Chapter over the next two years. I want to especially thank Shane Cretacci, our immediate outgoing Board Chair, and Cory Smith, our outgoing Past-Board Chair: both have been incredible mentors and are helping me during this transition. Please help me thank them whenever you see them in meetings or events.   Dear PMI Phoenix Chapter Members,  Thank you for your support during the last elections process. I am excited and honored to be your incoming Board Chair. It is a daunting task to get up to speed, but I have an incredible group of Board Directors and volunteers to support me as I take on leading the Chapter over the next two years. I want to especially thank Shane Cretacci, our immediate outgoing Board Chair, and Cory Smith, our outgoing Past-Board Chair: both have been incredible mentors and are helping me during this transition. Please help me thank them whenever you see them in meetings or events.   Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond is exciting! The board, along with 11 Chapter volunteers, attended the 2022 PMI Global Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada Nov. 30 – Dec. 3. I believe I speak for the whole group when I say we came away energized! Great information from such a variety of presentations from people and Chapters from around the world, as well as access to vendor product demonstrations and networking to meet new colleagues and reconnect with old ones.  Following this Summit, we developed a list of Chapter priorities and are working on our 2023 Chapter Objectives. Among our priorities is to pay special attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – so much so, we have identified a Chapter DEI Champion to make sure we are executing our Chapter responsibilities within a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Reflecting this already is the diversity of our 2023 board: we have a wide range of backgrounds, ages, cultures, and genders represented. I am also personally asking you to help us in this effort by letting us know if you do not see yourself represented or feel your voice or perspective is heard. It takes all of is to truly build a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.   Other priorities we have identified include maximizing partnerships across the State with academic, corporate, non-profit, and other business organizations. These collaborations are key to growing our PMI network and helping others learn and grow their project management skills. Finally, we want to continue to offer the great events and educational opportunities that you all value: whether it is through expanding our social good efforts with non-profit organizations, continuing to offer our highly effective PMP certification study groups, or growing our mentoring program, I know your incoming board is energized and excited to take on the challenges and support this great organization.  And of course, we want to continue to inform and educate about PMI offerings and new products, so we can help you stay abreast of changes in approaches, emphasis, tools, and credentials. We collaborate closely with PMI and align our objectives to support their stated objectives of: Broadening our Reach by sharing our knowledge, deepening our Impact by empowering people to make their ideas a reality, and Nurturing Lasting Relationships with others who share our aspirations.  Before I close, I want to mention what great opportunities we have for you to volunteer to learn new skills and enhance your project management skills in a safe, welcoming environment. This Chapter is run by volunteers, and you can contribute while also gaining PDUs and resume-building experiences. Click here to volunteer!  Thank you joining the PMI Phoenix Chapter. You are a valued member, and I want you to get as much benefit from your membership as you can.   Stephanie Hanko  2023 PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Chair    I would like to introduce you to Meghan Booth, our September 2022 Volunteer of the month. She became a member in June 2018 and started volunteering in January 2022.  Meghan Booth is a member of the Chapter Social Good and Membership teams; her motivation for becoming a volunteer was, "I wanted to become more involved so I could see how the programs worked together. Then I heard about Social Good and knew I could help the community."   In prior years and in 2022 Meghan was involved in Cushy Tushy (a diaper drive), Parent Teacher Organization, U13-14 girls soccer coach, West Wing Community, Ukraine Aid, Mom’s Pantry, Coat Drive, and the Turkey Drive. As you can see, Meghan Booth has a service heart for the community. "The most rewarding part of my volunteer service is the relationships I’ve created. I’ve met some extraordinary people through my volunteer ventures." Meghan's advice to new volunteers is: "the relationships you create by meeting new people are very rewarding. All have a vested interest in using their PM skills to better the world." Her motto: "it’s all about the experiences.  Change may be uncomfortable, but it will allow for the most growth."   Her proudest career moment was at a previous company: "We lost a major client. The employees who supported that client were either let go or provided the opportunity to support another client. My project was creating a better culture where the employees felt like they belonged. The project was a success and after it launched, one of the employees in this situation reached out to me to thank me for helping them feel valued by our company instead of discarded."   Meghan's heroes are her parents. "My mother and father came from two completely different backgrounds, one from Calexico (California) and the other from a small town in Illinois. Being an interracial couple in the 1970s was difficult, but they made it work. My parents taught me, you can understand who a person is by their actions, not by their visible features."   When asked why service was important to her, Meghan responded: "I honestly feel that another generation is watching us to see how we make things better. We are teaching others how to serve. You really grow as an individual, build another relationship or another cause. It's contagious like a yawn; other people see you do it and they 'yawn' too." While many people fear change, Meghan embraces it "Progress little by little until you embrace change. Change direction or find a new route, and you grow in your journey."   What aspect of project management most appeals to you? "It is the relationships and creative journey. In collaboration, you are not the only person who wants the end goal. As project managers, we need to emphasize the value that individuals bring to the team. If people are part of a team, they are part of the family with a vested interest. They share their thoughts and expertise,  helping influence the rest of the team." The Future City Arizona competition needs volunteers to assist with the model display and competition day.  The competition is a completely volunteer organization and this is your chance to see students present their ideas for the future as well as give back to the community. The Future City Arizona competition needs volunteers to assist with the model display and competition day.  The competition is a completely volunteer organization and this is your chance to see students present their ideas for the future as well as give back to the community. We need volunteers in the following areas.  If you would like to volunteer, please first register through https://futurecity.org/volunteer-registration/ and then contact one of the following people: Jeff Van Skike, jkvanskike@cox.net, 480-947-4646 Robert Cruthis, rcruthis@esdglobal.com, 480-341-8473 David Ellingson, ellingson@swgas.com, 602-763-0381 Model Movers What:  Volunteers will work to move the models out of the Burton Barr library and into a transport semi-truck.  Additionally, volunteers will need to meet the truck as ASU Prep to unload the models and put them on the tables in the designated setup area within the school. Number of volunteers needed: 8 - 10 Special considerations: There will be physical effort to carry and move models between locations.  When: Friday, January 20, 3 PM Where: Phoenix Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Registration Area What: The role of the registration volunteer is to check in all participating teams and hand out the registration packets. There will be alphabetical check in for Schools A-L and Schools M-Z as well as media, judges, VIP, and volunteer check in. Number of volunteers needed: 3 When: Saturday, January 21, 6:30 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, atrium in front of auditorium   Solutions Area What: Role of the volunteer stationed at the Information Booth is to both assist in the check in process of the teams and be an information liaison for the competition. The volunteer will need to be familiar with the competition and the regional management team. One role at the information booth is to provide directions to the various competition venues. This includes school registration, Semi-Final competition presentation rooms, media check in, volunteer check in, and general itinerary direction. Number of volunteers needed: 2 When: Saturday, January 21, 7 AM (Cafeteria meet for volunteer orientation), 8 AM in Media Center Room Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Media Center Room   Outside Room Monitors What: The role of the outside room volunteer is to ensure that people do not enter the competition room while the current presentations are in progress.  This ensures that the students doing the presentations can concentrate on giving their best. Number of volunteers needed: 6 When: Saturday, January 21, 7 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Cafeteria for initial meeting   In-Room Monitors What: The role of the in- room volunteer to 1) introduce the student team and instructions on the presentation, and 2) provide time-keeping reminders to the presentation team. Number of volunteers needed: 12 When: Saturday, January 21, 7 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Cafeteria for initial meeting   Results “Runner” What: At the conclusion of the judges’ results, take the results to the competition tabulation room.  Runners will be responsible for multiple rooms. Number of volunteers needed: 3 When: Saturday, January 21, 7 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Cafeteria for initial meeting   Award/Plaque Organizers What: Volunteers will work with the Competition Judging Committee and the Society Judging Committee to identify the winners for the different awards.  Volunteers will need to refer to the script and arrange the awards/plaques such that the awards can easily accessed during the afternoon awards presentation. Number of volunteers needed: 2 When: Saturday, January 21, 11:30 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Media Center for check-in   Elevator Monitors What: Each volunteer will serve as a sort of “traffic cop” for the models as they move from the display area to the individual competition rooms.  One elevator will be designated for models going up; one elevator will be designated to go down.  Elevators are limited in size and therefore the volunteer will need to ensure that only presentation teams are using the elevators. Number of volunteers needed: 2 When: Saturday, January 21, 7 AM Where: ASU Prep Academy, 735 E. Fillmore St, Phoenix, 85006, Cafeteria for initial meeting My Term as Chair ended yesterday, 12/31/22, and I will move to the role of past Chair for the next year and will still be on the board in that capacity. It has been a difficult tenure as president and different from what I thought I would be doing when I ran for office. We navigated the pandemic well and have emerged as a more vital organization. I am proud of the team that worked hard to maintain the chapter during the pandemic and all we accomplished.My Term as Chair ended yesterday, 12/31/22, and I will move to the role of past Chair for the next year and will still be on the board in that capacity. It has been a difficult tenure as president and different from what I thought I would be doing when I ran for office. We navigated the pandemic well and have emerged as a more vital organization. I am proud of the team that worked hard to maintain the chapter during the pandemic and all we accomplished.The board has been jam-packed with activity in December, and we attended the PMI Global Summit as a team with many volunteers and chapter members. We have five new board members, so we have spent a lot of time training and working on a strategy for next year. We have a fully staffed board for the first time in two years, and I am excited to see what this team can do.I recognize our departing board members, Cory Smith, and Chris Gentry, for their contributions to the chapter over the last few years. Stephanie Hanko will take over the chair position for 2023, and I look forward to her leadership. Also joining the board are newly elected board members Milan Dordevic, Derick Brownell, Cynthia Ford, Danielle Lee, Jen Lang, and Pitch Balasubramanian.As always, we are looking for new volunteers. We welcome you if you have a passion for project management and want to make a difference in the profession and your community. If you are interested, you can apply here: https://pmiphx.org/volunteer-opportunities. Stay tuned for more information from the chapter on new initiatives and upcoming events in 2023. I hope to see you at an event in the new year.HISEF is the traditional science fair and is one part of the overall Chandler Innovation Fair. Judging will be conducted remotely. PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the science fair. Judging is done virtually and all judges are provided with the appropriate judging information. ummary:   HISEF is the traditional science fair and is one part of the overall Chandler Innovation Fair. Judging will be conducted remotely. The Chandler Innovation Fair will be held on February 25th 2023 from 10 am- 3pm. The students who were selected as winners at HISEF will be given their award on this day.    When: February, 11, 2023 6:00AM - 11:45PM  Where: Virtual, https://www.cusd80.com/Page/97890, Chandler, AZ, 85224  Details: Hamilton Invitational Science and Engineering Fair (HISEF) is looking for volunteers to judge the elementary, junior, and senior divisions. The fair will be held virtually using the zFairs platform. The judging window is from February 11-19 and will be completed virtually as well.     Signup logistics: PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the science fair.  Judging is done virtually and all judges are provided with the appropriate judging information.    Volunteers will be able to choose which division and categories they feel most comfortable with. If you are interested in helping please fill out this google form. https://forms.gle/6T4TYSk28ENxqUWKA   List PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing.  Send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor.  Please track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities.  If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Shannon Prince, CIF Coordinator/7-12 Academic Coach, prince.shannon@cusd80.com, 480-224-3710   PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community.  This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals.   CIF is a joint venture between the Chandler Unified School District and the City of Chandler. There were an estimated 5,500 attendees last year more are expected this year. I would like to introduce you to Ken Goebel, PMP our October 2023 Volunteer of the month. In October of 2020, after retiring, for the second time, I was looking to give    back to my two professional passions, STEM and Project/Program Management.  I experience great satisfaction in seeing young students, Engineers and Project Managers, who are early in their careers, learn new skills and advance their potential.  It was my time to give back to the communities and professions that provided me great opportunities during my 44-year long career.    Ken had been a Global PMI member for the past 10 years but decided to join the Phoenix PMI Chapter 2 years ago in January 2021. He joined the Mentorship team as a mentor and the Social Good team. When asked what prompted his role in volunteering, he shared that he "spoke to our chapter leadership team and felt that it was a good time to give back and with their guidance, joined both teams."   In October of 2020, after retiring, for the second time, I was looking to give  back to my two professional passions, STEM and Project/Program Management.  I experience great satisfaction in seeing young students, Engineers and Project Managers, who are early in their careers, learn new skills and advance their potential.  It was my time to give back to the communities and professions that provided me great opportunities during my 44-year long career.      Over his career he volunteered in very diverse in capacity, with many organizations. These included, youth groups at church, marriage preparation dialog leadership, YMCA/YWCA Swim Team Official and Board Member, USA Swimming Official, International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers, PMI-Chapters, St. Joseph’s Providence Hospital Volunteer Coordinator, Organizations dedicated to Bicycle Safety and Triathlons, HOA Treasurer and Board Member.   When asked what has been rewarding about your volunteer service he elaborated that "I was raised by two wonderful parents who taught us all to give back to society, in the fields about which we are passionate and put our God Given talents to good use.  They set a great example, and we have followed in their footsteps.  My biggest lesson from volunteering can be summed up in saying, the volunteer receives as much, if not more, than those we serve.  I can say, with confidence, that through service to others, I have learned valuable life lessons, which carry forward in all that I do. Volunteer service to benefit others, has been highly rewarding.   If you are considering volunteering, Ken feels that you should "just do it, get involved.  Become a volunteer, either at PMI Global or our Phoenix Chapter. You will dive in, learn much about yourself, your profession and enjoy the process of giving back."  Ken Goebel has always been a Strong believer in Servant Leadership.  If you want to advance your career, first learn to serve the team and others.  In the right organization, this will be valued and appreciated.  “The first and most important choice a leader makes is the choice to serve, without which one’s capacity to lead is severely limited.”  -  Robert Greenleaf   Join us live December 15, 2022 12:00 Noon EST for a live Q&A   We will air the Keynote session of Pierre Le Manh, President & CEO of Project Management Institute (PMI). Followed by a Live Q&A with Pierre. This special one time event will be live online December 15, 2022 at 12:00 Noon EST.    Hosted by Leon Herszon, Executive Vice-President, Consulting, IIL.   $89 Registration also includes access to:   ·    5 other keynote videos including topics on Brain Health, Perception and Communication, and a must see NASA panel on Knowledge Management. ·    18 + other fantastic video presentations ·    2 complimentary on-demand courses (Instructions are in the "Resources" area) ·    Earn up to 26 PDUs and 26 SEUs ·    On-Demand access through February 2, 2023 Pricing:   Price: $89 per person If you cannot make Dec. 15, it will be recorded, and you can access all of this amazing content at your own convenience through Feb. 2, 2023.      Register Today      You may qualify for a discount:   Check if you are eligible for a corporate, government, healthcare, non-profit, or education discount.   Do I qualify?      Unable to view or access links? copy and paste these links in your browser, or try viewing off of your corporate network/VPN. Firewall settings may be blocking these pages.   Do I qualify for a discount?  https://form.jotform.com/IILGlobal/ipm-day-discount-eligibility   Learn more and register: https://www.learning-center.iil.com/courses/international-project-management-day-2022-8143   Submit a question for Pierre: https://form.jotform.com/IILGlobal/clone-of-questions-for-pierre-le-ma   Curious?  Please contact me barry.milhaven@iil.com to learn more or to request group rates for your team. I hope to see you online.    Special Forces Charitable Trust is excited to extend an invitation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members to the Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader's Words with Warriors Event.    This evening is an excellent opportunity to connect with local professionals while supporting Special Forces Green Berets and their families. Kick off the holiday season with a warm heart, full belly, and get your picture with our tactical Santa early! Come donned in your best (and maybe tacky) Christmas gear and get to celebrating the best time of year.                 Event Date:  December 1, 2022 at 6:00 pm                 Tickets available at:  https://www.classy.org/event/baders-words-with-warriors/e439051 For more information on Special Forces Charitable Trust, click the link below: https://www.specialforcescharitabletrust.org Special Forces Charitable Trust is excited to extend an invitation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members to the Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader's Words with Warriors Event.    This evening is an excellent opportunity to connect with local professionals while supporting Special Forces Green Berets and their families. Kick off the holiday season with a warm heart, full belly, and get your picture with our tactical Santa early! Come donned in your best (and maybe tacky) Christmas gear and get to celebrating the best time of year.                 Event Date:  December 1, 2022 at 6:00 pm                 Tickets available at:  https://www.classy.org/event/baders-words-with-warriors/e439051 For more information on Special Forces Charitable Trust, click the link below: https://www.specialforcescharitabletrust.org First Lego League is looking for judges to participate in the upcoming tournaments. The focus this year is “Superpowered: Explore where energy comes from and how it is distributed, stored, and used to work to innovate for a better energy future”. PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with this activity. First Lego League is looking for judges to participate in the upcoming tournaments. The focus this year is “Superpowered: Explore where energy comes from and how it is distributed, stored, and used to work to innovate for a better energy future”. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. Judge Responsibilities As an Innovation Project judge, you will interview FLL teams (made up of 4th to 8th graders) and assess their process and documentation for developing a project solution. Teams will: identify and research a problem related to improving the energy journey (where energy comes from and how it is distributed, stored and used) design a new solution or improve an existing one based on their selected idea, brainstorming and plan, create a model, drawing or prototype of their project solution, test and iterate their solution by sharing with others and making improvements based on feedback Before teams leave the room, judges also serve as mentors to provide feedback to the team by communicating team strengths and areas that can be improved.Interested participants also need to complete the required youth protection background screening. In the event selection, there are several FLL tournaments to choose from. The specific tournaments needing volunteer judges are: 12/3 “Robotics Is For Everyone” at Chandler High School, 350 N. Arizona Avenue 12/10 at Metro Tech High School, 1900 W. Thomas Road 12/10 at Red Mountain High School, 7301 E. Brown Road 12/17 at Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies, 6919 E. Brown Road Logistics Volunteers should sign up via the link: https://www.firstinspires.org/ways-to-help/volunteer/how-to-register?hsCtaTracking=4ed829f0-bfa9-4ba8-ad1a-7e3a471f7471%7C921f31dd-192e-466f-935c-1a284382f43b Please note all judges and volunteers will need an account and acknowledge privacy and youth protection screening. Reference the “Volunteer Registration User Guide” available on the site. Send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities. Feel free to contact Nancy Okabe, Arizona Regional Judge Advisor (Nokabe1@cox.net) with any questions.   Join us in our third annual St Mary's Food Drive. Its that time of year to help families celebrate the holidays! St. Mary's Fiid Bank is experiencing an enormous increase in the number of our neighbors seeing help - almost to pandemic levels. You can help them and yourselves...don't miss the opportunity to get an Arizona charitable tax credit for 2022. Check out PMI_Phoenix Chapter's team fundraising page for St. Mary's Food Bank (stmarysfoodbank.org) The drive will be open until 12/31/2022. Help us fight hunger! In Arizona, food insecurity is a problem 2 million Arizonans are faced with every year. Nearly 30% of our neighbors are considered working poor, living on wages that barely cover housing and other basic necessities.  But we believe no one should go to bed hungry. That's why we're teaming up to fundraise for St. Mary's Food Bank, an organization dedicated to ending hunger in Arizona.  Will you help us?  Support your community by making a donation to our team. The process is fast, easy, and secure. Together, we can find a way to ease the burden on our hungry neighbors.   Help Phoenix familes celebrate their gratitude this November!  Donate a turkey, or side foodstuffs by dropping items off at a refrigerated location below! Unable to make it to the drop off location, donate a Thanksgiving meal for $30 dollars online. Pack the Pantry Where:  Mom’s Pantry 13440 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022 When:  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 9am-1pm (Closed Nov 20th) OR Where:  13613 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85022 Nov 13th and 19th 9am-6pm Nov 14th - 18th 12pm-6pm Nov 20th 8am-12pm Instead of enjoying a bountiful meal, many parents will skip the trip to the grocery store to ensure they can cover rent this month. Donate a turkey, or side foodstuffs! Or donate a Thanksgiving meal for an entire family by giving $30 dollars online. Pack the Pantry  Where:  Mom’s Pantry 13440 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022 When:  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 9am-1pm (Closed Nov 20th) OR 13613 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85022 Nov 13th and 19th 9am-6pm Nov 14th - 18th 12pm-6pm Nov 20th 8am-12pm PMI Global has a retiree status for those who are no longer working in the profession. If you apply you will no longer need to obtain PDUs or renew your PMP every 3 years. There is no longer a $100 dollar processing fee to apply. Retiree membership is currently $65 dollars a year if you want to remain participating to grow the profession at the global level. Chapter membership is $40 dollars a year to participate and volunteer to give back. To apply for retired status, please review the policies and submit a confirmation to us by email (certification.ccr@pmi.org).  Once we receive the confirmation, we will process your request, update your certification status, and you will not need to earn or report professional development units (PDUs).  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Customer Care at 1 610 915 CARE (2273)    1. PMP Retired Status. PMP Retired status allows PMPs, who are retired, to remain within, and participate with, the PMI Certification Program. The PMP Retired is a retired status, and is not a credential for practice. 2. Eligibility. A PMP in good standing, who wishes to voluntarily relinquish his/her certification due to retirement, and who has abided by the PMP Code of Professional Conduct, is eligible to receive PMP Retired status. PMP Retired status is limited to qualified PMPs who no longer receive primary remuneration from practicing in the project management field and have been a PMP in good standing for the last ten (10) consecutive years. 3. Recognition and Participation. PMPs who receive PMP Retired status are entitled to receive recognition in the registry of PMPs, and eligible to participate in PMI Certification Program activities. 4. Use of PMP Retired Credential and Mark. PMPs with Retired status are granted permission to use the “PMP Retired” status designation, as directed by the PMI Certification Program. PMPs Retired are not permitted to use the “PMP” credential or related marks, unless they have returned to active PMP status, consistent with the terms of this policy. 5. Reinstatement to Active PMP Status. PMPs who have received PMP Retired status, and who return to active practice and wish to use the PMP credential in conjunction with their practice, are required to seek reinstatement of active PMP status. PMPs Retired who are within the PMP certification expiration date that was in effect at the time of status change to PMP Retired may have their active PMP status reinstated by paying all applicable fees at the time of reinstatement. PMPs Retired who wish to reactivate their PMP status and are within one year beyond their PMP certification expiration date, must satisfy the applicable Continuing Certification Renewal requirements, and provide required documentation. PMPs Retired, who are a year beyond the expiration date of their PMP certification, must satisfy requirements of the initial PMP certification process.We completed our chapter elections at the end of September. I am pleased to welcome six new board members to the board, and they will bring new energy and ideas to the chapter. We will introduce them to the membership during our annual all-member meeting on November 9th at 6 p.m. We will also review our performance this year to our yearly plan and take questions from the membership during this session. We completed our chapter elections at the end of September. I am pleased to welcome six new board members to the board, and they will bring new energy and ideas to the chapter. We will introduce them to the membership during our annual all-member meeting on November 9th at 6 p.m. We will also review our performance this year to our yearly plan and take questions from the membership during this session.   Our third social good event is underway this year with the One Warm Coat charitable foundation. I hope those that can participate by donating a coat or other needed apparel item will do so or join in the virtual drive by donating cash. One Warm Coat is a great cause and a worthy charity.   We are also in the second week of our last Study Group for the year. Study Group is an excellent way to prep for the CAPM or PMP test. If you know anyone preparing, recommend the chapter study group as a way to get started.   ProjectMasters Toastmasters has started hybrid meetings. They are now meeting in person at the Tempe Library and online. I highly recommend this group if you need to work on your public speaking. If Tempe is not convenient, then you can join the meeting virtually!   We have three significant events on the calendar in October. PMI Chapter Xchange: Project Management for Innovation, R&D, and Fuzzy projects Multi-Chapter Meeting | NASA's New Program Management Organization: Challenges and Forward Plans Daily Execution, Extraordinary Results There is still plenty of time to register for these events. Don't miss out on these opportunities! I would like to introduce you to Funke Ogundare, PMP (pronounced Funque), the September 2022 Volunteer of the Month.  She is being acknowledged for her efforts with on the Social Good team and established the partnership with Mom’s Pantry, coordinated the logistics for our Summer 2022 two events and attended both events to ensure a smooth execution. Funke volunteers at Mom’s Pantry twice a month, two Saturdays a month and has dedicated the past 8 years. When asked Funke what prompted her to volunteer, she responded quickly with “while studying for the PMP, I realized such opportunities existed, I’ve always loved and believed in giving back. I get to do what I love doing and earn PDUs. I also saw this as an opportunity to network and meet people I will have otherwise not met, so I saw this as a win-win.” PMI Global awards 25 giving back PDUs in every 3-year PMP renewal cycle. What Funke has found to be rewarding about her volunteer service? “The joy of serving my community. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a smile on persons face and know you had a part in putting it there.” Her message to other members considering chapter volunteer work, “Please find your passion and get involved, there is a great need.”  I don’t like talking about myself or selling myself, it misleads people about my capabilities when I demonstrate my skill. They are quite surprised by the number of skills I have in my toolbox. Funke has been mentoring when asked for help and recently produced a 1-hour video for the ladies in Nigeria interested in the information technology field.  What you might not know about Funke Ogundare is her love of family and that she owns and manages a gym in Nigeria. “My parents retired in 2015 so I found something for my dad to do and she later took it over since there is so much need in Nigeria. It’s another way to give back to the families. We use proceeds from the gym for the school’s sports programs and to help the community.” Funke Ogundare’s words of wisdom, “you have more time than you think you have, but it is important to not say yes to everything because then you would get burnt out. People need to jump in and make time for those things that are important to them. You have time for what you choose.” Help PMI - Phoenix Social Good Coat Drive  reach their goals!Every $1 donated warms 1 person! Drive ends October 23rd, don't wait, participate now. Donate Now Social Good Team – The Plight of the Homeless As of January 2020, Arizona estimated 10,979 people like you and I, experiencing homelessness each day, as reported by Continuums of Care to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Due to Covid, there were no counts taken in 2021, however as of March 2022, AZ News reported a 35% increase, over 5,000 more people experiencing homelessness since 2020. Why are we telling you this? The PMI.org Phoenix Social Good Team needs You!  We see a huge need in our community and will like you to join us to do our  part to keep some people warm this year.   What are we doing? The PMI.org Phoenix Social Good Team is partnering with  Arizona Housing, Inc. for a coat drive.  We will have two coat drives, a virtual coat drive to raise funds to address this plight, and a physical coat drive receiving winter outerwear to warm the challenged in our community. When will this take place? The coat drive will run from October 2-23, 2022. What is our goal? To raise $1,000 in funds in our virtual coat drive which will warm 1000 people, and to collect 100 coats in our physical coat drive  this fall to warm 100 more for a total of 1100 coats. How will this work? For the virtual coat drive, we would send out a web link to One Warm Coat to donate funds for this cause. For the physical coat drive, we are collecting outer coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, caps and scarfs for men, women, and children with drop off locations around the valley. zone map When will this take place? The coat drive will run from October 2-23, 2022. Help PMI - Phoenix Social Good Coat Drive  reach their goals!Every $1 donated warms 1 person!  How can you help? Consider helping us in one or more of the following ways: Donate your new or gently used coats, drop them off at the zone closest to you, or arrange for a pickup Donate funds to this cause, $1,000 will keep 1,000 people warm. Tell your friends and family to join us on this quest to warm the homeless this fall. Please share this information on your social networks and/or forward it to their email addresses. We appreciate your support!  The Future City Competition “is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future.” PMI Phoenix Chapter is proud to provide volunteers to support, judge, and mentor teams in the Arizona state regionals. The Future City Competition “is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future.” This incredible opportunity gives middle school students exposure to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) community and techniques used in the project management knowledge base. Teams of students compete regionally by submitting various deliverables, models, and presentations to STEM-based society judges. One team is selected to represent the state at the national competition in Washington, D.C. PMI Phoenix Chapter is proud to provide volunteers to support, judge, and mentor teams in the Arizona state regionals. The Future City regional coordination team and our volunteers kicked off this year’s 2022-23 competition with an in-person launch event. This is the first in-person event since the 2019-20 competition finals due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic. The event was hosted by regional coordinators Michael Andrews and David Ellingson at the Southwest Gas facility in Phoenix on August 27, 2022.      The Saturday event was a great mix of about 30-40 educators and volunteers, both new and seasoned members of the regional competition. During the event's first half, the coordination team recognized the societies that supported the competition in previous years, followed by an overview of this year’s competition dates and deliverables. The second half of the event was led by PMI Phoenix Chapter volunteers. One of our newest volunteers, Christopher Downey, provided an overview on the “Importance of Project Planning,” and our Director of Academic Outreach, Steve Poessnecker, moderated a panel of experts to introduce this year’s challenge question. Each year, students must address a particular challenge question within their designed city of the future. Last year, students had to imagine a future city located on the moon. This year, students must choose “a climate change impact, design one innovative and futuristic climate change adaptation and one mitigation strategy to keep [their] residents healthy and safe.” Feel free to follow this year’s regional competition at https://futurecity.org/arizona. If you are interested in how to get involved as a mentor or judge, contact the PMI Phoenix Future City Director at dennis.kinton@pmiphx.org or PMI Phoenix Future City Project Manager at christopher.downey@pmiphx.org. Today we open our Chapter Board of Director’s Election. Each member will receive an email with a link to cast their vote.  The election will run all month and end on September 30th.  We will send out a reminder each week to those members that have not voted. Every member has a right to determine who will sit on the Board of Directors.  The board determines the strategy and operation of the chapter, and through the election, you can provide your input on those topics. If you can’t find this email and want to vote in the election, you can do so at this address Today we open our Chapter Board of Director’s Election. Each member will receive an email with a link to cast their vote.   The election will run all month and end on September 30th.  We will send out a reminder each week to those members that have not voted. Every member has a right to determine who will sit on the Board of Directors.  The board determines the strategy and operation of the chapter, and through the election, you can provide your input on those topics. If you can’t find this email and want to vote in the election, you can do so at this address https://pmiphx.electionrunner.com.  Each member can log in and cast a ballot. To log in, you must use your primary email address from your PMI profile as your voter id. I have provided a screenshot below of my profile with the location of the email address under the Personal Information tab in the PMI dashboard. The Voter Key will be your PMI Membership ID number.  I have provided a screenshot below of my profile showing the location of the number. I hope you will exercise this important membership right and participate in the chapter's governance. PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for Mentors and Mentees for the Fall 2022 Mentorship Program!!   Nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of the PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to work together to further their project management professional development journey – whether serving as a knowledge transfer agent or obtaining advice and guidance from a seasoned project management professional. PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for Mentors and Mentees for the Fall 2022 Mentorship Program!! Nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of the PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to work together to further their project management professional development journey – whether serving as a knowledge transfer agent or obtaining advice and guidance from a seasoned project management professional.Come join this fall Mentorship Program as either Mentor or a Mentee. For Mentors, this is a great way to give back to the chapter. For Mentees, this is a great way to jump start your professional development and network with other project management professionals, and (of course) earn PDUs!The PMI Phoenix Chapter is proud to offer members the Professional Mentorship Program. This program is designed for project management professionals working in the field who need the short-term support of someone more senior. Mentees will engage with their mentor weekly for a few months, in an on-demand, unstructured setting to reach specific personal and professional goals. Mentoring may include a resume or LinkedIn profile review, a mock job interview, career advice, an individual development plan, and insights and recommendations on professional certifications to enhance your skillset.  Mentoring Requirements     Be available at least weekly to a paired Mentee to advise and counsel     Help set and achieve concrete, realistic goals     Create an open environment for working togethe     Communicate effectively and be empathic to how others are engaging     Provide encouragement     Facilitate learning     Give thoughtful, constructive, kind feedback and offer suggestions     Recommend resources and professional development opportunities     Maintain enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter Mentee Requirements: Be available at least weekly to a paired Mentor to learn and grow in project management skills and abilities Develop and achieve concrete, realistic goals Create an open environment for working together Listen to my mentor’s advice and guidance Be open about what may be getting in the way of my goals Be willing to try new things (webinars, classes, workshops, strategies) Acquire the skills needed to be successful in my professional development Maintain enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter If you have an interest, don’t wait! The Mentorship Program cycle kicks off now!   APPLICANT DEADLINE: September 16, 2022Mentors: Click here to apply.Mentees: Click here to apply. The 3rd quarter Social Good project successfully concluded with our August 13th event. Mom’s Pantry is a well-run, organized operation reliant on volunteers. Each distribution day over 200 families in need are served, regardless of income. Numbers of families served went up due to the shrinking ability for families to buy what they need due to cost increases. Items distributed are more than food stuff basics, it includes pet food, diapers and other household needs based uniquely on the family.   Our team packaged dry goods, assembled bags for both small and large families.  Distribution delivery included trips to their cars.   Mom’s Pantry was built on the bedrock of a single goal; that no man, woman, or child go hungry. Mom’s Pantry was created because a significant community needs to help families with their struggle against hunger. In Arizona, one in five families cannot provide enough food to feed the entire household. Our founders and donors have been blessed with food on their table and believe that no individual should ever have to go hungry. Through the collaboration and generosity of a local family and interested parties, the vision and mission to combat hunger brought Mom’s Pantry to life. Mom’s Pantry is always stocked and ready for the next visitor. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Mom’s Pantry aims to serve the community and distribute resources that will provide essential nutrition to adults and children. They certainly lived up to our chapter partner's expectations. I’d like to introduce you to Henry Jones, PMP a member of the technology team since February 2018. He has been recognized as our July Volunteer of the Month. His key contributions as a member of this team have been rolling out and supporting Office 365 which is our key toolset for communication and collaboration across the chapter enabling that we can operate well as a chapter volunteer organization.  Our conversation was looking at our projects in general and the importance and role that people, process and tools play in successful project management. Have the vision to identify gaps where technology can improve quality, efficiency or effectiveness for our members.  Every project is dependent upon people, processes, and tools and all three should be kept in balance. Any time that a tool is adopted, it will necessitate process changes or even elimination since processes that once worked perfectly may now be inefficient at best or error prone and costly for us as a nonprofit.  The irony is that if you do that successfully, you might practically eliminate the need for a Project Manager and put yourself out of a job, but that’s the right thing to do so you can move onto another challenging opportunity  When Henry is not working professionally in the cloud space and volunteering for the chapter he focuses on whittling down his extensive bucket list, being positive to others and taking road trips around Arizona, Nevada and California with my wife and my German Shepherd. Henry’s hobbies are enjoying music and video editing and production.  His goal is to get better on Guitar and Piano by taking online lessons. He also loves “tinkering with Web Development technologies such as Asp.NET, REACT, PHP and some low code - no code platforms such as Power Apps and Bubble IO.”  I discovered that he is a creative, innovative person who looks at things with an agile mindset.  Henry Jones shared his volunteer words of wisdom, “The chapter has a variety of departments and activities where you can get involved.  So, pick out something where you can lend a hand.  If it isn’t what you like find another department.”  Many of you may already know Frank Balogh, PMP since he has served PMI since the early 2000s. For those who do not, let me introduce you to our Mentoring Program Director, the June Volunteer of the Month.Frank’s journey started when the chapter developed and facilitated our PMP boot camp, and these materials were part of the foundation of what we know of as the Study Group today. From the beginning, he was a volunteer PMP test prep instructor, academic outreach resource, and presenter on project management trends and professional development. His passion was mentoring and sharing his knowledge. Many of you may already know Frank Balogh, PMP since he has served PMI since the early 2000s. For those who do not, let me introduce you to our Mentoring Program Director, the June Volunteer of the Month. Frank’s journey started when the chapter developed and facilitated our PMP boot camp, and these materials were part of the foundation of what we know of as the Study Group today. From the beginning, he was a volunteer PMP test prep instructor, academic outreach resource, and presenter on project management trends and professional development. His passion was mentoring and sharing his knowledge. His volunteer journey initially began by accident – “I was at a company where no manager was a PMP, and a new CTO came in and asked, “why do we have all these IT PMs who are not certified?”. Suddenly, I was quite popular. My manager at the time told me that I had a knack for presentations and mentoring and the PMI chapter had opportunities to grow this skill.”Over the years, he has been a presenter on PM topics, especially migrating one’s skills to non-traditional roles and adopting Agile and Agile at Scale practices and thinking. Frank Balogh has also worked with universities whose engineering students had capstone PM projects that needed advice from a practitioner. And he was one of the initial mentors in the San Francisco PMI chapter.When asked what has been rewarding about your volunteer service, he responded, “it’s been mostly to see people who could not initially see a path forward to their goals light up when they use something I’ve suggested, and then they can sort out a solution themselves.”Frank Balogh’s word of advice for new volunteers. “Don’t be concerned about being perfect or an expert. Use the volunteer experience to learn and expand your knowledge.”On a personal level, he likes cruises where he can have a chance to dress up and tie a bowtie. There is no driving or flying involved—his proudest moment “was when he finished his first sprint triathlon. For years I had seen people do this and thought it was something I could never do myself, and I broke down and cried in joy and wonderment after it was over.”An interesting bit is that he took ballet lessons. I had a traditional fencing coach in college who determined that we were not supple enough, so they sent us to classes. Years later, I joined her when my 5-year-old daughter came home from school and demonstrated a few ballet steps. Her immediate reaction was, “Daddies aren’t supposed to know these things!” I recently reviewed my LinkedIn Profile and noticed that my PMP credential there was expired. This issue was concerning because I didn’t want anyone to think I had let it lapse. I work hard to ensure that I have enough PDUs to renew each year, as all of us do, and I want it to show on my LinkedIn Profile. I soon realized that I hadn’t updated that entry since Credly acquired Acclaim. If you are unaware of PMI’s digital badge program, you can click on the link and read about it.I recently reviewed my LinkedIn Profile and noticed that my PMP credential there was expired. This issue was concerning because I didn’t want anyone to think I had let it lapse. I work hard to ensure that I have enough PDUs to renew each year, as all of us do, and I want it to show on my LinkedIn Profile. I soon realized that I hadn’t updated that entry since Credly acquired Acclaim. If you are unaware of PMI’s digital badge program, you can click on the link and read about it. A quick summary is that Credly, a digital credential network, manages the program. They allow you to share your digital certificate on social media, email, and websites. Embedding the credential this way into your LinkedIn profile will enable it to be automatically updated by PMI and Credly when renewed. The issue I had is my entry was from Acclaim and didn’t update. When I checked Credly, it was showing expired as well. They had not received my renewal info from PMI. I was able to email PMI badge support, and they fixed it the next day. I updated my profile with the link to Credly, and everything is now up to date. If you’re not using the digital badge program, you should. It’s free as part of your membership and lets others know about the certification you worked so hard to obtain. The chapter is still accepting nominations for the upcoming board election this year. If you or someone you know is interested, please fill out a nomination form here, and the election committee will reach out to you. We have a lot of events on the calendar and some great collaborations that will be announced soon for the fall. If you haven’t attended a PMI Chapter Xchange event, you should sign up for the one next Friday. The topic is Project Management for Supply Chain Management, and one of our members will be a panelist this month. It’s a timely topic and something that is affecting all projects. If you have any questions or suggestions for the board, you can contact us via the Contact Us Form on the website or email at customercare@pmiphx.org. It is no secret that our chapter runs on the hard work and effort of our volunteers. Every month we highlight the impact our volunteers have on our chapter and the Project Management profession. This month's volunteer spotlight is on our Elections Manager. Heather Cardosi, PMP is an excellent example of how the PMI Phoenix chapter supports the success of its members and how quickly our volunteers can make a difference in our community. Heather, stepped up after being put on the spot in a meeting to lead elections since there was no volunteer in this role. She has done a great job organizing 2022 and has offered a new perspective on marketing for candidates since nominations have been slow this year. Heather has risen to the challenge. Heather Cardosi shared that "responsibility and acceptance should be considered by everyone and we should embrace our differences. It doesn't matter what race, creed, or ethic background you are, what matters is that you are not hurting others. The story of your world is what you make it, dont be a douche. We make our story, we decide, we put forth that perception out to the universe. The world is the way it is because we put it there, people always complain that this is not the way the world works but we make the world. We need to put out the effort to make if better or the way we want the world to work." Heather's project management work supports a satelite heathcare for kidney diallis to provide better health and education so they do not get to to the medical state of needing diallis. She is an infrastructure group manager who supports the programs using a hybrid waterfall approach to shift the mindset to new ways and doing things. Her passion is to work on envionomental issues, perhaps with a non-profit to repair the damage caused by not using sustainable practices. She has a GPM-b (Certified Green Project Manager – Level B) whidh is the foundational, knowledge-based sustainability certification that supports the commitment of those in project management to maximize sustainability within the project lifecycle, to improve the construct and delivery of goods and services produced as project deliverables, and to use measurable standards to consider and account for social, environmental, and economic impacts in projects. Learning green project management basics and how you can apply it to any projects by not using the key points like impact should be the measure, money should not be the key metric. Profit might be less but the impacts would be thinking longterm for a better way of life like not letting our cell phones ending up in a landfill. This mindset can be applied to any project. Heather shared that "even when you fail, you are not a failure until you stop tring." As a kids hockey coach she teaches that we are here to have fun not to win we are here to have fun and if you fall down, get back up. You are not trying hard enough." This is a good lesson for all of us. The chapter is holding two in person events this summer in Phoenix, so beat the heat and join us. Spots are limited for July 9th and August 13th for in person working volunteers at the facility, so register now using the event calendar. If you cannot help in person, you can still support us by participating in the food drive. Keep reading for how to get involved. The chapter is holding two in-person events this summer in Phoenix, so beat the heat and join us. Spots are limited for July 9th and August 13th for working volunteers at the facility, so register now. If you cannot help in person, you can still support us by participating in the food drive. Keep reading for how to get involved. Mom's Pantry accepts donations for both food and money to help us meet our goals. Unless otherwise designated, 100% of donated funds are used towards the supply of food and hygiene items for distribution to our guests. No one in need is turned away. Facility and administrative costs are separately funded. Thank you for your interest in volunteering! We appreciate you taking the time to serve with us. Volunteers have the opportunity of packing bags, stock shelves or check in guests, and more. Volunteer hours are Saturdays 9:00 am – 2:30 pm. It is important to arrive promptly at 9:00 am as we have a meeting and discuss work assignments for the day. Mom’s Pantry is open to guests from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am – 1:00 pm on Sunday. We ask that volunteers stay until the end-of-day tasks are completed and until the last guest has been served and left the Pantry. Mom’s Pantry allows children 9 through 15 years old to volunteer with their parents or guardian. Ages 16 and 17 may volunteer on their own. All prospective volunteers must complete a volunteer application and consent form for their age or the age of their children. These forms can be found online. Application Release Form After you complete the first link above, anyone 18+ will receive an additional email to complete a background check if we do not already have a current one on file. Once the application and background check is approved, you will be contacted by Mom's Pantry, through Christian Life Outreach, which is a Qualifying Charitable Organization in the state of Arizona. That means you can receive a tax credit of up to $800 for contributions made to Mom’s Pantry using the QCO code 21059. Mom’s Pantry is a community food bank located at 13440 N Cave Creek Road in Phoenix, Arizona 85022. In addition to the 200 plus families we serve locally each weekend, we are also helping to supply food and assistance to The Phoenix Dream Center, Short Creek Dream Center, and Thrive, an organization dedicated to foster care prevention, reunification, and age-out housing programs, other food banks in the Phoenix area, and homeless events throughout the valley. Mom’s Pantry is a hub for food distribution throughout the valley. This September, we need your help to Feed Arizona through our 50/50 program. Our goal is to raise 50,000 pounds of food and $50,000 to feed those in need in the state of Arizona. Mom’s Pantry, through Christian Life Outreach, is a Qualifying Charitable Organization in the state of Arizona. That means that you can receive a tax credit of up to $800 for contributions made to Mom’s Pantry using the QCO code 21059. Food Donation List The following items are necessities and are handed out on a regular basis.These can be dropped off at the location on our event days to join us or you can make an arrangement with them directly at Give Help | Mom's Pantry Phoenix, AZ (momspantryphoenix.org). Canned vegetables Canned tuna or chicken Bar soap Canned fruit Canned soup Peanut butter Mac and cheese Toothbrush/toothpaste Rice Canned pasta sauce Toilet paper Shampoo/conditioner Bag/boxed pasta June 2022 Letter from the Board Chair We need you to run for a board member position! The chapter has opened the nominations for Board.  We currently have 5 Board positions up for nomination in this election cycle.  Those positions are posted on the chapter website on our Elections page.  The Chapter Board is an excellent place for project managers to gain experience in leading and managing an organization.  Many of our members would be excellent board members but have never thought they were qualified to do so.  So, what qualifications do you need to have to run for the board?   June 2022 Letter from the Board Chair We need you to run for a board member position! The chapter has opened the nominations for Board.  We currently have 5 Board positions up for nomination in this election cycle.  Those positions are posted on the chapter website on our Elections page.  The Chapter Board is an excellent place for project managers to gain experience in leading and managing an organization.  Many of our members would be excellent board members but have never thought they were qualified to do so.  So, what qualifications do you need to have to run for the board? To run in the election, a nominee must: Be a Chapter member in good standing at the time of the election Receive at least three nominations Agree to serve in the position for which he or she is nominated Any Chapter member in good standing may nominate another member A Chapter member may nominate him or herself as one of the three nominations If you’re interested in running reach out to our elections team.  If you think you may have an issue getting the three nominations required, then please reach out to elections@pmiphx.org. Let me answer some common questions about the board. What kind of commitment will this involve? Board members are expected to be actively involved and visibly present at a variety of chapter events as they relate to their duties. An elected board member can expect to spend up to 10 - 30 hours a month on their duties. It varies with the role. As a board member, you will have one or more teams that report to you and there will be additional meetings to manage teams and projects. In addition, elected board members must attend monthly Board meetings (approximately 2.5 hours), the annual strategic planning events (1 or 2 days), an annual Director meeting (half day), and monthly Chapter meetings. What are the benefits of serving as a board member? As a board member, you will have an opportunity to develop your own management, leadership, and project management skills. The Chapter will provide leadership development opportunities for its board members, which may include attending PMI Regional Meetings and PMI Global Leadership Institute Meetings (LIM). Being a board member provides you with great networking opportunities and of course up to 25 PDUs per certification cycle. I'm interested in being considered for an elected board member role, what's the next step? If you are ready to take the next step, please contact the Elections Committee at elections@pmiphx.org. The third annual 2022 Level Up is planned! ASU Project Management Summit, to be held on September 28, 2022. The ASU PM Network is hosting our 3rd annual Level Up! Project Management Summit on Wednesday September 28, 2022. This year’s summit will be held in a live virtual format via Zoom with moderated Q&A, hosted on the Aventri platform. This event will bring together faculty, staff, students, and the PM Network community who are interested in learning how to Level Up! their skills and careers as well as explore issues and trends related to the profession.   The 2021 ASU PM Summit had nearly 3k registrants.  Attendees from 58 countries and 40 of states joined the online event. This conference is open to professional practitioners from across many industries that are working in Project Management or related roles who are interested in learning how to Level Up! their skills and careers as well as explore issues and trends related to the profession. As a speaker, you will share your professional and personal perspective on selected topics with our community members.  Each session is 40-45 minutes in length with 15-20 minutes reserved at the end for Q&A, which will be facilitated by one of our conference committee members or volunteers. Our conference coordinators will ensure a smooth experience for speakers and attendees. Questions? Please contact pmnetwork@asu.edu As disruptive as COVID-19 has been, project management skills and expertise are still heavily in demand. The twelfth edition of Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey charts the salary landscape for project professionals. The report compares median salaries by country in US dollars.The report also shows median salary in US dollars cross-tabulated by eight major project management positions, years of work experience in project management, PMP status and project size. PMI members have exclusive access to the full report with detailed information, in local currency, about the 40 countries surveyed. Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey is perfect for empowering professionals and for HR, recruiters, and compensation committees who face tougher challenges to retain talent and wish to benchmark compensation. Download Check out our interactive Salary Survey Tool: View Tool Non-members can read the summary report. Download Report Features Salary data from more than 30,000 project management practitioners Responses from professionals in 40 countries A general listing of median salaries reported by country from highest to lowest Salary data cross-tabulated by demographic variables including eight project management positions (from entry-level project managers to senior executives in project management) Reported salary increases over the past 12 months and expected salary increases over the next 12 months Information on employee benefit packages This latest edition of Earning Power shows that survey respondents with a PMP certification report higher median salaries than those without a PMP certification — 16% higher on average across the 40 countries surveyed. Despite the impact of COVID-19, half of the respondents (50%) report that their total compensation (including salary, bonus, and other cash incentives) increased over the 12 months prior to completing the salary survey. Nearly one-quarter (22%) reported increases of at least 5% over that time period. Countries Surveyed Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. Key Demographics Country of employment Position description Years of work experience Years worked in project management Highest formal education level obtained Degree in project management PMP® status Gender Department/function Industry Number of employees in entire organization Average project team size Typical project budget PMI ® Global Megatrends 2022 Reveals Society’s Greatest Challenges Affecting Project Professionals’ Path Forward to Deliver Impact.  The report identifies six macro trends to help deepen understanding of how major developments reshape our world and impact the project management profession Project Management Institute (PMI) has released its Global Megatrends 2022 report, an analysis of the global forces significantly impacting society and the project management profession today. Global Megatrends 2022 helps project professionals understand the world’s rapid transformation and the global context in which they work so they can use projects to solve complex problems. “The world continues to see ongoing change and uncertainty, impacting our daily lives at home and work,” said Michael DePrisco, Interim President & CEO and Chief Operating Officer of PMI. “Our Global Megatrends report helps our community of project professionals understand the trend lines reshaping the future – from the climate crisis to the ripple effects of shifting demographics. To take on these challenges, project professionals must be dedicated to not only developing strong technical skills, but also cultivating an understanding of the broader strategic environment impacting their projects.” The report, which draws on trend data, primary and secondary research, and interviews with project managers in the field, elaborates on six critical demographic, economic, and social trends:  The impact of COVID-19 significantly amplified digital disruption, with organizations quickly adopting technologies to enhance customer service, improve project outcomes, and facilitate remote working. Purpose, innovation, and an eye on the future will continue to guide companies in a post-pandemic world.  Awareness of the climate crisis is prevalent in society, but action has been slow. In fact, just one-fifth of the world’s largest businesses have set net-zero targets. Sustainability practices will need to be built into every project and process if we are to counteract the most damaging effects of global warming. Demographic shifts like declining fertility rates and an increasing percentage of workers aging out of the workforce will push organizations to find new ways to alleviate worker shortages and close the talent gap, such as implementing equitable and inclusive policies to support age-diverse staff and attracting younger employees.  Economic shifts have exposed disastrous supply chain vulnerabilities and globalization setbacks. Rebuilding domestic supply chains proves difficult and time consuming, but globalization remains at historically high levels. With the right strategies in place, businesses can mitigate global supply chain risks and facilitate cross-border collaboration. Global labor shortages, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and The Great Resignation, are shaking up the workplace in new ways that have organizational leaders questioning how they can retain and attract talent. Organizations will need to create a successful retention culture, align on social impact initiatives, understand the importance of work-life balance, and provide greater recognition for employee contributions. Social protests continue and are expected to endure as drivers for social unrest spike. This is causing a growing desire among companies to set real change and collaboration in response to civil, civic, and equality movements, including true diversity, equity and inclusion programs that give everyone the same opportunity to contribute and grow.  As the future of work becomes more projectized, project-based skills are essential to helping professionals turn ideas into reality and overcome complex challenges. In fact, the recent PMI® 2021 Talent Gap Report states that the global economy will need 25 million new project professionals by 2030. Professionals with project management skills and a broad, global perspective of macro trends will grow in The Project Economy, where organizations deliver value through the successful completion of projects, delivery of products, and alignment to value streams. “The need for transformation is imminent, and individuals and organizations must fine-tune skills that drive change,” said DePrisco. “In today’s fast-moving environment, they must draw on a robust toolkit of capabilities to cultivate new ways of working and lead their teams forward.”  The complete Global Megatrends 2022 report is available on PMI.org here. Global Megatrends 2022 (pmi.org) We are looking for 5 courageous leaders to join our board!  Each position is for a two-year term, starting in January 2023. Details of the Board’s responsibilities can be found here Elections for PMI Phoenix Chapter Board Positions  We are looking for 5 courageous leaders to join our board!  Each position is for a two-year term, starting in January 2023.   Details of the Board’s responsibilities can be found here: Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities How do I submit a nomination?  Click here: Nomination Form   Where can I get more information?  Follow this link to the Chapter Elections webpage  What is the elections process for 2022?  PMI Phoenix Chapter Nominations Committee evaluates nominees May 1 - June 30  Nominee agreement to be on the ballot  Resume submission  Panel interview with Nominations Committee  Nominations Committee confirms nominees and requests presentations in June  Ballot finalized by July 1  Nominee's presentation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members in July  Elections open on August 1  Elections close on September 1  Results presentation to PMI Phoenix Chapter members in September  The transition of the outgoing board to the incoming board September - December      For any additional questions, please email elections@pmiphx.org   Meet Conrad Skye Sandoval, PMP, who was acknowledged as a volunteer of the month for his study group facilitation efforts.  I asked Skye what his preferred project management modules were, and he stated cost and risk. Project cost management is the process of estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs throughout the project life cycle, with the objective of keeping expenditures within the approved budget. Only 55 to 60 percent of projects manage to the approved cost budget when delivered.   While cost management is viewed as a continuous process, it helps to split the function into four steps: resource planning, estimation, budgeting, and control. They are mostly sequential, but it’s possible that some resource changes happen midway through the project, forcing the budgets to be adjusted. Or the variances observed during the control process can call for estimate revisions. —PMBOK® Skye Sandoval started volunteering the summer of 2020 for the study group after being a member of the chapter for five years. The areas he enjoys most is cost, managing the money and risk. His goals with volunteering are to meet people and to retain the PMP certification knowledge. He likes mentoring the small study group and was a trainer and mentor for the past ten years.  Skye is currently a mentee for scrum master and shared that “both the mentor and mentee gives knowledge in both directions like the hands of a watch. Skye describes himself as a visual learner so when he mentors, he tells them, shows them, and lets them try it. Basically, using all three types of learning to get the concept across. His emphasizes that “we are here to help each other. Together we can make a beautiful world if we all work together.” If you take the PMP journey, remember you must be like Steve Jobs, stay hungry and stay foolish. If you fail it will help you learn how to do things right. Skye shared that it can be painful, but it makes you strong. Everyone gets discouraged but keep going and don’t stop. I asked Skye how he manages projects, and his approach is to divide things into four like a box. The left side of the box is the most important, the right side is the backlog. I move things around in the box quadrants as the work and priority shifts. The bottom two boxes are to keep them in the forefront. “The box keeps it simple so I can build it like a pyramid and so I can see my day.” If you meet up with Skye Sandoval, you will realize that he is a free spirt and has a hippie mentality at heart. To relax he does yoga several times a week. He credits his mom, a geologist who took him to visit geological points around history for helping him realize that “it takes time to build something just like our 15 billion years on earth.” To sum him up he shared that “he has never met a stranger. I have traveled all over the globe and aways find something in common with them" I would like to introduce you to Tom Wilp, PMP, RMP, the March 2022 Volunteer of the Month. Tom is a valued member for his length of service and knowledge participating in the study groups. He’s an expert in the field of risk and does a great job informing study group members of the importance of planning for and recognizing risk.  A quick review of risk: an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on one or more project objectives. —PMBOK®  “Harry Hall states, if you say the word “risk” to ten people, each person may think of something different— insurance, threats, investments, bets, or potential loss. As we manage project teams, it's critical that you and your team members have a common understanding of what project risk means. Otherwise, people will be confused by your risk management efforts. The important thing is to obtain agreement with your team about how to define risk. Include the definition in your risk management plan.”  Another important factor is the project success criteria which refers to measurable terms of what should be the outcome of the project that is acceptable to the end user, customer, and the stakeholders. In other words, the project success factors consist of activities or elements that are required to ensure successful completion of the project. In order to deliver project value, the success criteria should be well defined. Make sure that the documentation of the criteria is done at the start of the project. Also, make sure that the success criteria are properly communicated to the team. The criteria should also reflect on the project deliverables through effective project planning and at the end of the day, the success criteria should not be regarded as a set-in-stone. Instead, the manager should strive to go beyond the success criteria and exceed the expectations of the clients. This is a sure-fire way to project success. Tom’s words of wisdom as a leader are the “first step is to understand the tools and techniques. Build your toolset up in both areas. I then assist them with guidance but i do not solve the problem for them. They need to work with the stakeholders and solve the problem for themselves. Keep the stakeholders informed, they need your project to succeed. Be transparent and do not hide stuff. You need to have the confidence to walk into the c level suite and have the conversation since they are normal people.” “i mentor and coach on risk management it is a different beast - this goes to all team members not just the project management office, it is a team effort. Execute risk management throughout the project not just at the start of the project. If the risks are not reviewed and each project team is at the same place on the projects, then elevate the company to continually assess risk. Risk management is often ignored or done at a lower level and not at the enterprise level. Challenge is to get stakeholders to spend time and money at assessing risk to save money proactively. Train your teams on risk management.” What you don’t know about Tom Wilp is his motto to play as hard as you work. He enjoys fishing, golfing, exercising and spending time in the outdoors. He is at the point in his career that he passes on his knowledge to develop the junior PMs, project expediters, and project coordinators “I will work until I stop having fun or stop enjoying it.” The Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), administered by the Society for Science since 1950, is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. ISEF is an annual forum for more than 1,800 students in grades 9-12 from nearly every state in the U.S. and more than 80 countries, regions and territories to showcase their discoveries and innovations on an international stage Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Specifics This year ISEF will be hybrid - and we are recruiting hundreds of volunteers and judges both in-person in Atlanta, GA (May 10) and virtually (May 4 and 5). Please see below the three types of volunteers needed.  Please sign up by April 29.Judges (in-person and virtual) Finalists overwhelmingly say that the most significant interactions that they have at the fair are with the judges. Requires either an advanced degree, or a minimum of six years related professional experience beyond receiving a B.A., B.S., or Master’s degree.Click here to learn more and applyInterpreters (in-person and virtual)ISEF is an international competition! All langauges are needed but in particular Arabic, Thai, Turkish, Spanish and Portuguese. The minimum time commitment is 4 hours.Click here to learn moreJudging Proctor (virtual only)Learn more about the projects, prepare the student competitor(s) for judging and provide adult supervision to ensure appropriate behavior during judging. Volunteers just need reliable internet access. The minimum time commitment is 4.5 hours.Learn More and sign upJoin us to help these top young scientific minds come together to showcase their talent and compete for nearly $5 million in prizes and scholarships. PMI Phoenix Specific Information Judges should sign up via the links above. List PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing. Send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities. If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Give@societyforscience.org   Letter from the Board Chair April 1, 2022 Arizona is transitioning from a pandemic to a post-pandemic, and so is the chapter.  The governor rescinded the state's emergency Covid order on March 30.  The chapter board had already planned on resuming in-person meetings, and we are working on the first in-person chapter meeting in Letter from the Board Chair April 1, 2022 Arizona is transitioning from a pandemic to a post-pandemic operation, and so is the chapter.  The governor rescinded the state's emergency Covid order on March 30.  The chapter board had already planned on resuming in-person meetings, and we are working on the first in-person chapter meeting in May.  To restart in-person meetings, we need to rebuild our volunteer teams.  We have had great success building out our Study Group, Mentor, and Social Good teams but not as many volunteers for chapter operations like events.   If you have the time and want to volunteer, please apply here. We have a social good initiative we started last week for the Humanitarian mission for the Red Cross in Ukraine.  If you can contribute to this campaign, please do so here.  We plan on implementing at least one social good project per quarter and hope to have an in-person project for the third quarter. We have two events on the calendar this month with ProjectMasters Toastmasters.  If you're not aware, the chapter sponsors a toastmaster's club where you can earn PDUs by attending the meetings.  At ProjectMasters, you learn what it takes to master the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking--while still having a lot of fun! ProjectMasters focuses on networking with other professionals, developing public speaking skills, giving and receiving constructive feedback, and enhancing your leadership skills. They are still meeting virtually, so it's a great time to test out a meeting. At the PMI Chapter Xchange Meeting on April 22, Christopher Gentry, a PMI Phoenix Board member, will be a panelist.   This month's topic is "The Great Resignation or the Great Rethink." Join the event for what is sure to be a great discussion. We have Miriam Spinner presenting "Positive Intelligence" at the breakfast meeting on April 29.  You can register for the event here. I hope to see you at one of these events this month or a future in-person event as we transition to those events. Global Research from PMI and PwC Reveals Attributes and Strategies of the World’s Leading Project Management Offices PHILADELPHIA, PA - 1 MARCH 2022 Project Management Institute (PMI) has released a series of three global research reports The report findings are based on a global survey of 4,069 individuals who are regularly tasked with leading or facilitating the delivery of projects, programs, and portfolios. The Top 10 Percent is comprised of 230 PMOs that outperform their peers by attracting and retaining talent, using innovation and technology to enhance measurement, and achieving greater influence and more successful project outcomes. These leading PMOs are more aligned with organizational strategy and are considered by executive leaders to be strategic partners. In fact, the Top 10 Percent outperformed organizations overall in 2020 across revenue, customer acquisition, customer satisfaction, and Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) indicators.  “Project professionals play a key role in driving economic growth and impact around the globe,” said Michael DePrisco, Interim President & CEO and Chief Operating Officer of PMI. “PMI and PwC’s extensive global research offers invaluable and actionable insights on how PMOs can increase both the value and influence of their work. By elevating the perception of project managers as strategic partners, PMOs can effectively turn ideas into reality and create lasting business results.” Narrowing the Talent Gap The first report in the series, Narrowing the Talent Gap, identifies the five capabilities that are critical to the successful delivery of projects: relationship building, collaborative leadership, strategic thinking, creative problem solving, and commercial awareness. The report finds the Top 10 Percent place greater emphasis on recruiting individuals with these skillsets and cultivating them through learning and development programs. They are also more likely to proactively navigate demographic trends and cultural shifts in the workplace, such as working towards increasing the diversity of candidates, upskilling young people in under-represented communities, extending recruiting beyond the area local to the role, and offering flexible working schedules. Measuring What Matters The second report, Measuring What Matters, examines how the Top 10 Percent have increased the number and variety of metrics, beyond the traditional scope, schedule, and budget parameters, to tell a more compelling story around project innovation and success. They ensure key performance indicators are fully aligned with the wider organization’s strategic goals, and they prioritize communication and transparency around projects with their C-Suite executives. The Top 10 Percent are also more likely to have invested in technology, including strategy execution management technology and benefit realization tools, that facilitates measurement and reporting. PMO Maturity The third report in the series, PMO Maturity, introduces the first-of-its-kind Global PMO Maturity Index, examining how often the most advanced PMOs perform a range of activities linked to value creation across five key dimensions: governance, integration and alignment, processes, technology and data, and people. The report concludes that the Top 10 Percent have an average maturity score of 94.9 out of 100, allowing them to have greater influence and impact in their organization and ultimately deliver more successful project outcomes. These PMOs create long-term value by pushing their scope beyond good governance, which encompasses the more “typical” activities of a PMO, and into areas like talent development, technology adoption, and strategic influence.  “Project professionals have a vital role to play as the world navigates ongoing change and uncertainty,” said DePrisco. “We increasingly see PMOs moving beyond the tactical execution of projects and performing a wider range of activities that drive strategic value for their organizations, as evidenced by this series of reports. To become a strategic partner within their organizations, PMOs must understand the attributes and strategies exhibited by the leading organizations highlighted in this research.”  About the reports In July and August 2021, PMI and PwC conducted a global survey of 4,069 people involved in leading or facilitating the delivery of projects, programs, and portfolios. The survey sample was wide-ranging and included individuals with formal project management qualifications and those with job titles such as project/program/ portfolio manager, as well as those in less formal project management roles, and initiative and workstream leaders. The executive viewpoint was also well represented, with the survey capturing 1,348 C-suite responses.The series of complete reports is available at https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership.  A major initiative for PMI is to give back to the communities it serves.  “As a for-purpose organization, PMI is dedicated to enabling changemakers worldwide to elevate their positive impact on society.  We believe that protecting our planet and protecting the lives of people worldwide is essential for creating peace and prosperity”. PMI Phoenix Chapter is working to expand our social good initiatives by partnering with other nonprofits to promote health and wellbeing worldwide.  The goal for this year is to partner  quarterly with  different nonprofit organizations (one each quarter of the year).  For the second quarter, we have chosen to support The American Red Cross and established our own humanitarian campaign.  Here is why:   Their mission, “The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors”, aligns with the goals of the chapter. Their inclusive vision: “The American Red Cross, through its strong network of volunteers, donors, and partners, is always there in times of need. We aspire to turn compassion into action so that:            All people affected by disasters across the country and around the world receive care, shelter, and hope Our communities are ready and prepared for disasters Everyone in our country has access to safe, lifesaving blood and blood products All members of our armed services and their families find support and comfort whenever needed In an emergency, there are always trained individuals nearby, ready to use their Red Cross skills to save lives. The American Red Cross works to deliver vital services- from providing relief and support to those in crisis, to helping communities be prepared to respond in emergencies. An average of 90 cents of every dollar spent is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need. “Everything we do depends on the needs of the people that we serve”. Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) scores The American Red Cross as 88.99/100, with a program expense ratio (percent of total expenses spent on programs and services it exists to deliver) of 90.2% and an impact score (actual impact on the lives of those it serves) of 100/100. As you can expect, The American Red Cross is actively involved in relief efforts in Ukraine.  Many of us have seen stark images of the toll the war has taken on those who live there.  Close to 3 million people have been forced to leave their homes to date.  The Red Cross is providing lifesaving aid to those in need- both in the country and in neighboring areas.  Refugees urgently need food, water, shelter, emergency medical care, and psychological support.  Red Cross volunteers are also planning to work to reunite separated families, provide food and other household items, and increase awareness about areas contaminated by unexploded ordnance.  More detail about how the Red Cross is helping amidst the devastation in Ukraine can be found here:  https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2022/ukraine-red-cross-delivers-aid-to-families.html The Red Cross urgently needs funds to continue to support its mission in Ukraine for whatever is needed most (blood, food, shelter, clothing, and refugee support).  To this end, PMI Phoenix is conducting a national virtual donation effort so other PMI members or concerned citizens can join us.  The chapter plans to match each dollar donated by members up to $500 so we can reach a goal of $ 5,000 together.  Donate Now PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for volunteers for the 2022 Nominations Committee!! As you know, nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of the PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to serve on our board. Come join this highly-visible and mission-critical volunteer team as a way to give back to the chapter, network with other volunteers, and (of course) earn PDUs! Call for Nominations Committee Volunteers  2022 PMI Phoenix Chapter Election    PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for volunteers for the   2022 Nominations Committee!!     As you know, nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of the PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to serve on our board.     Come join this highly-visible and mission-critical volunteer team as a way to give back to the chapter, network with other volunteers, and (of course) earn PDUs!  Nominations Committee  Needs 3 to 5 volunteers  Directly reports to Elections Manager  Is responsible for determining the eligibility and willingness of each Board of Directors nominee to stand for election.   Adheres to the established nominee vetting process, including defined role requirements for: chapter board roles, scoring rubric, and professional experience    Requirements    Available to attend virtual team meetings starting April 25, 2022 and complete the bulk of nomination tasks in May and June 2022  Experience conducting interviews  Strong verbal communications skills  Enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter  PLEASE NOTE: Once you become part of the Nominations Committee, the following activities will be disallowed for the current year: submitting nominations, supporting nominees, writing letters or speaking in support of any nominee, being a potential candidate, being a slated candidate or write-in candidate, or running for office.  If you have an interest in serving, don’t wait!  The election cycle kicks off in May.   APPLICANT DEADLINE: Friday, April 22, 2022  Please send your resume and brief summary of qualifications to the Director of Elections  Our February 2022 volunteer of the month, Mohit Goel.  He is being recognized for compiling our finance data into meaningful reports for the board of directors. Keep reading to learn of his journey from an IT project manager coder to representing the business.   Some of you may know Mohit Goel, PMP, from the days when we met in person. Others may only know him virtually as he heads up the finance as an AVP in the background because "he loves numbers, they speak the logic, numbers never lie." If you do not know him,  let me introduce him as the February 2022 volunteer of the month.  He is being recognized for compiling our finance data into meaningful reports for the board of directors. Keep reading to learn of his journey from an IT project manager coder to representing the business.   As the Associate Vice President of the Finance team, Mohit Goel describes his volunteer role as providing Financial information and strategic inputs to the various VPs so they can be more effective in executing their teams thereby elevating the effectiveness of the chapter. His words of advice to other volunteers is that "commitment is the key; you must find the balance to do the tasks assigned and help further the chapter and its mission. We have limited resources, and are trying to do more with less."   In conversation with Mohit, I learned that he spent his first seventeen years in Nigeria and considers himself an African which has given him a unique perspective.  His proudest career moment was preventing the wasteful spending of $28.6 M of taxpayer funds over a period of 8 years working in the US Public School system as an employee and management consultant. Those funds were diverted back to the classroom to invest in students, teachers’ compensation and raise academic equity.   Mohit Goel’s transition to representing business began when he completed his MBA. He started out in information technology and was on the receiving end of half-baked requirements and wanted to improve them. He became known as the person who would get answers to ambiguous development requests. “I was the bridge to a perfect handshake instead of a tug of war.”   Successful projects are characterized by less bureaucracy in governance arrangements and a greater focus on outcomes. The take-away message is that you should simplify everything about the project, and ensure that the business has the responsibility, accountability, and authority to get the job done. Gone is the excuse of "this is the way we have always done it" is not an adequate defense when senior management demands business improvement and best practice. There is almost always a disconnection between the ambitious objectives of the project and the demands of those at the management level face to ensure that "the system" is modified to reflect "how we work." The difference and importance of being a business project manager he realized were “the person driving the car is business, the engine is IT to execute. Projects fail because you want a Cadillac, and you need a Subaru.”         PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the science fair.  Give back to schools by being a judge for the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair.  Judging occurs March 28 – April 1, 2022. Give back to schools by being a judge for the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair.  The Arizona Science and Engineering Fair (AzSEF) is the state science fair for Arizona. Managed by Arizona Science Center, AzSEF brings together first-place winners from school, homeschool, district, county, and regional science fairs across Arizona to compete for thousands of dollars in prizes and scholarships.  Judging occurs March 28 – April 1, 2022. PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the science fair.  Judging is done virtually and all judges are provided with the appropriate judging information.  See AzSEF Judges Flyer for more information. PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community.  This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. Logistics Judges should sign up via the following link for Arizona Science and Engineering Fair: AzSEF: Judges & Volunteers | Arizona Science Center (azscience.org) Please note all judges and volunteers will need to create an account when registering, even those who served as a judge or volunteer in the past. List PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing. Send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities. If you do have questions regarding this, please contact azsef@azscience.org or Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org).     Did you know that our chapter reports back to Global PMI on volunteer and member participation in activities that impact our community? Activites can be seff-initiated or part of our larger Social Good and Academic Outreach Programs. Abhijit Ganguly was recently recognized for his participation in the Paradise Valley STEM Science & Engineering Fair, I asked him to tell us about his experience.    Abhijit Ganguly, our Director of Volunteer Management, was a member of the judges team.  He described the both the middle school and high school competition. "We have two hours of judging each group so it is four hours. In addition to that, studying the projects, scoring and paperwork is another four estimated hours to volunteer.   This has been a very rewarding experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The students came up with some very unique ideas that could save the environment, control pollution, ideas like rain water harvesting, preventing solar reflection, preventing effects of pesticides on bees, effects neon lights on brain, sea floor cleaning, degrading plastic, use of levitation and so on were very thought provoking. We all enjoy BBQ but never thought of CO2 emission from each grill, a simple trick can reduce the emission by > 30% . It was amazing to see these kids thinking so much and that they are concerned about the planet and its wellbeing. The projects were so relevant and made me rethink some of the things we take for granted.  I am so glad I got to be part of this."     PMI has long been best known to many for the PMP® certification, which remains a valuable differentiator for project professionals around the globe. PMI is the leader in project management and aims to empower people to make ideas a reality. Our strategy addresses the needs of our existing project management community and welcomes a new audience of global changemakers—a huge cohort of individuals around the globe who wake up each day to figure out how to drive sustained change in their organizations and communities for businesses, people and society overall.We also know that today’s project professionals and changemakers face an increasing number of complex problems that require new skills, capabilities and experiences to solve. And we are committed to continually refreshing our portfolio of offerings to serve these needs. As work is increasingly delivered through projects, more individuals will need to upskill and dive deeper into effective implementation. There’s a clear need that has gone unmet for too long—a single one-stop place for individuals to access resources that enable them to make change happen. Whether we call our vehicle for change a project, product or value stream, it nonetheless requires people skilled at not simply having great ideas, but delivering great results. Evolving Our Portfolio to Enable Deeper Impact In order to serve the diverse needs of project professionals and changemakers, we have expanded the offerings in our portfolio to meet stakeholders where they are, regardless of experience or industry, and help them gain the skills they need to create positive impact. These newer offerings act as doorways to improvement—essentially ways that individuals can turn ideas into reality: Kickoff: A free 45-minute online course and toolkit that covers basic project techniques and tools professionals can use to drive change forward using either agile or traditional approaches. Navigator: A free tool to help professionals determine the next step in their career development, including opportunities for a comprehensive self-assessment of skills, interests and goals, while offering action plans to achieve objectives. Disciplined Agile Certification Suite: A range of agile certifications designed to help professionals learn when and how to use different agile practices, with an emphasis on tailoring to the unique needs of a team or entire organization. PMI Citizen Developer™: The first of its kind, platform-agnostic suite of learning tools and resources for professionals and organizations seeking to implement and scale citizen development initiatives, which utilize no-code/low-code platforms as an agile but secure way of developing apps. Wicked Problem Solving: An online, interactive design-thinking toolkit, created in partnership with a leading industry expert that helps changemakers collaborate and define both problems and solutions as a group. Organizational Transformation Series: A series of online courses and micro-credentials dedicated to helping professionals learn how to drive and lead successful business transformations of various sizes. PMIstandards+™: A digital solution for instant access to PMI standards and practice guides, as well as how-to content and more—all tailored to industry, approach and goals. PMI Project Management Ready™: An early-entry project management certification available to those who do not yet have a high school diploma and/or may not have the experience and education required for our entry-level professional certification, the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® exam. Benefits of Broadened Portfolio Let’s break down some of the unique benefits of our offerings that can help supercharge a career. Deliver Greater Value – Today’s professionals need a variety of tools in their tool belts depending on their unique context and environment. Our offerings enable professionals to tackle and overcome challenges with a multitude of approaches. Whether someone needs to increase their fluency in agile or step up their business acumen, they can find an offering tailored to their needs, allowing for opportunities to deliver greater value to their business. Customized and Personalized – We believe that project skills are essential throughout life. We serve individuals at every stage of their careers, from students and newly minted professionals learning the ropes of effectively managing projects, all the way to seasoned veterans seeking to better understand emerging technologies and ways of solving problems. Our offerings are customized and personalized to the individual and what they need at the moment they need it. Ready for Anything – COVID-19 proved that professionals need to be prepared to expect the unexpected and tackle unprecedented challenges. Ultimately our expanding portfolio is focused on ensuring that PMI is the place where anyone can find guidance, tools, knowledge and perspective on how to address their next big challenge, whether it’s building a hospital in record time, converting a large-scale event to a virtual experience or launching a new product. Stay tuned on new ways that PMI will empower both project professionals and changemakers to turn all their biggest and boldest ideas into reality. This article was originally published on the Official PMI Blog.This year’s recipient of the Project Manager award was Team Estrella’s Project Manager Emma Kelly from Esmond Station.  She volunteered to be the Project Manager for this year’s competition because she is passionate about the Future City competition.  She has patiently waited year after year watching others compete.  This year, she wanted to prove to herself that she could drive the team to success and prove to her team/school that she would be an awesome Project Manager.She proved that she could be a good leader.  She listened to her team and pushed for teamwork.  She helped her team grow and work together harmoniously even when COVID-19 made it impossible for some team members to stay in school.  While some team members were in quarantine, she was faced with technology mishaps, but she still made a way for all minds to come together to continue to stay on schedule.  She wished she had the opportunity to speak with past Future City Competition participants to see what obstacles they were faced with and get help with obstacles they were currently facing.  Nothing could have prepared Emma for what COVID-19 had in store, but she was able to lead her team to complete their project on time.  Team Estrella earned awards such as the ASU Rob and Melani Walton Civic Design Award.  Congratulations, Emma Kelly, for earning this year’s Project Manager award.  Volunteers Provide Future Cities Teams with Feedback and Awards The annual Future City Competition for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students culminated in a highly successful awards ceremony held on February 5th, 2022. This year’s challenge was “A waste free future.” Students designed a waste free city utilizing the three principles of a circular economy: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. As in previous years, PMI judges also scored and selected recipients for two awards: Best Project Plan award, and Best Project Manager award. Our local PMI Phoenix volunteers led by Riley Sedam, provided expert guidance in project management processes for student’s project plans which ultimately culminated in designing and building models of their future cities. Our volunteers were comprised of Ronnie Watley, John Chico, Srinivas Kandala, Dennis Kinton, and April Hardeman-Crossan.  Judges reviewed, judged, scored, and provided written feedback to 61 student team submissions. Each year PMI Phoenix Judges support the Future City competition to Arizona Schools by providing guidance and feedback to the teams. During the competition, each team is given four requirements to complete in advance of the project deadline to be eligible for the best project plan award. These requirements include creating Project Goals, Project Schedules, conducting Project Status Check-ins, and completing a Project Reflection. This year, our volunteer judges at PMI Phoenix have determined that the award for the Best Project Plan is given to Team Antalya from Esmond Station. Team Antalya excelled at completing the foundational elements of defining their goals for the project, showing excellent skills in forecasting their objectives, assigning team roles, acquiring resources, and providing fantastic project assumptions and risks. Schedules are a core component of any project. Team Antalya excelled in creating its project schedule by capturing tasks and critical milestones. The team also met weekly to conduct project status meetings, where they reviewed completed work and addressed the upcoming tasks. Keeping a rigid task list of their remaining work and working as a team, Team Antalya was able to meet their Milestones and complete their project on time. One essential item that set Team Antalya apart was its ability to adapt to changes in its project. After discovering their model dimensions were out of scale, the team had to redesign some aspects of their project plan to keep them on schedule and meet their milestones. Changes to the plan were discussed as a team and documented in the project plan. The team did a fantastic job coming together to complete their original goals. PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for Mentees for the  2022 Mentorship Program!!  Nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of the PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to work together to further their project management professional development journey – whether serving as a knowledge transfer agent or obtaining advice and guidance from a seasoned project management professional.    Come join this Mentorship Program as either Mentor or a Mentee. For Mentors, this is a great way to give back to the chapter. For Mentees, this is a great way to jump start your professional development and network with other project management professionals, and (of course) earn PDUs!    PMI Phoenix Chapter is looking for Mentors and Mentees for the   2022 Mentorship Program!!  The PMI Phoenix Chapter is proud to offer members and non-members the following exciting, engaging, and rewarding mentorship programs, at no additional cost:   Professional Mentorship Program (members only) - This program is designed for project management professionals working in the field who need the short-term support of someone more senior. Mentees will engage with their mentor weekly for a few months, in an on-demand, unstructured setting to reach specific personal and professional goals. Mentoring may include a resume or LinkedIn profile review, a mock job interview, career advice, an individual development plan, and insights and recommendations on professional certifications to enhance your skillset.   Newcomer Mentorship Program (new members within last 90 days) - Are you new to the greater Phoenix area? We have an exciting newcomer mentorship program to connect you with another PMI Phoenix member and help welcome you to the area and give you a local project management professional contact! Mentoring may include: attending chapter meetings and webinars with your mentor (so you are not going alone), introducing you to other chapter and board members, and introducing you to local connections on LinkedIn. This is a great way to quick-start your networking!     Mentoring Requirements  Be available at least weekly to a paired Mentee to advise and counsel  Help set and achieve concrete, realistic goals  Create an open environment for working together  Communicate effectively and be empathic to how others are engaging  Provide encouragement  Facilitate learning  Give thoughtful, constructive, kind feedback and offer suggestions  Recommend resources and professional development opportunities  Maintain enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter    Mentee Requirements:  Be available at least weekly to a paired Mentor to learn and grow in project management skills and abilities  Develop and achieve concrete, realistic goals  Create an open environment for working together  Listen to my mentor’s advice and guidance  Be open about what may be getting in the way of my goals  Be willing to try new things (webinars, classes, workshops, strategies)  Acquire the skills needed to be successful in my professional development  Maintain enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter  If you have an interest, don’t wait! The Mentorship Program cycle kicks off now!   APPLICANTS: Mentors: Click here to apply.  Mentees: Click here to apply.  PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community.  This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals.   PMI Phoenix is requesting additional judges to assist with the Elementary and Junior High Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair.  Judging occurs February 22-27, 2022 with live video interviews February 28 – March 2.  Judging is done virtually and all judges are provided with the appropriate judging information.  From a judging standpoint, you will be judging the process and you do not have to be an expert in a particular scientific or engineering area. The attached flyer provides the request.   PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community.  This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals.   Logistics  Judges should sign up via the following link for PV Schools District Science Fair Judges Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUr42TkRDFMYkv-RRGwxqZE7QxQf9VUmZwanTEk9GH2Qt7Sw/viewform   Please list PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing.  Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor.  Please track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities.  If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org) or Phil Howardell STEM/CREST Coordinator for Paradise Valley Schools (phowardell@pvschools.net),  Arizona State DECA Career Development Conference needs judges for Saturday, February 26th, 8:30 am-1:30 p.m. DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) focuses on Marketing, Management, Finance, Hospitality, and Entrepreneurship for 9th-12th grades. As a volunteer judge, you will sit across the table from Arizona DECA's talented members and evaluate the knowledge and skills they have developed all year.  Arizona State DECA Career Development Conference needs judges for Saturday, February 26th, 8:30 am-1:30 p.m. DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) focuses on Marketing, Management, Finance, Hospitality, and Entrepreneurship for 9th-12th grades. As a volunteer judge, you will sit across the table from Arizona DECA's talented members and evaluate the knowledge and skills they have developed all year.  When: February, 26, 2022 8:00AM - 12:00PM  Where: Arizona Grand Resort, 8000 Arizona Grant Parkway, Phoenix, 85044  Please note that this is an in-person event. It is the sole responsibility of the volunteer to ensure their health and safety as well as to abide by the health and safety protocols established by the conference organization.  Logistics  If you are interested in judging one of the categories, please use the link to register: https://bit.ly/AZDECA-SCDCJudges   Please list PMI Phoenix for the field “Who referred you to volunteer as a DECA Competitive Events judge?”  Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor.  Please track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities.  If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org).  I'd like to introduce you to Riley Sedam, PMP who currently directs the chapter Future Cities effort. The board chose him as our January 2022 volunteer of the month. Riley started volunteering in 2020 as a judge and took over the leadership of the event this year. Riley Sedam was nominated for his role as PMI’s Future City Director.  In this role, Riley took the lead in working with both the Future City Administrators, our PMI volunteer judges, and teachers.  His coordination involved making sure that the students’ project management submissions were received and distributed for judging appropriately, as well as consolidating and sending feedback in a timely manner to each of the 62 teams.  There are multiple scoring elements that he had to coordinate for all the individual teams.  He leads the team in selecting a student for “Project Manager Award”, as well as “Best Project Plan Award” and is the representative for PMI Phoenix at the Future Cities awards presentation.   For the second year in a row, the project was virtual which enables the judges to focus on the detailed materials while still being interactive and engaging. The Chapter Future Cities program offers a service that other chapters do not, feedback to the participants so they can develop their project management skills. The observations provided assist in better project outcomes. Riley Sedam has worked for the government and spent ten years in the Navy. His mentors provided the insight to take a risk and that you have more to lose by not going for it. Riley currently works for Valley Wise Healthcare and his many projects have helped him identify that he could make a positive impact on the less fortunate, his community and to the patients.  Riley’s peers would describe me as “fun to work with, always willing to jump in and help since there is no I in team, organized and willing to mentor and share knowledge.”  I spoke with Riley and asked him what inspired him he gives credit to his ten years in the Navy. “I was able to see the direct impact I could make for others. “He thrives on providing service to others, mentoring whenever he can. “Life keeps going on and when I think about my purpose, it motivates me. “Riley’s hobby is to continually foster the mindset of becoming a better person by reading self help books to improve mental resilience and self-confidence. “He wants to become his best self and a strong attitude enables you to weather any storm.” Riley loves to travel and see new places. His time in Japan, Bali Indonesia and Hawaii fed this passion. Riley Sedam now wants to explore Europe. His spare time is spent outdoors, and he loves spending time at the lake with his family. His word of wisdom is to share your knowledge with others. Use the resources PMI offers and volunteer. “We are all here to help each other and utilize our community. So be ready and willing to help each other. Take the time to volunteer, it enriches your life and those you help.” Riley shared that he has learned a lot from the community, and they won’t let you fail. Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone had a good holiday break and the opportunity to visit with friends and family. The last year has been challenging and during that time the volunteers at the chapter have been laying the groundwork for 2022.  Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone had a good holiday break and the opportunity to visit with friends and family. The last year has been challenging and during that time the volunteers at the chapter have been laying the groundwork for 2022.  We passed new by-laws last year allowing the board to break out of old silos and become a more agile group.  We hope that this change will allow us the ability to respond quickly to the changing environment and needs of the chapter membership.  We will continue to work on this organizational change in 2022. We also elected several new board members and are in the process of finalizing our 2022 strategy with this new team.  Part of that strategy will include more efforts in the area of Social Good.  While this has always been a part of what the chapter does we are committing more volunteers and hours in this area. Are you wondering what is Social Good is?  Social good is something that benefits the largest number of people in the largest possible way, such as clean air, clean water, healthcare, and literacy. Also known as the "common good," social good can trace its history to Ancient Greek philosophers and implies a positive impact on individuals or society in general. It also provides the basis for charity or philanthropic work. Current and Ongoing Social Good Initiatives that the chapter has underway are our Future Cities participation and our Food Drive for St. Mary’s Food Bank.  We are looking to expand these types of initiatives in 2022.  In order to do that we will need volunteers.  We are accepting applications for volunteer work and our volunteer pool.  If you wish to participate in a future social good initiative, then please apply for our volunteer pool here to be added to the list. We also have some great events coming up in January and the rest of the year.  I hope to see you at an event soon. 1/12 - The Science of Planning a Project that #GSD 1/19 - Agile Straight Talk 1/26 - Transformational Leadership Program 1/28 - Breakfast Meeting: the project Management Journey Meet Alex Green who was recommended for the November 2021 volunteer member of the month. He was in the first wave of the 2021 study group this past spring and passed his PMP on July 16th. To pay it forward Alex then shared his story with the summer study group and has facilitated two stakeholder engagement class sessions since then. He’s truly an asset to our professional development team and we’re grateful for his experience with the upgraded test content and his willingness to lead study group class sessions.  Why did Alex engage as a volunteer? It was twofold, to give back and get something for himself as a lifelong learner. Alex Green shared, “I enjoy learning from the diverse and extensive experience of the other volunteer facilitators, and I wanted to contribute in an impactful way to assist PMP candidates to master the material and pass the exam. Getting to meet experienced project managers and learning how they’ve utilized PMBOK methodologies into their projects throughout their careers, has been invaluable.” Alex wants to build up his base and explore other industries and how they operated projects, so he has more tools in his toolbox. Alex looks to his hero mother for inspiration, Carolyn Green who is a seasoned PMP. He chose to become a second-generation project manager. He is amazed by witnessing her energy which is produced if you love are doing what you love what you are doing. His proudest moment to date is on presenting a communications project which helped overcome his fear of speaking, his recent marriage since he had to publicly speak his memorized vows and improving his verbal communication skill in general. He clearly is working on improving his perceived weakness by volunteering as a study group facilitator.  Alex Green’s long-term goal is to “find a way to repay the universe for all of the fortunate people and things that I’ve been blessed to have in my life.”  Which causes keep Alex passionate outside his career? Ensuring that LGBTQ and youth are empowered. “I was very fortunate to have supportive friends and family in my personal journey and feel everyone deserves to develop in a safe and compassionate space.” Communication as a skill was the theme of our conversation. It is difficult to herd cats to communicate a problem from the bottom up. A key component is to find out how departments interact and build a bigger picture of where you or your project fit and then to guide decision making based on functional areas of knowledge.  Alex wants to encourage others in my circle to pursue something, to continually learn and grow so you don’t get left behind by being complacent. The value you bring by personal learning and growing for your own growth to see if you can improve your value is immeasurable.  Finding out why are you unhappy is more of an art than a science, there is always growth and balance. School teaches you crazy skills but lack the science of the human skills. It is a factor in the great resignation, we need more of work life balance and personal time. So many people testing the waters to find that balance. “Corporate culture needs to support that balance rather than on the bottom line. Its not about money if all your needs are met - will that bring happiness to your life. If employers don’t adapt, they could sink.”  Alex Green’s advice to members who are on the certification journey, “The PMI Phoenix Chapter can be a great learning and networking resource for current and prospective PMPs with just a little time and commitment.” Volunteers needed who like to work with youth and apply their project management skills. You will have the opportunity to guide the development student skills with your feedback.   PMI Phoenix is requesting judges to assist with the Paradise Valley Science and Engineering Fair. Judging occurs starting on January 31, 2022 and will extend through February 10, 2022. Judging is done virtually and all judges are provided with the appropriate judging information. From a judging standpoint, you will be judging the process and you do not have to be an expert in a particular scientific or engineering area. The attached flyer provides an overview of the different science and engineering areas.PMI Phoenix Academic Outreach is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. This is an opportunity where we can provide educational mentoring and assistance to students so that they can get feedback from project management professionals. Logistics Judges should sign up via the following link for Paradise Valley Science Fair: https://forms.gle/rhc6xxj61AKsN8He9 Please list PMI Phoenix as the organization that you are representing. Please send an email to steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org to let him know that you are participating in this endeavor. Please track the hours that you spend performing your feedback responsibilities. If you do have questions regarding this, please contact Steve Poessnecker (steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org) or Phil Howardell STEM/CREST Coordinator for Paradise Valley Schools (phowardell@pvschools.net), PVSEF 2022 Judges RegistrationThe Paradise Valley Schools Science and Engineering Fair (PVSEF) will be held virtually this year. Judges will not be asked to travel to PVHS to judge projects as in past years. JAN 31 - FEB 4, 2022 - Judging of electronic presentation is remote and can be done at a convenient time to the judge. Each judge will get 6-8 presentation documents to score in advance of the interviews. FEB 8-10, 2022 - Live video interviews will take place online using Google Meet, generally starting at 5:00 PM. Judges will interview the same teams they scored on the presentations. All plans are subject to change. The purpose of this form is gauge interest in judging for this year's Fair. Please use this form to register for the Paradise Valley Schools Science and Engineering Fair. There is a choice to tell us you are interested but are not sure if you can commit at this time. We will follow up with all judges to finalize plans. If you know others who might like to judge, a link to this form is included at the end. Competition Detail Participants are middle and high school students enrolled in some STEM courses in Paradise Valley Schools. The majority of the high school students are enrolled in CREST, a four-year STEM program at Paradise Valley High School. Most of these students are 9th graders doing their first research project. There will also be some other CREST teams from the three strands, Bioscience, Engineering, and Computer Science. Winners from the District Fair will qualify to compete at the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair (AZSEF) The Fair is virtual again this year due to a safety issue with COVID Judging takes place in two stages: January 31- February 4-judges review and score electronic presentation documents that describe the project. Each student group will use a template so all projects have the same look. This review can be taken at any time during the week at the judge's convenience. Depending on how many judges we get, each judge will review 6-10 projects. Depending on the judge, each review takes about 10 minutes Judges will receive both the electronic presentation document as well as a "Quad Chart", a one-page synopsis of the project to orient the judge to the presentation. Judges only evaluate the presentation and not the Quad Chart. February 8-10 - Judges will conduct live remote interviews with project teams using Google Meet. We set up the Meeting Room, judges stay in the same room each night, and student teams rotate in and out of the rooms at the appointed time. Judges will have 10 minutes to interview the same teams they reviewed the week before. They will then have 5 minutes to complete any scoring not done during the interview. Teachers will host the rooms and be there to assist with technical issues. In the past, judges were assigned to one night of judging. All scoring will be done electronically on a Google Form. Cyber-attacks are now a commonplace. There’s not a day without at least one in the US. Cyber attackers are becoming more and more professional, and the first phase of a cyber-attack is seeking and getting information. Information becomes a gold mining for hackers to prepare an efficient cyber-attack. A project is producing a lot of the information wanted by the hackers: Concepts, architecture, technologies used, processes, organization, security levels and directives are gold for those people. Some of them are very sensitive and can compromise the solution. Imagine the following scenario: the White House opening a project for an Air Force One new generation, and there’s no security in the project. This means you’ll find the plans of the plane on the Internet black market, and so, Air Force One turned to vulnerable and become and easy and favorite target. The goal of the security is to classify and protect at the right security level on information against leaking and destruction. Information can be a document, a mail, a recording (audio or video), minutes, directory of the project, photos, etc. So as projects produce a lot of information, security start at that point. It belongs to each company to identify the accurate number of levels of security needed, and implement the security policies in the project. Security in the Project impacts the recruitment, the organization, the processes, the communication channels, the Project Information System, the right management, i.e. the culture of the company. All of this should be described in the Project Security Management Plan (PSMP). The PSMP is not connected to a project in particular but to a class of project. It proves that the company integrate the security in its culture and so, the PSMP becomes and input during an audit. It becomes also interesting for a provider company to add to bid answers the PSMP as an annex, to show their clients that now security is a reality in their company. Each level of security should be defined regarding a risk. The cost of a security policy must be less than the cost of the risk if it occurs. So the level of security can go from “unclassified” to “Top Secret” 1. Regarding the PMP, security is transversal and affect some of the knowledge area. So each level of security should be decline in the following PMP knowledge areas. Here’s some questions that should be asked when designing the project. Project Human Resource Management n Does the position needs a clearance? Which one? n Is there some exclusion criteria? For example, is American citizenship needed? Project Communication Management n Regarding the information and who should exchange it, should it be encrypted? n If so with which tools? Only the attachment or the whole mail? n Which category of people can see which information? And Why? Does this category of people can change the information (access to write) or only to read it? Can they forward it? To whom? Project Risk management n Do I have some threats, vulnerabilities on my project? Which ones? Project Procurement Management n Which level of project security does it have? n Is the level enough regarding our rules? n How to exchange information between us in a secure way? With which Interface? Theirs, ours? n Who is the Security Project Officer? Does he have one? Project Stakeholder Management n Does the identified stakeholder have the right clearance to receive communication, information about the project? n Which information, communication about the project can receive a stakeholder? n Is a stakeholder a security threat on the project? Project Scope Management Another point should be onboard on this subject: The Project Information System (PIS). The PIS centralized, concentrate almost all the information about the project. It’s a target for hackers to get information on the deliverables. Here too some question should be asked: n Should I use the IS of the company or one specific for the project? n Should I encrypt files, if so which ones? n Who can access to the PIS? to a specific directory or file n Are my backup encrypted? Where are they store? n Do I have a right management plan? Adequate processes to manage them? On another side, the PIS should be structured to easily apply the right management, and profiles should be defined to apply the Role based Access Control. Process should also be defined and implement to turn on or off this rights. Backups of the PIS must be integrated in the security perimeter under the view of stealing them. They can be the weak link. Their encryption is their only protection against stealing and so this option should be decided. All of this should be managed by a new position: the Project Security Officer (PSO). The PSO is a member of the project. It can be a role of a member regarding the size of the project, but it can not be the project manager. Security and project driving should be confronted. The missions of the Project Security are the following : n Check that the security policies are applied, n Aware each member of the project team to the security policies and the cyberthreats, n Produce the security dashboard and security indicators, n Identify security risk and manage them, n Identify security incident and manage them, n Support the team about security matters, n He reports to the CISO of the company Security is not anymore a dream or an option in a project. It’s now a reality. It must be taken in consideration in every project to be sure to not to have bad surprise (especially on the dark web) and have our efforts ruined… in a second. 1 Security Clearances - United States Department of State It is no secret that our chapter runs on the hard work and effort of our volunteers. Every month we highlight the impact our volunteers have on our chapter and the Project Management profession. This month's volunteer spotlight is no different.   It is no secret that our chapter runs on the hard work and effort of our volunteers. Every month we highlight the impact our volunteers have on our chapter and the Project Management profession. This month's volunteer spotlight is no different.   Alyssa Stricklan is an excellent example of how the PMI Phoenix chapter supports the success of its members and how quickly our volunteers can make a difference in our community.     PMI Phoenix VOTM and Intel Supply Chain guru, Alyssa Stricklan  If you want something done right the first time, you better call Alyssa. The first in her family to attend college, Alyssa continued the streak, accepting a job offer as a supply chain analyst with Intel immediately after graduating from ASU. Not one to stop learning, Alyssa then moved on to her next challenge – the PMP exam. "I'd be a lifelong student if I could.", Alyssa says as she starts to describe her experience studying for the PMP. It seems she has an order, "I enjoy the process and the focus on documentation and orientation towards detail."    She took her PMP training to heart. "Even while I was still studying for my PMP, I knew I was going to volunteer in some facet. I love giving back to the organizations and groups that help me." Then, in August, everything fell into place. "I kept an eye out for opportunities, and once I read about the academic content manager position, I know that's what I wanted to do!"    Alyssa joined the Academic Outreach team, where she was tasked with developing content for the Future Cities competition. As it turns out, Alyssa enjoys teaching as much as she does learning. The sole content creator for @Alyssa_SCM, a TikTok channel that teaches Supply Chain tips to other professionals, Alyssa used her skills to develop a simple presentation to teach 8th graders basic Project Management skills.     "I am so happy to have already been able to make tangible material that is being put to use and know that more is needed and will make an impact in the community. I am also overjoyed to be a part of helping teachers and universities learn and teach about project management to the next generations."    So what's next for the laser-focused chapter volunteer? She's currently transitioning to her new role as Supply Chain Solutions Engineer at Intel, something that seems perfect for a person with a passion for learning and acute attention to detail. She also likes to travel and find good reads to her home library of over 200 books. "I read a couple of hours each day." “I am constantly reading multiple books and buying more books. If there’s a bookstore, I’ll find it and come out with my arms full.” Her latest favorite? Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes.  Favorite travel destination? Italy.  “It’s the first place I went overseas, and I haven’t stopped thinking about every moment of being there nearly 10 years later. My love for travel and experiencing the world started there. Plus, the food!”    Alyssa on the hunt for books while on vacation in Italy!   Speaking of Year of Yes, Alyssa believes that everyone could find their volunteer opportunity with PMI Phoenix. "Absolutely do it! There are so many types of help needed and each person really can make a difference not just for the Phoenix chapter, but for PMI as a whole. The future of PMI is so exciting, and you could be a part of building and expanding that future." Here is to the bright future of one outstanding PMI Chapter member and volunteer! Thank you, Alyssa!   Active Military and Veteran Chapter Members Save 25% on the Following Certifications and Certification Renewal Fees WHAT IS THE PROGRAM? This limited-time promotion provides chapters with Military Initiatives to offer Military/Veterans and their families the opportunity to save 25% on select PMI e-Learning courses and PMI certification products. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Veterans, Military, and their Families. HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK? Step 1: You promote the program to your network, members & prospective members, utilizing the digital flyer, email & social media messages with images provided to enable military, veterans, and their families interested to email a designated chapter leader (perhaps the chapter military liaison) for details. If non-members reach out, we encourage you to offer a military guest passcode to allow for 1 free year of chapter membership. Step 2: The military personnel, veterans, and/or members of their family purchases product at the PMI site and use the code to receive the additional 25%. WHAT ARE THE PROGRAM BENEFITS TO THE CHAPTER? Opportunity to provide military, veterans and their families with additional savings in recognition of their Opportunity for the chapter to retain members and even acquire new Utilizing the chapter’s unique discount code will enable us to be able to provide you with data that will demonstrate your chapter’s military impact and influence.   Chapter Members Save 25% on the Following Certifications and Certification Renewal Fees Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)® PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)® Program Management Professional (PgMP)® PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP)® eLearning COURSES The Complete Agile Project Manager Effectively implementing agile practices requires grasping method- ologies, and fine tuning your team strategy. This 9-course series covers the full spectrum of essential aspects to successfully put agile practices into action. PDUs: 17.5 Introduction to Project Management This online, self-paced series provides entry-level information on each Knowledge Area of the PMBOK® Guide–Sixth Edition and will enable you to effectively put project management principles to work at your own organizations. Each module features a pre- and post-assessment, allowing you to measure your progress. PDUs: 23 Project Management Basics - An Official PMI Online Course Project Management Basics is the official PMI online course to build your project management skills and prepare for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® certification exam. Developed and created by PMI and validated by CAPM® and Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification holders, it is based on the PMBOK® Guide – Sixth Edition. PDUs: 23 Certification Maintenance Toolkit This self-paced Certification Maintenance Toolkit supports the professional development of PMP® and PgMP® certification holders so they are prepared to meet the demands of today’s complex business environment. The toolkit includes 49 video-based modules, hundreds of books, book summaries, videos, and other syndicated content. When you take this course, you’ll also be reinforcing key PM concepts, learning new best practices and becoming a more rounded Project Management Professional (and more attractive to future employers). PDUs: 30 Digital Intelligence Series Why do project professionals need digital intelligence? Digitalization is shaking every industry and disrupting traditional business management approaches everywhere. This self-paced series focuses on ‘Digital Intelligence’ and the skills you need to remain competitive in an increasingly digital environment. The objective is for you to develop a strong understanding of relevant digital era concepts, digital tools/systems, and the features, platforms, and tools associated with social technology. Set yourself apart by becoming a more proficient Digital Practitioner. PDUs: 26.5 Project Management for Beginners Project Management for Beginners is an introductory course which provides the foundational knowledge necessary to join a project team and can serve as the first step on your path to a project management career. Comprised of a selection of modules from our best-selling course Project Management Basics, this program will allow you to learn the language of project management and build confidence working in project environments. If you wish to continue your learning, the course contains a special offer to purchase the full Project Management Basics curriculum at a discounted rate.  PDUs: 4    Offer valid until 31 December for US chapters with military initiatives. Cannot be combined with any other offer. For details on terms and conditions, visit PMI.org/terms. Your Phoenix PMI Chapter is taking action to help stamp out hunger in our local communities by sponsoring our second annual Virtual Fund Drive for the benefit of the St. Mary’s Food Bank.  We are encouraging our members to help us in the effort during this unprecedented time of need by contributing any amount that you feel comfortable giving at  https://fundraise.stmarysfoodbank.org/give/t390061/#!/donation/checkout Your Phoenix PMI Chapter is taking action to help stamp out hunger and to give the gift of food to our local community by sponsoring a Virtual Fund Drive for the benefit of the St. Mary’s Food Bank.  We are encouraging our members to help us in the effort during this holiday time of need by contributing any amount that you feel comfortable giving at  https://fundraise.stmarysfoodbank.org/give/t390061/#!/donation/checkout. Inflation has exacerbated the already dire situation with hunger in the State of Arizona where there are now 1 in 4 children living in poverty.  Our PMI chapter has recognized the need to help address this situation by leveraging our partnership with St. Mary’s Food Bank to provide funds for this effort.  Your contribution will be instrumental in maximizing St. Mary’s resources by providing enough food for 7 meals with every $1 donated.  This means that your efforts will be multiplied by 7 and help stamp out hunger by feeding Arizona families.  Your charitable giving in 2021 may provide an extra tax deduction on your federal tax return or a credit on your State of Arizona income tax return. Arizona allows you to take a dollar-for-dollar Arizona Charitable Credit on your state tax return when you donate up to $400 for single filers or $800 for married couples filing jointly to a qualified organization. The tax credit was previously known as the Working Poor Tax Credit. Thank you for helping to alleviate hunger in Arizona! Last week was PM Week and as an event, we held our annual All Member Meeting on October 27th which is the business meeting required by the Arizona Corporation Committee to comply with our 501 (3)c nonprofit status.We presented our 2022 objectives, discussed what was accomplished in 2021, introduced the new board of directors and how we align to PMI Global 4.0. Objective 1: Improve Membership and Volunteer Recruitment Programs and Retention Strategy Objective 2: Increase Awareness of PMI Phoenix Chapter and PMI Global Product Offerings Objective 3: Broaden the Social Impact of the Chapter 2022 Board of Directors   I’d like to introduce you to Aaron Jang, a 2018 PMP, project manager who works in the healthcare technical space. Let's talk about his path to the PMP and his technical journey that let him to the project management field. He is being recognized as the September 2021, Volunteer of the month for his instruction efforts in the chapter study group. His educational background is in computer systems. Getting to know him you will discover he is a proud father of two and is passionate about cooking, nutrition and health. Aaron is passionate about the health and economic impact of poor nutrition caused by the sugar industry and convenience foods. His business advice is to be comfortable knowing that you could be incorrect, but that you need to make the best decision with the information currently available or you will never move forward. Read on to learn more about his path to project management. Aaron started his journey to become a project manager from a developer path and feels strongly that his technical skills, along with learning the project management skillset led to his nickname, “the fixer.” His colleagues would describe him as the person to call for help. Non-technical pms were causing a lot of noise amongst the development team and he came to the realization that it is hard to figure out technical problems while managing a project. “I got to a crossroads, it is very difficult to have a dual role, software developer and project manager. I did not want to water down both professions, so I chose project management. Fast-forward, my department saw the value of approaching problems from a technical perspective and I received more complex projects and the roadblocks led me to a formal PMP.”  Aaron expressed he would have been perfectly okay not taking the PMP and happy where he was at, but the study groups opened his eyes to the new tools in my toolbox and allowed me to be more preventative. “The Chandler study group instructors who I most admired were, John Robertson, who used his knowledge on how to study and then Tom Wilp, an expert on the risk management process opened my eyes to be more proactive to consider risks so you have multiple options and plans you can put in place.” “I liked that I was in a classroom sharing styles and sharing of industries and was impressed that you could have the answers before a problem surfaced by using the risk management process so I could think of these things beforehand.” Aaron Jang is happy to share his project management tips and is approached often with questions for but if they really knew what I was most proficient in they would ask me for cooking tips! To learn more on how to successfully integrate ERP systems, you need to explore project management from the perspective of Dev Ops and what it takes for project results, a current trend in corporate information technology. “Skills required for executing DevOps projects require you to be all in one, in technology and show good communication skills, leadership skills, collaboration skills and lead the team and also be a team player. However, the most important skill areas are dedication, interest, and passion,” Star Agile. CHARLES SEYBOLD agrees that the days of the siloed project manager and “skilled” development team are becoming a thing of the past, thanks to the increasing complexity of dev projects.  That said, project management doesn’t happen magically, and it would be foolish to assume that just because someone is a skilled developer, they know how to manage a project. The most critical skills needed for this type of project are: Estimation and Scheduling, the estimation of a completion date triggers many other teams to perform their functions across the company and you need to sequence the work in the correct developmental order. A work breakdown schedule is essential Critical Communication, as a team, it’s essential to keep the lines of communication open for project updates. This includes having strong interpersonal skills, namely the ability to maintain clear team communication across the technical development and collaboration; complete document reviews and have succinct interactions about project deliverables and expectations. Ensure document sharing with searchable capability so team updates are enabled, and so there are no excuses for missed or mixed messages. Problem-Solving of issues still need to treat problem-solving as a skill that should be continuously strengthened so they can be dealt with efficiently before a situation spirals. Risk Management is another key to being proactive with agreed upon options that can mitigate the issue if an event occurs. It allows for the most realistic planning possible, requiring each team member to take accountability for precise timelines for their piece of the project. These timelines then roll up to the greater project plan and provide a more accurate estimation of completion date and potential pitfalls. We have four great webinars scheduled for Arizona Project Management Week next week. We will also be conducting our Annual All Member Meeting on Wednesday. We will be discussing the chapter's progress this year and introducing the new board members as well. We have a great speaker after the meeting with Dr. Eric Wright, who will be discussing "Developing a Proven Influence Mindset to Improve Project Delivery." I hope to see you there. We have four great webinars scheduled for Arizona Project Management Week next week. We will also be conducting our Annual All Member Meeting on Wednesday. We will be discussing the chapter's progress this year and introducing the new board members as well. We have a great speaker after the meeting with Dr. Eric Wright, who will be discussing "Developing a Proven Influence Mindset to Improve Project Delivery." I hope to see you there. The board recently met to discuss our goals for 2022. We have aligned ourselves with PMI's new strategic plan, which emphasizes youth and "social good" programs. The chapter is looking to partner with local non-profits for "social good" initiatives. If you volunteer or work with a local non-profit that could benefit from a partnership, please let us know at customercare@pmiphx.org. In addition to that, the chapter will continue its virtual programs. That has extended our reach to those outside the metro phoenix area that we serve. We are planning to return to in-person meetings as soon as the situation allows. If you have a topic or speaker that you would like to recommend for next year, please email us at events@pmiphx.org, and we will add that topic or speaker to our list. This chapter is an all-volunteer organization, and we can only accomplish our goals with volunteers like you. So if you have some time you can dedicate to the chapter, please let us know by signing up to volunteer. Would you please sign up here https://pmiphx.org/volunteer-opportunitiesif you are willing to be part of a volunteer pool that we use for events? Thank you to the chapter volunteers who ran the chapter for 2021, and thank you for your participation! We look forward to seeing you in person next year! My name is Matthew Gallagher, and I am a PhD Candidate at Arizona State University. I am also a professional program evaluator, which means my job is to collect and use quantitative and qualitative data to aid program leaders and their teams in developing knowledge about, making data-informed decision on, and managing their programs.  This article takes a look at legislation and advocacy efforts were evaluators are not included in the design of programs. Hello PMI Phoenix!   My name is Matthew Gallagher, and I am a PhD Candidate at Arizona State University. I am also a professional program evaluator, which means my job is to collect and use quantitative and qualitative data to aid program leaders and their teams in developing knowledge about, making data-informed decision on, and managing their programs. Matthew Gallagher (right) collaborating with program leaders on program evaluation activities in Dili, Timor Leste. Program leadership’s decision to include an evaluator during the planning and design phase of their programs is the critical first step necessary for evaluators to provide the benefits associated with the discipline of evaluation. Within the evaluation field, federal legislation, including the recently passed Evidence Act of 2019, promotes the inclusion of evaluators in the planning and design phase of federal programs. Additionally, evaluation academics and practitioners advocate for this level of inclusion within all types of programs.   However, despite legislation and advocacy efforts, the evaluation literature depicts a situation where evaluators are not consistently included in the planning and design phase of programs due to numerous barriers, including: 1) program funding announcements which request the inclusion of evaluation activities in proposed programs, but do not require evidence of any collaboration with a program evaluator; 2) training programs that offer little or no training on the benefits of hiring an evaluator during the program planning and design phase. Overall, the literature portrays programs as plagued by rushed and/or symbolic evaluations that are of limited use for program management, thereby frustrating program leaders and demoralizing evaluation practitioners.   To date, academic studies have examined approaches on how to incorporate an evaluator into a program’s planning and design phase (Fitzpatrick, 1988) and multiple researchers have advocated on behalf of the inclusion of the evaluator throughout all the phases of the project cycle (see: Patton, 1978; Stufflebeam, 2001; Preskill & Torres 2001; Mark, 2012; Scheirer, 2012). However, no studies have examined the extent to which evaluator inclusion occurs, or explored the reasons why a program leader decides whether to include an evaluator in a program’s planning and design phase. My PhD research aims to study this topic from the perspectives of both program evaluators and program leaders (who include program directors and program managers).   From the program evaluation side, I am currently collaborating with the American Evaluation Association to procure perspectives on this topic from 1,000 of their members, who were selected at random. To capture the perspectives of program leaders on this topic, I am collaborating with local chapters of the Project Management Institute. I have developed a questionnaire to collect your perspectives, and I hope I can count on your participation.   The new knowledge generated from this study has the potential to affect how program leaders and program evaluators are trained. When we have a mutual understanding of the extent to which evaluators are not included in the program planning and design phase, as well as what influences program leaders’ decisions to include or exclude evaluators during this phase, then we can develop a roadmap for how training content should be augmented to meet the federal mandate, fulfill advocacy efforts, and be proactive on exploring the topic more broadly.   If you are interested in providing your viewpoint on the topic of evaluator inclusion in the program planning and design phase, please click on the survey link below. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and will be open until November 15th. Information about the study, your voluntary participation, and data privacy are on the first page of the link before you enter the survey. Thank you in advance for your thoughtful and honest responses!   Take the Survey Here: https://asu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1S8gMVSCOJOSBKe I want to introduce you to Kyle Johnson, PMP, a member of the Technology team who supports us behind the curtain. He has been managing projects for over twenty-five years which provides a broad breath of knowledge. The board chose him as our August 2021 volunteer of the month. Kyle joined the chapter in 2014 and has been a volunteer since 2017. He is part of the team that has integrated and developed our technology tools so that we can focus more of our volunteer time on getting things done rather than on the mundane administrative operational tasks. A little bit about Kyle, did you know that he was a police officer and deputy. His proudest moment was when his mom pinned on his badge. The people who know him describe him as a person with good intentions which makes sense since he has served his community. Kyle identifies himself as an engineer and a gear head on his Mustang convertible so basically, he likes to fix things and make it work.  He thrives and is driven due to his family, his motivator. Kyle's greatest joy is taking his wife and grandkids on a car ride enjoying nature and letting time stand still. His advice to others, "keep things simple, or at least make complex things simple for others. It makes more of an impact than most people think it will." Continue to try new adventure, Kyle embraces being a grandfather and playing with the kids while teaching new things, like caring for the environment so the planet remains beautiful. "Educating youth makes me feel good - it is a connection to the new generation to get kids interested in cars and while making memories and it’s a cool thing to share." Kyle worries about the younger education quality. Everyone needs to focus on being educated and about their impact your personal world to make things better. As an engineer he identifies with is analytical side and grew up with the arts. Kyle's heroes is his parents who taught him to mix technology and creativity, he was given the technical edge and found a way to merge technology and art. His other hero, Kyle's wife who is a teacher forming young minds so youth have a strong foundation to grow. Kyle's personal motto is a quote borrowed from Teddy Roosevelt, “do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” It is a message he would like to pass on to prospective volunteers, there are plenty of opportunities with work to be done and feels it is important to help the chapter since it is volunteer led. It is important and fate led me to be a member of the technology team. Kyle feels fortunate and likes his journey. "I am happy with my journey and am right where i want to be. I feel blessed." It’s September, and I am looking forward to cooling temperatures coming soon. The chapter has been busy the last two months. We recently concluded our latest Board Election in August. The special election for the By-Laws ends on September 21st. We will be introducing our new board members for the 2022 year at our All-Member Meeting on October 27th. We will also review our results to date for 2021. It’s September, and I am looking forward to cooling temperatures coming soon. The chapter has been busy the last two months. We recently concluded our latest Board Election in August. The special election for the By-Laws ends on September 21st. We will be introducing our new board members for the 2022 year at our All-Member Meeting on October 27th. We will also review our results to date for 2021. There are a lot of significant events coming up in the next couple of months. The chapter has partnered with the ASU PM Network for “Level UP” at the 2021 ASU PM Summit. The ASU PM Summit is a half-day event with four tracks. There is an opportunity to earn up to 16 PDU’s via recorded webinars. However, you need to register in advance as registration will be closed after the event concludes on September 29th.   Our last study group of the year starts on October 9th. So if you know anyone working on their PMP, make sure you recommend the study group. The chapter is holding its annual Arizona Project Management Week from October 25th through the 29th. We have an event each day that week.  View and Register for those events here. In November, we are partnering and sponsoring the Arizona Agile Conference. The conference is a two-day event with a great lineup of speakers. Early Bird Registration is open now. If you miss it, we will have a discount code for members for standard registration. You can check out the link to the conference on our website here. The Board of Director’s Election opened on August 1st.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to vote, please check your inbox for an email from PMI Phoenix Chapter Nominations And Election Committee <noreply@votenet.com>.  The election closes soon, so make sure your vote is counted and cast your ballot. The Board of Director’s Election opened on August 1st.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to vote, please check your inbox for an email from PMI Phoenix Chapter Nominations And Election Committee <noreply@votenet.com>.  The election closes soon, so make sure your vote is counted and cast your ballot.   In addition to the Board of Directors election, we will be holding a special election in September for a By-Laws Revision.  Please weigh in on that as well.  This revision changes the board's structure and gives the board more agility to react to the changing needs of the chapter. The ballot will be sent out on September 6th.  You can read more about the change and review the new by-laws at this link on the chapter website.   Looking ahead to the next few months, we have some significant events planned.  We are staying virtual for the time being as expected covid surge has coincided with the return to school.  We will continue to conduct risk assessments as it relates to holding live events on a month-by-month basis.  If you haven’t been vaccinated and are eligible, I encourage you to get the vaccine.  That is the quickest way back to normalcy for everyone.   We have a great list of upcoming events:   8/18 – Webinar: Effective Communication: At The Office Or Working From Home 8/21 – PMI Chapter Xchange - Design Thinking in Project Management 8/24 – Project Masters - Toastmasters 8/27 – Breakfast Meeting - How to network and build your business or career when you can’t leave home   We also have a special event with the ASU PM Summit on 9/29.  The chapter has partnered with ASU PM Network and the VPMMA for the virtual summit, and you will have the opportunity to earn 16 PDU’s throughout the event.  The event is virtual, and all the speakers will be recorded, and those recordings will be available post-event.  The event is free so sign up at this link today to attend.   All this information is distributed in our weekly newsletter. If you don't get our newsletter currently and would like to sign up for it you can do so on the chapter website's front page.   If you have any questions or have suggestions for chapter value enhancement, please contact me at shane.cretacci@pmiphx.org.   Thank you for your membership.   Sincerely and Respectfully, Shane Cretacci, PMP Chapter President PMI Phoenix Chapter COVID-19 changed many things, from the way people work to their social interactions with others. And even though the pandemic is dying down, it's clear it had far-reaching effects. To ensure your firm survives as the future of accounting takes shape, you need to keep your team together and motivated.Jun 28th 2021 PMI Insights Navigating the dynamics of change can be a challenge for accounting firms. Employees may become anxious or resistant or even actively oppose new processes and technologies. Yet change is not optional. In CPA firms today, remaining stagnant is a recipe for extinction. So how can you help your team embrace change? Understand That Change Is a Process, Not an EventFirmwide change doesn't happen simply because you made an announcement, invited people to a training session or scheduled a go-live date. According to the Project Management Institute, when people experience change, they move through a three-step process:Current state. What they currently know and do, including processes, tools, behaviors, technologies, organizational structures and roles. All of these elements might not be working great, but they're familiar and comfortable. Transition state. This can be an emotionally charged time, and people may feel fear, anxiety and even anger. Productivity declines as people learn new processes, technologies and behaviors. Future state. At this point, people achieve a new way of performing their work.Think about this the next time you undergo a process improvement and technology initiative in your firm and address how you will bridge the gap between the current state (where you are) and the future state (where you want to be). Listen to People and Get Their InputPeople feel more excited about change if they have a say in it. According to Gallup, only three in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree that their opinions count at work, and organizational change is one area in particular where people feel left out. Your people are a goldmine of information. Ask for feedback frequently, listen to what they have to say, and take action based on their input. People tend to be more open to change when they've participated in the decision-making process.Connect Change to Individual GoalsGetting buy-in for change requires an answer to the question "Why?" When you answer this question, people are better prepared to fight their natural instinct to resist change. What individual goals do the changes you're making help people work toward? Will new processes improve efficiency, reduce overtime during busy season and provide better work/life balance? Will new technologies and automation create people's capacity to work on higher-level work and help them level up in their careers? In a TED talk, organizational change expert Jim Hemerling explains that people usually think positively about personal transformation and are more driven to accomplish personal goals. Instead of focusing on the firm's bottom line, show them how meeting the firm's goals will help them achieve their personal and professional goals. This will put more energy behind the initiative. Firm leaders have a responsibility to lead others through change. Employ these three steps, and you'll enjoy more emotional buy-in and cooperation for the changes you want and need to make in your firm.Join the External Relations team of volunteers for academic outreach! Be a part of PMI Phoenix's educational future! The Academic Outreach team is looking for more volunteers to join our team.  The goal of Academic Outreach is to work with educational opportunities with our schools and learning institutions to provide our expertise and to assist with their needs.  Academic Outreach is assisting our youth and collegiate audiences through three main areas:   Collegiate PMI is looking to provide collegiate students with opportunities to see how PMI Phoenix can be a part of their future and what benefits that can obtain.  However, more than that, our goal is to enable "social good" and provide such opportunities to collegiate members.  As such, we are looking for a "Collegiate Faculty Advisor" who is part of the chapter but also has experience in the collegiate arena.  This person will help guide students and a PMI Phoenix student committee as we expand our membership reach.   Future City Competition PMI has a long-standing history with the regional Future City competition.  The pandemic required changes in the past years as schools and teams learned how to work virtually to design and model a city on the moon.  Our PMI "Future City Managers" are needed to help judge and provide feedback to the junior high students on their project management deliverables.  Three (3) such volunteers are needed; there are three main times during the end of the year/beginning of next year when your services would be needed.  This is an opportunity to make a difference in these students and their deliverables.   Academic Services Within the Academic Outreach area, we need to be able to communicate and coordinate PMI and PMI Educational Foundation (PMIEF) products and services to teachers.  There are several services already provided by PMI and PMIEF and in many instances, our educators may not know be aware of what already exists.  However, we can't rest on the laurels of PMIEF; there are many additional items that we can develop and provide to educators to give them even more tools.  Within this subteam, there is the need for two positions: Manager of Academic Content and Manager of Academic Operations.  These two people will have the opportunity to build out a "catalog" and additional products/services needed by our educators.   We would love to have you be part of the team!  Please do contact Steve Poessnecker (602-524-8329 or steve.poessnecker@pmiphx.org) if you have any questions about these positions and to volunteer your time and expertise!   It's mid-July, and the monsoon has arrived in the Valley, bringing change in our typical weather pattern.  The chapter is also looking forward to changing in the next election. In addition to new board members, we are proposing a change to the chapter by-laws.  It's mid-July, and the monsoon has arrived in the Valley, bringing change in our typical weather pattern.  The chapter is also looking forward to changing in the next election. In addition to new board members, we are proposing a change to the chapter by-laws.  This proposed by-law change affects the board structure explicitly. The proposed by-laws will change our current rigid 12-person board structure with defined roles to a more flexible 7 to 11 board members with no specific role assigned. The board will determine each board member's responsibilities based on their skill set and bandwidth for the job. The new by-laws allow the board to adapt quickly to the changing needs of the chapter. Keep an eye out for your Ballot, which will is emailed to members on August 1st. We have had an intentionally quiet July with pandemic restrictions lifted the Suns in the playoffs and many members taking a long overdue vacation. Many members (and Volunteers) travel in July, and we have noted that from the activity of the past few years. We have many significant events coming up in the next few months. Notably, we are partnering with ASU for their ASU PM Summit put on by the ASU PM Network. It has been a great collaboration so far, and we are looking forward to the event.  Randy Black, the immediate past chair on the PMI Board of Directors, will be the closing keynote speaker. I hope you can attend this virtual event that is free for our members. Additionally, we are partnering with Agile Arizona again this year with their event that will be offered in November. There will be an announcement soon on dates, so keep a lookout for that addition to the calendar. All this information is distributed in our weekly newsletter. If you don't get our newsletter currently and would like to sign up for it you can do so on the chapter website's front page. If you have any questions or have suggestions for chapter value enhancement, please contact me at shane.cretacci@pmiphx.org. Thank you for your membership. Sincerely and Respectfully, Shane Cretacci, PMP Chapter President PMI Phoenix Chapter I want to introduce you to Cedrick Woodard, PMP, a member of the External Relations team. The board chose him as our June 2021 volunteer of the month. Cedrick started volunteering in February 2021 and is currently working on planning and executing the ASU PM Summit and continued outreach with external relations as a mentor. Cedrick has been a PMI member for the past nine months; after obtaining his PMP, he decided it was time to give back and, in March of this year, started volunteering with the Phoenix Chapter.    I had the pleasure of conversing with Cedrick Woodard and quickly learned that he is challenging to read from a first impression and guards his words carefully but embraces lifelong learning. Associates regard him as always reliable and a natural leader. If you establish a rapport with him, you quickly realize he is deeply passionate about providing socioeconomically disadvantaged communities and folks opportunities to obtain sustainable wealth and education (in perpetuity).  Cedrick’s words of wisdom, “ you need to learn, learn to be humble, how to network to get the resources to make a solution happen. Network to be better and share your strengths and talents with others. If you are not ready to learn, you are not ready to live. Share the story, and the process will make you better.”  He established and volunteered for over seven years with Paideia Kids Program, designed to strengthen the community stewardship ethic and deepen learning through volunteerism and civic involvement. Cedrick’s focus was on the program that serves youths from K-12 and adults 18 and older. Services were offered to all ethnicities, with the understanding that certain minority groups are predisposed to certain health conditions due to lack of physical activity, poor dietary habits, and lack of health education. The program targets community members of all ethnicities and age groups underperforming in those categories and others. The program emphasized lifelong health disease conditions caused by poor eating, an adverse impact on families and society, and a lack of access to affordable, healthful foods. In strengthening our communities, we help address and reiterate advocacy, community impact, community need, community partnerships, diversity, sustainability, student achievement, youth voice, and reflection.  Cedrick Woodard’s advice to others who are thinking about volunteering with the chapter is, “embrace the opportunity to sacrifice and use the opportunity to network. Use your resources and strengths to make a difference in human life.” Do not be selfish; treat people how you want to be treated. Cedrick has a healthy respect for fearless people and for doing what they say they will do.  If your paths cross, take a moment to get to know Cedrick. You might leave the conversation with a changed outlook on what you can give to the world if you only share yourself in solving a problem for your community.  Our Academic Outreach PMI Phoenix Chapter presented a lunch and learn session hosted by Steve Possnecker on the value of PMI and the benefits members receive to the ASU Network of future project managers.  The VP of Programs, Christopher Gentry, the VP of Membership, John Choate and the VP of External Relations, Deniese Reinhardt were the interactive panelists addressing student questions. The session offered glimpses into PMI membership both internationally and locally in our community. Resources for educational certification, professional development units and youth education programs through PMIEF. Links to seminars, and  the chapter webinar library. PMI Global membership consists of more than 700k members internationally. The Phoenix Chapter serves the state of Arizona outside of Tucson which is served by the Tucson Chapter so members can make a difference in their community. If you would like to listen to the audio presentation recording, members can send an email to customercare@pmiphx.org     It’s summer in Phoenix, and the heat has come back in full force. The chapter typically slows down in June, July, and August as members take a vacation and get out of town to beat the heat. It is especially true this year as many people will travel after being homebound for the last year. The chapter has intentionally reduced the number of events on our calendar for the summer. It’s summer in Phoenix, and the heat has come back in full force. The chapter typically slows down in June, July, and August as members take a vacation and get out of town to beat the heat. It is especially true this year as many people will travel after being homebound for the last year. The chapter has intentionally reduced the number of events on our calendar for the summer. We worked very hard throughout the pandemic to switch to all virtual events and bring you events that would help you professionally and help provide you with additional activities during a difficult time. We are now looking to get back to in-person events as well. Virtual and Hybrid events will be a part of our offering moving forward. Our goal is to make all our events available to as many members as possible. The Phoenix chapter serves the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area. Still, we also serve the PM communities in most of Arizona except for Tucson and the south and east of that city. The board is resuming in-person meetings in June. Our first in-person board meeting is on June 28th. Members are welcome to attend the open session of the board meeting via Webex and can submit questions to the board during the question-and-answer session. Register to attend remotely here. We are working on our upcoming elections, and the nomination committee is screening and interviewing candidates for board positions. The nomination period closes on June 30th, so if you know someone or would like to run yourself, please complete a nomination form here. If a board position seems like too much of a commitment, but you would still like to volunteer for the chapter, please fill out an application here. The Phoenix Chapter can always use more volunteers. As we move back to operating in a non-pandemic environment, we will be engaging in more social good initiatives, and we will need your help with those causes. I hope to see you at the chapter event virtually and soon in person.   Whether social impact projects rise or fall also depends on engaging a much wider audience. Organizations that employ a broader definition of customers and stakeholders, and adapt their value proposition accordingly, can better harness the power of many. Tackling societal issues on a large scale also requires a radical reimagining of customer and stakeholder relationships, including exactly who it is that organizations are trying to reach. Only then can businesses ensure they’re solving the right problems for the right people with the right projects. Consider Coca-Cola HBC’s Mission 2025 Team, which conducts an annual materiality survey of roughly 1,000 internal and external stakeholders to identify social and environmental topics that impact the company’s value drivers. “This is not just a one-off exercise,” Dickstein said. “It is the starting point for engagement activities that occur throughout the year.” The survey results helped Coca-Cola HBC define its 2025 sustainability commitments, which, in turn, align to the UN SDGs. With that, the company is ready to take action on a wide range of issues, ranging from reducing water use by 20 percent in water-risk areas to increasing its management ranks to 50 percent female. “We are engaging with our stakeholders to determine climate action in the new normal and what the whole global pandemic means for us as a business,” he said of the company’s 2020 stakeholder forum. “Listening to and learning from them is a fantastic best-practice platform and necessary to move the agenda forward.” A customer-centric mindset, meanwhile, can yield more innovative ways of thinking that continue to deliver value to customers even in times of crisis. Take urban development: in London—as in other cities—there’s a “big conversation” about “equality in public infrastructure, and how access to healthcare, parks, and neighborhood centers disproportionately benefits some communities more than others,” Arup’s de Cani said. As leaders around the world contemplate a post-pandemic future, such discussions may spark more equitable project investments. And de Cani said more of Arup’s clients want to play an active role in developing those solutions. They want to understand the impact of projects in much broader terms and expect guidance on how to improve them to benefit more people through access to cities, data, and economic opportunities. “At a meta level, these measures now affect whether a project is approved or not,” he said. It’s also important, as the UN SDG Fund stresses, for businesses not only to implement reactive measures but also to enable the right conditions for social inclusion to flourish. This includes engaging in a true dialogue with customers. “We’ve seen in several projects that the cultural connection, the language, whatever it might be, is a real value,” said Gabrielle Bullock, principal and director of global diversity at architecture and design firm Perkins and Will, Los Angeles, California, United States. “Our clients’ values are not only focused on fee, schedule, and budget. It really is about the human connection, the cultural connection, and shared values.”21 In one instance, Bullock said Perkins and Will almost lost an opportunity because its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community wasn’t clearly demonstrated. “We hadn’t really promoted it like we should,” she said. Once the firm showed its team’s understanding and commitment to the community, it won the project. Sources Pulse of the Profession®In-Depth Report: A Case for Diversity, PMI, June 2020. I am happy to introduce you to Marissa Akins, PMP our May 2021, volunteer of the month. She joined the Phoenix Chapter in late 2020 to prepare for the PMP exam to take advantage of the study group. After passing the PMP in January of this year, she quicly stepped up to the plate and began volunteering as a facilitator. Marissa is being honored for her work on the most recent study group of 2021. Marissa Akins works as a project manager for ASU and has led the peer network. What has kept her inspired is her many influencers and she feels strongly that "variety is the spice of life and you can draw your inspiration from a multiple of sources. Keep trying it and do something differently so you dont get stuck. Avoid the delimina of not exploring everything, analysis paralis, so just pick something and try it knowing it might not work out. You will have something you can use and keep adjusting until you get closer to the ideal in your vision." What prompted her to volunteer? Marissa attended study group three times. Once in-person, once at the start of the pandemic before the life of teaching children at home with virtual learning and then a final time since she postponed her test which she passed in September 2020. Marissa enjoyed this the facilitation role because connecting with people who are interested in the same path I decided on is exciting. There is SO much to share and prepare for and there’s likely someone in the same situation that you are in that may really benefit from connecting with you. Marissa Akins words of advice, "just do it! You’ll never regret helping to support someone achieve their goals." In getting to know Marissa, you will find that she is passionate about fitness and hiking, both allow her to free her mind of concerns, enjoy nature and to grab some me time. She is also passionate about spending time with her family and enjoys their social time. arissa's personal motto is say what you mean, mean what you say, and do what you said you are going to do. Marissa is currently reading, Courageous Cultures. It’s a great read, but be ready to make waves in your organization if you take this one on; otherwise, you may just end up discouraged. She looks up to people who do the hard things for inspiration and as her heros. Why? We’re all at different places in this journey so find yours and build a network. Her colleges would share that Marissa is committed to their well-being. She always has the project objectives in mind, but if you take care of your team, they’ll take care of the project. Marissa's business advice, "just try it! A lot of times we spend so much time deliberating over something or delay by discussion and we can really take that time and energy and put it towards a small-scale prototype of what we’d like to accomplish and learn from that experience." We cannot go back to normal, and even if we could, we shouldn’t.  Why? The normal we knew was not sustainable.  Too huge of a carbon footprint, too slow to meet the demands of the “fast fashion” economy, too stressful for associates, and too high of a cost to support. As painful as 2020 and Covid were they gave us a gift: Enterprises advanced technically by 10 years in six months Taboos that prevented mass adoption of distributed working were broken down The economic benefits of a distributed work force were proven to be real The ability to hire the best resource regardless of location proved extremely valuable So again, I say not only that we cannot go back, we shouldn’t go back.  That is not to say working in offices or having face-face meetings should be totally abandoned.  No, there are situations where they are necessary, but in most cases, they should be the exceptions not the de facto standard.   So where do we go from here?  We all deservingly patted ourselves on the back for moving our people from the office to home when the lock downs occurred.  In reality, that was the easy part.  It was limited to the scope of physically moving folks but not changing the enterprises culture.  We are now seeing the limitations of an incomplete transition.  The hard part now is how do we make changes in our Enterprises’ culture and infrastructure to truly support distributed working. If you noticed, I have not used the term “work at home” or “remote working.”  Those are terms that describe the partial transformation.  They imply they are the exception or that they are temporary.  When I use the term “distributed work” I am referring to the complete transformation of an Enterprise.  The concept that work will be conducted from anywhere that supports the workflow. Let me provide an example.  I was having lunch with an Audio Principal for an Enterprise that has theme parks.  Most of his work can be done in distributed manner, if the infrastructure is in place.  In his situation the work location, wherever that “is”, would need good internet connections, large dual screens to handle the transfer of information from spreadsheets to schematics, secure access to proprietary files, etc.   There are some workflows that would need a local centralized lab where they can work on the physical servers as they mock them up and collaboration rooms where they can periodically meet in person. In this scenario: The demand for physical office space is significantly reduced Commute reduce significantly reduced Carbon footprint significantly reduced Commuting stress, reduced Speed to deployment increased Employee satisfaction increased I think you get the picture.  So as industry thought leaders our mantra should be “We don’t want to go back.”  To accomplish this, we need to work with top leadership to: Agree on a distributed workforce enterprise strategy Develop an enterprise communication plan Identify individuals to be the Executive Sponsors for the project Once the distributed workforce plan is accepted, we should work to build the Enterprise Infrastructure (IT and Facilities) to support it: Solidify, secure, and templatize distributed work configurations Redesign offices to support: Hoteling Drop in Collaboration rooms Standardize our collaboration tools, implemented, and follow up with an adoption plan 2020 and Covid were painful but in a strange way a gift that forced us to move from an unsustainable office and in-person oriented “normal” to a more efficient and sustainable distributed work model.  It is now up to us to find effective ways to move to that model.   Build upon the temporary emergency configuration that exists today to a implement a well-designed and supportable permanent distributed “normal.” You with me? Then let’s do it together. Bob Kent ITIL, VSP Director, Solution Architects Converge OneI'd like to introduce you to Robert "Bob" Gates, PMP who currently leads the chapter study group. The board chose him as our April 2021 volunteer of the month. Bob started volunteering in December 2019 and took over the leadership of the study group at the beginning of the year. His approach resonated with the first 2021 study group, give participants good information and see what works best for them. Robert retired from the State of Arizona, DES where his projects centered around empowering employees with disabilities. He applies his skill to his Phoenix Chapter volunteer work. His philosophy, "do what you can to contribute to others' lives in[1]stead of just increasing your own and corporate wealth. Do your best at the work you do and keep your attitudes aligned to support priorities at work. No one on their death bed wishes they spent more time at work. Keep the real priorities in focus." Bob leads by Christian example and has adopted the motto, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". So who is Robert Gates? He is a passionate FAA approved Powerplant and Airframe mechanic, who was influenced by Billy Mitchell who was a United States Army general who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, commanded all American air combat units in that country. Bob Gates currently maintains a 1943 B-25 bomber, which is a WWII veteran of 15 missions, for the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona in Mesa, AZ. When on volunteer duty, he also flys on the aircraft as the flight crew chief. Bob is also a RVer who follows the temperature of below 85 and above 45, to locations around the country. When asked what has been rewarding about your volunteer service, Bob stated. "Helping others prepare for the exam, paying back for those who invested in me to help me pass my PMP. Bob attended three study group sessions before testing for the PMP." His words of wisdom to new members or others considering volunteer work for the Chapter? Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling things you can do with your life. From a more self-serving standpoint, it takes the focus off of your own challenges in life and is the best way I know to reduce life's worries and cares. From a more social responsibility stand[1]point, you are making a significant difference in another’s life. Adding a PMP and/or maintaining a PMP through PDUs significantly contributes to that person’s financial security and increases their skillset and job fullfillment." Bob Gates approach was new to the facilitators as well. He encourages the team of facilitators to utilize their own style and source materials to provide students of the CAPM/PMP a wide range of materials so they can help determine what style of learning will work best for the student, rather than the standard bootcamp model of reviewing the 35 hours of continuous education so the student can subbit met the application to sit for the exam. Bob states, "that he is the cheerleader and works with each facilitator to become successful at delivery." Gone is the bootcamp approach, each student is empowered to develop their study plan and to form an alternate study buddy group which meets on other days of the week. If you get the chance to meet Bob at a study group session, get him to talk about airplanes, you will quickly engage in a spirited conversation. We recently started our election cycle for the Board of Directors election that will take place in August. Beginning on May 1st, members can nominate other members for a board position. Each nominee must meet the following qualifications: Be a Chapter member in good standing at the time of the election Receive at least three nominations Agree to serve in the position for which he or she is nominated Any Chapter member in good standing may nominate another member A Chapter member may select him or herself as one of the three nominations The President-Elect must have served six months as a PMI® Board member within the last two years before taking office. It is a great honor to be nominated to serve on the board. Most people are selected because they have a passion for project management or have specific skills to contribute to the Chapter. There are pros and cons to serving on the board.   The number of pros is numerous and will benefit you for a lifetime. The first is listing that position on your resume. Employers will give you credit for volunteering for a non-profit board. They will likely want to know more about your involvement, especially any knowledge or skills you acquired during your time on the board. You will also have many professional development opportunities presented by PMI and the Chapter on leadership and governance. You will also have the opportunity to expand your network, which can be very beneficial in other areas of your life. Finally, serving on the board will allow you to give back to the community and the profession and impact the next generation of project managers. There are some cons.  The pay is terrible. As a volunteer, there is no monetary compensation for your time. But time is all that the Chapter will ask of you. You will be required to attend all scheduled board meetings, which is one a month plus the additional time to fulfill your role's duties. A complete list of the job responsibilities for each board position is available here. Anyone considering running for a board position should also be familiar with the Articles of Incorporation and the Chapter Bylaws posted on the chapter website here. If you're considering running for a position, then I encourage you to reach out to a sitting board member and ask them to chat about serving on the board. It's a great way to learn and possibly gather a nomination for yourself.  If you're not sure a board position is correct for you at the moment, consider volunteering in a different capacity to learn more about the Chapter. We are always looking for volunteers, and you can apply here.   President’s Letter April 2021 The chapter has fielded some inquiries as to when we may be holding in-person meetings. Last year, we decided, based on the information available we would not hold in-person meetings until at least the late third quarter of 2021. While we have made significant strides in safety and rolling out the vaccine, we are on track with the predictions made last year. President’s Letter April 2021 The chapter has fielded some inquiries as to when we may be holding in-person meetings. Last year, we decided, based on the information available we would not hold in-person meetings until at least the late third quarter of 2021. While we have made significant strides in safety and rolling out the vaccine, we are on track with the predictions made last year. This morning I received my 2nd Dose at State Farm Stadium. If you haven’t been and are medically eligible, I encourage you to get vaccinated. Vaccinations started on Dec 17th in Maricopa County, and since that date, we have administered 1.5 million adults in Maricopa County. That is 40% of the eligible adults that can receive the vaccine. Out of that, 975,000 have received their second dose or the 1st dose of a one-dose series. As a state, the numbers are not as good. 1.74 million people have been vaccinated to date, making up 24% of the population of Arizona. We still have a long way to go. We will continue to monitor the progress of the pandemic in the county and state. Putting on in-person events also takes a lot of volunteers. Our programs team will need to add volunteers to put on events once we can. If we could meet in person tomorrow, we would not have enough volunteers to make that happen. If you feel strongly about in-person events, then please volunteer and help the chapter conduct those events. If you would like to volunteer, you can complete a volunteer application here. For information on vaccination, ADHS offers a bilingual COVID-19 Vaccine Navigation Help Desk at 844.542.8011 for those needing extra assistance with registration and answers to questions. You can also visit their website at podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Shane Cretacci President  PMI Phoenix Chapter Many organisations use external risk consultants to support them in managing risk. Before choosing a risk consultant, it’s important to be aware of the possible benefits and associated risks, as well as having clear selection criteria. The benefits of using an external risk consultant should include the following: · They bring guaranteed expertise · They can draw on proven solutions from other engagements · Cross-fertilisation is possible, with the consultant bringing ideas from other industries · They can offer creativity, innovation, and fresh thinking · There’s no “start-up” time, the consultant is ready to work on day one, without training · Consultants offer access to leading-edge thinking and practice · Consultants should be familiar with all current tools and techniques · They are able to perform specialist techniques, such as risk simulation · Using a consultant allows hands-on training for own staff by shadowing or observing · You can turn on and turn off the consultancy resource when required · Using consultants allows cost-effective use of limited resources or funding · You only need to use consultants for specific tasks with clear scope · There are no overhead costs for your organisation   There are however a number of risks to consider when using an external risk consultant, including: · The consultant may not understand your business or the specific risk challenge · They may lack specific knowledge of your project or organisation or industry sector · They may offer a “one-size-fits-all” solution, not tailored to your need · Prerequisite information may not be in place to support the engagement · You may need to share confidential information to get them started · You need to manage knowledge transfer to own staff in order to avoid becoming dependent · The initial engagement may reveal a need for further assistance from the consultant · They may be more expensive than you expect, especially if follow-on work is needed · They may not leave a solution that can be operated by your staff or organisation · The consultant may use tools or techniques that you don’t have available after they leave · Your underlying processes may be deficient, prejudicing results · Consultants may poach your own staff or tempt them away · Your proprietary information may be at risk · The reality may not match the offer (many consultants over-promise and under-deliver) · Senior risk consultant staff may sell the work but then junior staff may be used to deliver it · The consultant may not be available when you need or want them   In addition to performing a benefit-risk analysis, the following criteria might be useful when selecting a risk consultant: · Proven track record of successful delivery in similar situations · Recognised and relevant risk qualifications · Extensive client base in similar sector or industry or project types · Good reputation · Personal recommendation · Demonstrable expertise · Availability when required · Affordable within budget   If you can find external risk consultants who meet all the selection criteria, and who offer all the benefits with none of the risks, you should engage them immediately!!  To provide feedback on this Briefing Note, or for more details on how to develop effective risk management, contact the Risk Doctor (info@risk-doctor.com), or visit the Risk Doctor website (www.risk-doctor.com). If you volunteer, you may have met Abhijit Ganguly, PgMP, PMP and ACP, our March 2021, volunteer of the month. He is often the first voice you hear on the phone or your first email contact when a new applicant submits an application to join a team. He started volunteering for the Chapter in February 2017 and leads the Volunteer Management team. His journey started when he attended a chapter evening meeting in 2016 and asked a volunteer, how can I could get involved? His goal was the thought of increasing his network. The volunteer guided him through the volunteer application process and he became a volunteer. Abhijit has been serving the Volunteer Management team since day 1. How does the volunteer application process work? Once a volunteer submits an application, their credentials are validated and they are assessed for the best fit and connected with the teams of their choice and in some cases they are helped in choosing a team based on the applicant's interest and skills. The placement team interviews them and conveys the tasks that are most in need at the time. If the role is of interest to the applicant they are onboarded. Once onboarded they receive access to the Chapter tools needed to complete their duties and an email address which they use to conduct correspondence for Chapter business. Abhijit Ganguly is most passionate about learning and adapting to stay relevant until the last day. His inspiration is doing the right thing and helping others in need. He is an honest and amiable person, one whom I have had the pleasure of being acquainted with for many years at American Express and the Chapter. Abhijit loves international travel and hopes to sky dive one day. His proudest moment, his son has his pick of military academies and settled on the Naval Academy. A proud Dad moment and its no surprise that he was a role model in paying humanity forward, even when no one is watching. You will see him in the community as he often supports veteran events and childhood cancer. What has been rewarding about your volunteer service? Abhijit Ganguly shared, "I have an oppor-tunity to help volunteers onboard and set a connection with the Phoenix Chapter. I have made some great friends, increased my professional network, opportunity to learn from other PMPs, earned PDUs to manage my three PMI credentials and access to PMI Global Leadership forum. I feel I have developed and sharpened skills like leadership, collaboration and team-building." What would you say to new members or others considering volunteer work for the Chapter? Abhijit conveyed, "knowledge shared is knowledge gained, volunteering for the chapter is a great way to share and learn from fellow Project Managers. You not only get the required PDUs but have access to great resources like morning breakfast sessions, evening sessions, opportunity to build professional networking. There are various groups in the chapter to volunteer for catering to individual preferences." Meet  Rafael Rios, PMP,  better known as Tito. We met at a virtual breakfast meeting and he graciously offered to be a point of contact to assist others in the new PMP exam. My name is Rafael "Tito" Vanderbilt Rios, and I didn't know that what I had been doing for the first four years of my career was agile project management, or that it could be something that I could use to differentiate myself in industry.    I have been an entrepreneur and people mover since I was 18:  I founded and grew my fraternity in college from 15 to 55 in a year when I was 19, I founded a business in the IoT tech space, developed a full beta, and was beaten to market by Monsanto when I was 20 years old, I cofounded what was almost the most disruptive company in academic publishing and proof tracing in the blockchain space when I was 21, and led automation teams to do away with outdated processes in a corporate setting when I was 23. Somewhere in there, I earned my Bachelors of Science in Economics with a focus on Data Management and Analytics from Santa Clara University.    Through all of this, I was slowly honing my abilities in project management, software development and integration, stakeholder management and engagement, on-demand creativity, and how to deal wholeheartedly with great successes, and equally great failures. Through all of this, I had no idea I was turning myself into a PM.    I learned about project management formally for the first time this past Fall, when I took Advanced Project Management with my now mentor, Dr. Steve Cho (inventor of the microgyroscope - he'd want me to put that in here). It was then that I realized that I actually already knew the majority of the material covered in the course, but was more introduced into the formalized processes and procedures outlined in the PMBOK. Dr. Cho had specifically geared the class towards taking the PMP, and our final exam was a past PMP. He encouraged me immediately to begin studying seriously, as he believed I could pass it.    I used one book, the 10th Edition PMP Study Guide, by Kim Heldman, PMP, and read it cover to cover in the month before the exam, taking all the practice exams included with the book. The book is written for the 2021 exam, and emphasizes the variability in questions asked, as well as the focus on moving the project forward. I was scoring between 70% and 78% on the practice exams, which wasn't enough for me to be fully comfortable going into the exam on March 3. As it turns out, the full length practice exams in the study guide are significantly harder than the exam itself, which I passed on the first try with Above Target scores in all knowledge areas with an hour left in the exam period.   My advice for taking the exam is four-fold:      1. Effective studying requires discipline and categorical thinking; trying to remember things sequentially here as opposed to in terms of their situational applications will make it impossible to apply the knowledge quickly enough to finish in time.     2. If you have the opportunity to actively apply what you're studying to an existing or theoretical project, you will better solidify the practice outside of just the concept, making the concept easier to recall.      3. The primary goal in every one of the questions in the 2021 PMP is moving the project forward. Many of the options are viable in each question, but which is going to immediately create momentum in the project?     4. The 2021 PMP is adaptive based on performance on knowledge area questions; if you're continually succeeding in an area, the questions will get more difficult, and vice-versa. Maintaining momentum is critical.    As I finish out my Master's of Science in Innovation and Venture Development, I'm actively seeking positions in technical project management and innovation-focused roles. If there are hard problems to be solved, I'll be the first one into the fray.    For additional exam questions, Tito has agreed to be contacted at l: (707) 738-9996 or tito@worktabiat.com. The PMI Pulse of the Profession® 2021 report, released 24 March, uncovers benefits of organizational agility during times of great change. This global survey of project management professionals demonstrates how gymnastic enterprises were able to pivot during exponential disruption. As organizations reimagine the post-pandemic future, they and their project leaders must embrace new ways of working. Yet not all organizations are faring equally. Amidst such massive change, Pulse of the Profession® research reveals the emergence of what we call gymnastic enterprises: Those that have learned to flex and pivot—wherever and whenever needed—while maintaining structure, form, and governance. Gymnastic enterprises select the very best ways of working from a landscape of possibilities and focus on their people, knowing that organizational performance is a well-choreographed dance of individual performances. What sets them apart? Compared to traditional enterprises, gymnastic enterprises were more likely to have high levels of organizational agility (48 percent versus 27 percent) and were more likely to frequently use standardized risk management practices (68 percent versus 64 percent). Both traits were significant drivers of project success across the entire respondent base. Gymnastic enterprises are leading the way by empowering their people to master new ways of working, emphasizing the human element, and understanding the central role that organizational culture plays in enabling all of these capabilities. The payoff is broad and significant. Gymnastic enterprises are leading the way in The Project Economy—focused squarely on delivering financial value and positive social impact, no matter what it takes. READ THE REPORT ON PMI.ORG DOWNLOAD THE APPENDIX    Driving systemic change depends on collaboration and inclusion, both within and outside the business: employees, partners, customers, and communities at local, national, and global levels. More specifically, it relies on an ecosystem of change-makers—all those who can turn ideas into reality, whether through transformational change or contribution to value delivery.  Change-makers rely on key capabilities to succeed:  New ways of working, including agile, waterfall, and hybrid methodologies, and digital project management approaches such as problem-solving tools, AI-driven tools, and microlearning apps  Power skills, such as collaborative leadership, innovative mindset, empathy for the voice of the customer, empathy for the voice of the employee, and the ability to build trusting relationships  Business acumen, encompassing a well-rounded set of capabilities that enables people to understand not only their own roles, but how their work relates to business strategy and to other parts of the business  First, however, change-makers must have the means to acquire these capabilities. Continuous learning is the only way to thrive in today’s disruption-driven environment. Some of that can come through virtual education, which, especially since the pandemic began, is seemingly everywhere. But organizations that raise the bar by using AI to facilitate continuous, agile, and innovative learning—collaborative human-machine learning—are the ones that excel at driving change. Or, as a 2020 MIT Sloan Management Review report put it: “They don’t just use AI; they learn with AI.”22  It doesn’t matter what sector an organization is in, where it’s located, or even what is driving its strategic mission. It must be ready to adapt to whatever megatrend comes its way. And this is where the ecosystem of employees, partners, customers, and stakeholders committed to change truly proves its value.  “Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was climate action or the diversity and inclusion agenda,” Coca-Cola HBC’s Dickstein said. “If you want change that is in itself sustainable, you need to do that together with the communities.”     Sources  “Expanding AI’s Impact with Organizational Learning,” MIT Sloan Management Review, October 19, 2020. I'd like to introduce you to Sarabeth Urech, a new member who joined the Phoenix Chapter just three weeks before she took the 2021 PMP exam. She joined for additional assistance on the exam and Customer Care quickly linked her to our Professional Development team for support. Sarabeth agreed to share her journey with us and to pass on the lessons so all members could benefit. One of her heros, her mom, Linda Urech introduced her to project management and advised her to get the PMP. Like many of us she needed a wake up call to heed the advice. Her employer, Accenture was reorganizing and provided training to obtain the PMP precertification training requirement through the recorded sessions by Barb Waters, on Skillsoft. They were gracious enough to provide three months to find another role internally or to exit. Her external job search quickly revealed that employers were looking for certifications on her resume. So Sarabeth quickly went to work in devising a plan to find her next role. She started asking others what they knew about the PMP, job seeking and how to pass the exam. Changing her mindset was instrumental in her success. Sarabeth created a study plan and attacked it, taking advantage of her downtime to complete the PMP training. Be a chameleon and absorb the knowledge around you. Sarabeth Urech attended the New Member Orientation, and liked the warm reception on the call. "Members asked how they could help with the test and she got a couple of people to talk to, they provided her with resources to practice tests and everyone started to link up." Sarabeth said she received a warm welcome and collaborative support congratulating her on persoanl PMP journey. Support came from PMI LinkedIn connections around the world. Sarabeth considers herself to be a generalist and a jack of all trades. Her hidden talent is mind reading when conversing with others. The skill comes from being an active listener and to being fully present, even on video calls. As you aborb and take the knowledge, give it back. She tries to mentor others to build her network and considers herself to be an extrovert. The PMP allows me to focus, manage stakeholders, problem solve and to connect people and technology. Sarabeth feels that good project managers have emotional intelligence and are an expert at asking good questions. She is now mentoring her work peers to help bring back the generalist, as well as how to build a network and is aiding others to build these skills. Her advice for the exam? Sarabeth focused on the terms, taking copius notes and working equation examples. She then wrote it all out creating flashcards, watching YouTube on the concepts. "Use all the resources and look into all the resources that people tell you about. I respected their experience, I trusted other people's experience and learned from it and the chapter." On the new exam know the PMBOK processes and order. If taking the exam from your home office, move your personal cell phone out of the room to prevent distraction. All of her hard work paid off. Sarabeth found an internal position with the help of a mentor, a new role within Accenture. They took note of her mindset change and her determination to pass the PMP. She is now working on a vendor project and is using it as a pilot for the PMBOK process. The learning journey continues and she shares the knowledge she obtains. Sarabeth has a new ten year life plan with goals and beleieves, "when there are challenging circumstances look for the opportunities." Last month I discussed earning and reporting PDU's. This topic was timely because my PMP certification is up for renewal in May. I also needed to renew my PMI membership in February. I have auto-renewal turned on, so it processed to my credit card without my intervention or remembering to do so. Last month I discussed earning and reporting PDU's. This topic was timely because my PMP certification is up for renewal in May. I also needed to renew my PMI membership in February. I have auto-renewal turned on, so it processed to my credit card without my intervention or remembering to do so. I am a big fan of automation, where I can implement it. I do it on my projects when it comes to status reports and following up on assigned tasks. Most of my monthly recurring bills are automated as well. So I turned on autorenewal with PMI as soon as they added it as an option. It is easy to forget that once-a-year payment. I take inquiries from members every month who don't understand why they can't register for an event to find out their membership expired. Auto-Renewal is the best way to prevent that from happening. Here are the main reasons a lot of people take advantage of auto-renewal: It's convenient You don't have to remember the due date of your renewal You don't have to visit the website to make the payment You don't risk forgetting to make the payment Auto-Renewal is not on by default. To enable it, you need to turn it on. You can do that by going to PMI.org and in your profile click on membership and then click on manage membership. You can turn it on for both your PMI and Chapter membership.  (insert picture here) If you don't use auto-renewal, then I recommend setting up some calendar alerts for your PMI membership and Certification Renewal, so they don't lapse. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that every three years when you renew your certification, you will need to pay a renewal fee. You cannot pay the certification fee by auto-renewal. I strongly recommend setting up a calendar reminder for that. Shane Cretacci President PMI Phoenix Chapter Meet Dawn Feltner, PMP! Her colleagues would describe her as a cheerleader, people connector, organized, dependable and funny! It was certainly my impression, she is as bubbly as her picture indicates. Dawn Feltner has been a chapter member for almost 10 years and like many of us wonders where the time went. She joined PMI to obtain her PMP which she received shortly after joining in October of 2011. Like many of us, she was performing the work of a project manager long before before she learned of the title. Dawn stumbled on it while studying for the PMP. Once she started studying for her certification, suddenly there was a name, some tools and rigor to what she had been doing and it all clicked! Dawn was fortunate enough that her previous employer, Voya Investment Management, was willing to pay for a PMP boot camp and she had 6 months to study and pass the test. "I loved the classes and study groups, but put that test off until the last possible moment and passed (whew)!" She is passionate about learning and emphasizes that it doesn't have to be solely academic. Dawn shared, "just listen to people around you (whether you agree with them or not), listen to yourself." The certification has opened professional doors and windows of learnings. "I've learned so much from others in this space and it's great when we can connect and share best practices as well as war stories!" .Dawn Feltner's personal motto, "If you don't swing you don't hit, so be brave, even if you miss, you learn. Say yes to opportunities that serve you! Live! I try to do a little something different each day since we don't know our expiration date." From a career perspective, Dawn shared, "don't be afraid to ask for help. It gets easier with practice." When I asked how her what makes her unique it was that a communications major could somehow fit into a financial and technology field and make it this far, it was beyond her imagination. Dawn started her career as a radio morning show co-host for a country music station and at the time was not a country music lover. Dawn's path to project management? "My project management journey started when I was a kid! I always liked organizing fun events... like getting a group of us to the water park or skiing for the day and it carried with me into my professional life." Dawn started doing corporate event planning, then assisting with IT transformations and a complete continuous improvement business initiative. Dawn Feltner now has a new title, she is a Change Manager for GoDaddy, which is becoming more entwined with traditional Project Management. Dawn's proudest moment, winning the highest award at my previous company for helping to develop a training course on "Developing a Culture of Feedback" Her inspiration was seeing light bulb moments when people you work with understand and are excited for what's going on...whether its a project, during training or coaching. She is so thankful to have had a supportive workplace and leaders who walked the walk when it came to work life balance and that showed me how to integrate the two. Dawn Feltner's, heros were her parents. They illustrated a strong work ethic, compassion, tenacity and humor. "You need to get it done while having some fun, her career attitude." The causes she cares about, AZ Helping Hands which provides basic needs for foster children in Arizona. She is on their Junior Board to help with scheduled events from a project process management perspective. It brings her joy to watch kids becoming who they are meant to be. If she needs to balance her work and daily life she seeks nature. Dawn is a mountain, lake and wilderness seeker to find a bit of tranquility to slow down the chaos of life. Dawn's can do manner, impressed me and brought me a ray of sunshine. I am happy to introduce you to John Chico, PMP our February 2021, volunteer of the month. He joined the Phoenix Chapter in 2016 and was a past member of the Dallas Chapter. He quickly stepped up to the plate and began volunteering in 2016. He is being honored for his work on his most recent project of the past two years, Future Cities. Future Cities is a reoccurring social good project that the chapter supports, year over year, supporting local high school students. They mentor project management skills, interview and judge students across Arizona. His colleagues often tell John that he is organized, creative, and a team player. Helping him through his daily work is his sense of humor. John Chico recently went back to his career roots of accounting and applied the project management principles to his work. His attention to detail is serving him well as an SRP Auditor. John's philosophy is that in challenging times, success comes to those that demonstrate focus and flexibility. John Chico enjoys music and travel and hopes to make it to Northern Italy. John is a centered family man whose passion revolves around his wife, children, and grandchildren. His proudest moments were their births that continued his family legacy.From a career perspective, John Chico's proudest moment of his professional career was when he worked for an airline that had fatalities on 9/11. John was asked to be part of a project to help victims' families. "Getting those families through events that were so sudden and tragic made me feel like I had made a difference when it was most needed." I was struck with my realization that John Chico pauses in his life journey to smell the roses. His motto is to be kind, appreciate the environment around you, and say thank you. Yes, like all project managers, he works hard, but this was also instilled by his grandfathers, who were immigrants. They taught him to work hard and to be kind to others. The message of kindness and the practice of gratitude resonated with him. For those of you who might not be familiar with the concept of the practice of gratitude, it is noticing the small things when you are fully present. If you string the small things together, it promotes well being, positivity and over time, creates a feeling of well-being, which helps alleviate our stress in our daily life of being a project manager. Giving back to youth and others resonate with John Chico. His passion was apparent, and the chapter is proud to award him the February 2021 volunteer of the month award.So low-code is hot, and it’s demonstrating vast potential as a tool that can help teams deliver projects in a more effective, efficient manner. You can probably also guess at some of the objections, many of which center on the risks of non-IT professionals jumping into the action. PMI recently announced a plan to bridge that gap by injecting governance into the citizen development landscape, providing resources, training and a certification program.  PMI Global is looking for participants to pilot test our upcoming eLearning offering – the Citizen Developer Practitioner Course and Micro-credential. This will include 4-5 hours to complete the course and a 60-minute exam. The pilot test will begin on 22 March, and you will have three weeks to complete the course and exam. After completion, you will be required to provide feedback on your experience. In this course, you will learn how to:• Determine if your problem can be solved with a Citizen Development process• Effectively brainstorm solutions• Evaluate the challenges that your app must overcome• Gather the data and resources you will need• Bring your project to fruition Participants will receive the product for a greatly discounted price of $99 (Actual price : $249) and earn both a digital micro-credential badge and a minimum of 6 PDUs.PMI Global will be in touch on 18 March to inform those who have been selected. As there are limited spots available, not all who apply will be able to participate. Those not selected will be provided with a discount code to take the course once it has been launched. PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT Offer valid for a limited time. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Discount is applied to the full price. Other conditions may apply. For details on terms and conditions, visit PMI.org/terms. Some of you may know Keith Harrington, PMP, ACP as a frequent breakfast meeting presenter and his New England accent despite living in the valley for seventeen years. If your paths have not crossed, let me introduce him. Keith is at the sunset point of his career and enjoys sharing his project management wisdom. Professionally he is a Vice President of the EPMO at Plexus Worldwide. Personally he married his high school sweetheart and the start of 2021 gifted him with his first grandchild. How did his journey start? His first “official” Project Manager job began when he joined DHL in November, 2004, but his project management journey actually began many years before. In fact, as a child, " I exhibited the innate traits of successful project managers when in the school recess yard my friends wanted to play football, but I brought a pencil and paper out of the classroom to create plays. Most of the kids didn’t want to plan and simply wanted to play (Sound familiar?). I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was the beginning of honing my skills as a servant leader." After graduating high school, Keith went to a trade school to study electronics technology, because he had a fascination with figuring out how things work and a knack for troubleshooting problems. He worked his way up through Motorola as a Network Analyst and then joined American Power Conversion (APC) to become a Data Center Operations Manager. Throughout this part of his career, Keith was leading teams by creating plans to implement new networks, build out new data centers and manage daily operations on a 24x7x365 schedule. In essence, "I was performing daily operational tasks while creating and managing informal projects before I even knew of the “Project Manager” profession." After obtaining his Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) degree, Keith decided to move his family from Rhode Island to Arizona to start a new phase of his career outside of the data center. His peers at Motorola helped him relocate. In 2004, Keith learned about the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional (PMP) credentials and realized his IT background and the PMP would allow him to change careers while still being connected to technology, which he loves. Over the past 17 years, Keith Harrington has intentionally selected and joined various companies to gain experience in transportation and logistics, digital education, financial services, healthcare, hospitality and have for the past 5 years been with a terrific network marketing company, Plexus Worldwide. Throughout the course of this journey, he have honed skills as a Project Manager, Program Manager, Portfolio Manager, ScrumMaster and Executive having successfully developed and currently leads an outstanding team of professionals in an Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO). I asked Keith Harrington, what he is pastionate about, and he replied, "mentoring my team members to ensure they have the skills and experience to have a successful career in project, program and portfolio management. I had a very good mentor at Motorola that set me on a successful career path and I want to do the same for everyone I can help." After some reflection he felt his colleagues would describe him as analytical, disciplined, honest, and confident which some could describe as arrogance. His introspective traits struck me as a person who respects other's time which has helped his track record of getting projects done. He believes in the social good, in November, 2020, he became a proud member of the Cancer Support Community of Arizona’s Board of Directors, which is near and dear to his heart since members of his family are cancer survivors. He has also been a blood donor for the past 37 years and a contributor to the Rhode Island Food Bank and St. Mary’s Food Bank for more than 30 years. Keith Harrington is a gifted storyteller. When I asked him what was on his bucket list besides adding books to an ecletic library he broke it into two parts. "On a social and spiritual level, I want to make sure my family and people that know me consider me a genuine friend that gave back more than I received. On a physical level, I want to build my dream house to spend my retirement years creating, fabricating and giving back to my community." If you get a chance to speak with Keith Harrington at a breakfast meeting, you will find him engaging. You might even leave with a bit of wisdom. In the first three parts of this series, we started with sharing the secret sauce of Agile is understanding that Agile is a framework built on strong principles you adjust to fit your organization. The goal is to make the right adjustments while not losing the underlying strengths that Agile brings. The four key Agile principles we have identified are: BREAKING PROJECTS INTO SMALLER BITES CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS LEVERAGING THE POWER OF TEAMS BUILDING IN CONTINUAL LEARNING If you haven’t had a chance to review our previous blogs on the first three principles, check it them out on the website: Breaking projects into smaller bites, Connecting with Customers, and the Power of Teams  Continual Learning It’s cliché that the world is moving quickly. A key element of this change is companies, many whom are your competitors, continually looking for better ways to serve customers. Just ask Sears, Kmart, or Toys R Us and they’ll tell you – If you’re not finding a better way, someone will. The problem is our current structures are not built for learning – they are built for control. Hierarchies are built to increase efficiency and stability in the organization, not leverage great ideas. We need to change this. We need to build companies of entrepreneurs, where experimentation and innovation are an integral part of what we do. We want good ideas to get the same attention, no matter where they originate. How to do we foster continual learning into our organizations Before you even start, one of the first things to consider is understanding what is the clear goal of what you want when you are finished. Do you want more efficiency, do you want more customer value, do you want more sales, do you want more revenue, more profits? As we discussed in Part 3 – Teams are amazing idea engines – set them loose on a problem and they will come up with incredible results, but you have to start with pointing them towards the right problem. As a leadership team – it’s your responsibility to understand where you want innovation in your organization and what is going to make a difference, so your teams can focus on how to get you there. The next thing you need is the right environment. Looking back again at Part 3 the Power of Teams, we mentioned psychological safety is important. But, that isn’t just safety within the team. Ironically, for the team to succeed they also need to be able to fail. With innovation, people need to feel safe in the organization as a whole, knowing that ideas may not work every time, but when they do, it will be worth it. You also need an idea meritocracy. Often when you start a new team, members come in wanting to know what their tasks are and when they are due. They know they are usually asked to leave their brain at the door and just do the tasks as asked. What a waste of good people! Teams need to know that great ideas can come from anywhere or anyone. It shouldn’t matter if you are in accounting, you might have a great idea for operations. Operations might have a great idea for sales. You may see great ideas come from facilities, customer service, or accounting. We need to be able to judge ideas on merit, not rank or role. This next part is a little more controversial since it has to do with money. To entice entrepreneurs, you need to be able to share rewards for great ideas. To find the best way to serve customers, you need to measure the value the team is delivering to them. Taking that one step further – as teams deliver great value, there should be some direct rewards, sharing the value of those ideas that made it possible. It’s rewarding to see the value customers are getting but if organizations don’t share a portion of the benefits, team members may end up feeling cynical that they’re doing a great job, but the owners are the only ones seeing rewards. Nucor Steal pays employees 75% of market wages, but with bonuses they can make 125%.  At Google, employees can make as much as 300% more than someone in the same role, based on the value of their contributions.  Haier, a Chinese appliance company, has broken departments into small mini companies where employees are encouraged to think of new revenue streams and there can be significant rewards when those ideas payoff. Beyond the right environment, the last element is room to process and digest thoughts. Agile is the only methodology I’ve seen that does continual improvement effectively. The reason is that there is time built into every iteration to take a step back, discuss where to improve, and build those tasks into the next iteration.  We all know that improvement is important, but we’re not scheduling time to do it. In one of the departments I managed, I thought I was doing a great job delegating and communicating with my team till we had our first retro. I was surprised to learn that wasn’t the case. Over the course of a year, we were able to eliminate, automate, and delegate my administrative overhead from 20 hours a week to 4. It left me a lot more time to focus on strategic value and the team was much happier with the growth they were seeing. You have opportunities, but you won’t know where those opportunities to grow are, or what is possible, until you take time to ask. Benefits of Continual Learning People talk about an Agile transformation like it is a destination that you get to.  However, Agile is a journey. It’s about building an organization that is continually changing and adapting to better fit the world around it. Continual learning is really one of the key principles to Agile because it builds a truly flexible organization.  That means: As an organization – you don’t have to worry about driving results. A key job today for leadership is to drive the organization to be more effective. Agile puts in a structure where everyone is focused on being more effective. That means leadership has more time to focus on strategic direction. As a customer – the company is always growing and adjusting to better fit your needs. Every iteration, they are asking how they can serve you better. As a team – you get growth. Too many times we think people aren’t satisfied because of money or benefits. But a key reason employees leave a job is because they don’t have an opportunity to grow. Continual learning gives you the opportunity to not just do more, but to be more, increasing the value you add. If you’re with a good company, it also means you get to take the results of some of those ideas home as a well-deserved thank you. The idea of continual improvement isn’t new. Toyota started quality circles after WWII leading to its popularity in the 1950’s. But, 70 years later, it seems we’re still not doing it well. Most teams meet regularly to discuss status. It’s not hard to add some reflection time to those meetings. You can google fun retrospectives to get some ideas of how to get people thinking more creatively. Whether you borrow the approach from Lean or Agile, building continual improvement will help your company grow. As we have gone through the four key Agile principles, you’re probably thinking they aren’t new. You’re right, they’re not. Agile is really just a collection of good business practices, and rather than a detailed practice, it’s a combination of good principles that companies should leverage to improve what they do. As you look at Agile, rather than thinking that’s not for me, or that would never work here, do what Agile did —  Take a bunch of great ideas and make them your own. In the last post, we reviewed – the secret sauce of Agile and shared this important idea: Agile is a framework built on strong principles you adjust to fit your organization. The goal is to make the right adjustments while not losing the underlying strengths that Agile brings. This post will cover Connecting with Customers. Connecting with Customers I had this epiphany when I came to Agile. As a solution architect I had been spending a lot of time getting sign-offs from customers to make sure we had the right solution before we started the project. The problem is solutions are like art. Often customers don’t know what they want till they see it. Further, they may not even know what the underlying problem is. What they do know, is what is they don’t like what they have today. While customers are not experts at understanding how to take a problem apart and find an answer, your solution team is, but, your solution team may not know what is most important to the customer. Worse, they often think they know and move forward to test that theory by delivering a finished product – that’s an expensive experiment! The epiphany I had was: Take the customers who understand where their pain points are and know a good solution when they see it; put them together with teams who are experts at root cause analysis and developing innovative ideas and you create the perfect environment for innovative solutions that meet customer needs. How to Connect with Customers Whether you are developing software solutions, creating marketing campaigns, developing education curriculums, or changing a business process, chances are you are trying to think of the right solution for your customers. However, if you have ever delivered a finished project and the customer says “Oh, now I know what I want,” – this is the strong an indication that there’s an opportunity to improve. Here are some steps to make this actionable: MOVE FROM DOCUMENTS TO CONVERSATIONS. Most of what we say is nuanced in inflection and body language. Get a conversation going between teams and customers to better explain what is needed, why, and allow time for questions. It’s even better if teams can watch how people are working today. BREAK UP THE TIME Instead of trying to get all the answers at the beginning, provide space to let customers provide an explanation, teams to create a prototype, and customers to provide feedback (made possible by breaking projects into smaller pieces).. TEST IDEAS WITH REAL CUSTOMERS Agile teams often create something new and then don’t take the time to get feedback. They’re missing a huge part of the value. The best feedback will come from real customers and you won’t get much value from the opinion of a higher-up – you need to know if the solution makes sense to those who will actually use it in their day-to-day work. The biggest benefit to getting customers and teams connected is it allows teams to focus on the right problems and quickly test solutions. That means: As an organization – teams that understand customer needs and spend more time developing customer value. They also waste less time creating low value items, which also means a cleaner product that is easier to support. As a customer – you get the right solution, the first time, without having to wait for the mythical Phase II. When teams and customers work together, they often provide solutions customers didn’t realize were possible. As a team – it’s a lot simpler to have a conversation with a customer than to try and guess on a document. It’s also satisfying to see when you hit the mark and have a chance to change it when you miss. As a project team, it’s your responsibility to figure out where to focus your time. There are elements to any product that customers don’t see that make the end result possible. You don’t need customer feedback on those, but for anything that is customer facing, it’s better idea get feedback from the people who are using it. You may be surprised at what you find. Next post, we’ll cover Part 3: The Power of Teams. In the first two parts of this series, we described the secret sauce of Agile is understanding that Agile is a framework built on strong principles you adjust to fit your organization. The goal is to make the right adjustments while not losing the underlying strengths that Agile brings. The four key Agile principles we have identified are: BREAKING PROJECTS INTO SMALLER BITES CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS LEVERAGING THE POWER OF TEAMS BUILDING IN CONTINUAL LEARNING If you haven’t had a chance to review our previous blogs on the first two principles, check it them out on the website: Breaking projects into smaller bites and Connecting with Customers The Power of Teams As kids, I think everyone of us wanted to be superheroes. Teams give us that ability – they turn ordinary people into top performers. In his book Scrum Twice the Work in Half the Time – Sutherland explains the difference between your best and worst individual performers is 10 times. That means the best performers get 10 times more done than the worst. That sounds impressive, until you hear the difference between the worst and best teams is 2,000 times (2,000 times better starts to sound and feel a lot like a superhero). Part of the difference might be in existing team structure. Most of the time, we think about teams as individuals working on similar items with a manager directing traffic. That’s not a team. And, it won’t provide the advantage of leveraging the intelligence of the group. In his book Turn the Ship Around, Marquette talks about how, traditionally in a submarine, you have one captain thinking for the 140 crew. Marquette discusses how he got each individual to think for themselves. By doing that, he outperformed every other submarine in the US fleet. It was easy for him to see that no other captain, however smart they may be, is going to be as smart as 140 people. For those who have worked in a solid team, it’s a great experience.  However, teams need the right elements to be successful. An example I like to share is a research project called Aristotle looking at successful teams that Google conducted. They started with an assumption that great teams would be made of great individuals, but couldn’t find any correlation. What they did find were five key elements that did correlate with team performance: Psychological Safety Can we take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed? Dependability Can we count on each other to do high quality work and meet commitments? Structure and Clarity Are the goals, roles, and plans on the team clear? Work Meaning Does our work provide us with an individual sense of purpose? Work Impact Do we believe the work we’re doing matters? If you’re looking for structure, Scrum, the most popular Agile framework, provides teams a simple approach on how to plan, touch base regularly, review work against plans, and implement regular retrospectives to identify and make needed adjustments. Benefits of Teams There are so many benefits to high functioning teams, but one of the most valuable is innovation. New ideas often come from leveraging existing ideas in a new way. When you present a problem to a group, each person comes with a different perspective, a lifetime of different experiences, and the more diverse your team is, the more diverse those experiences will be. Great ideas come from one person seeing the problem in a different way, and then others in the group building on those ideas till at the end you have a completely new solution.  This means: As an organization – innovation is the lifeblood of any good company. It is the ultimate source of competitive advantage. It is why companies like Google and Amazon are so hard to compete with. As a customer – it gives you the best product at the best price. Customers are so tired of hearing the word “or.” Would you like quality or would you like a price you can afford?  Innovation gives you the ability to give customers “and.” Toyota did this in the 50’s, providing the quality of a Mercedes for the cost of a Ford, gaining a decade of competitive advantage. As a team – we talked about a key part of successful teams is meaning and impact. There is a joy of going home (or logging off our computer in our home office) at the end of the day knowing that, as a team, you did the impossible and the world is better because of it. Innovation makes the impossible possible, and it’s fun getting to do it. You don’t have to be Agile to improve what your teams are doing today.  Look at the Google Aristotle aspects of a team and think about how you make groups more like teams.  Wherever you are today, leveraging the genius of the entire organization will help you be far more effective, with a side effect of much happier employees. In the last part of our Agile Series, we’ll take a look at Continual Learning. Agile is getting a lot of great press lately as we see companies like Amazon thriving by leveraging the concepts. But we also see push back from other business leaders on why Agile won’t work for them, or companies that have tried going Agile but are not seeing the expected improvements. Instead of realizing Agile as an all or nothing idea, we should analyze each of the Agile principles, taking a pragmatic approach to leveraging Agile within our own organizations. Agile is getting a lot of great press lately as we see companies like Amazon thriving by leveraging the concepts. But we also see push back from other business leaders on why Agile won’t work for them, or companies that have tried going Agile but are not seeing the expected improvements. Instead of realizing Agile as an all or nothing idea, we should analyze each of the Agile principles, taking a pragmatic approach to leveraging Agile within our own organizations. This focused segmentation on each Agile principle is key since no individual practice will provide a competitive advantage. If something is easy to replicate, everyone will do it. Also, what organizations do is not simple – each one is completing a complex combination of different tasks to create customer value. That leads me to this – The secret sauce of Agile is: It’s a framework built on strong principles you adjust to fit your organization. The goal is to make the right adjustments while not losing the underlying strengths that Agile brings. To do that successfully, you need to understand each of the principles in depth. The four key Agile principles we have identified are: BREAKING PROJECTS INTO SMALLER BITES CONNECTING WITH CUSTOMERS LEVERAGING THE POWER OF TEAMS BUILDING IN CONTINUAL LEARNING Join me over the next few posts, as we delve into each one of the principles throughout this Agile blog series. Today, we start with: Breaking Projects into Small Bites. Smaller Bites The first principle is breaking projects and initiatives into smaller bites, following the old adage that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. As we think about how to break up projects, we need to also answer:   How will this project deliver value to the customer?   How will it deliver value to the organization?   How do we do it, including how long will it take, or how much will it cost? If you think about construction, where traditional project management comes from, these questions are fairly easy to answer. If you are looking at building a new bridge, for example, to see if there is value, it’s easy to see what those who would use the bridge are doing today, and if they are willing to pay for a replacement. This answers the first two questions, so then the real focus is on how we do it. Since this isn’t the first bridge that’s been built, we can get a reasonable idea and estimates from previous projects to help us answer the last question. If we found ourselves without previous information, we would need to experiment. That’s much harder on these types of projects since there may not be an easy way to break the project up into smaller bites. We could start with a rope bridge, but chances are it’s not going to add any value till we have a four-lane highway ready to use, thus failing the first question. Construction projects are not the only ones that may provide this complication. IT infrastructure or software upgrade projects are often similar and are quite a bit different from software projects – which is where Agile came from. Software projects are far more unique and have their own conditions to be considered. You see similar issues in marketing, educational design, business process changes, or any project where we don’t have a good, previous solution to copy. The problem with these types of projects is:   We may know what people are doing today, but we don’t necessarily know the best approach to solve their problems or how much value the customer will get.   Without knowing the customer value, we don’t know the organizational value.   Without knowing the solution, we don’t know if we can build it, and if we do, what it would take. Even with this complexity, there is some good news. Unlike construction projects, these projects are easier to break up into experiments where we can test our assumptions and reduce the risk to the organization. The key is to focus on breaking the project up into the right pieces, that will help answer these questions as quickly as possible. How to Break Projects Into Small Pieces Let’s talk about how to break that elephant up with a real-life example. A company I worked with had a hypothesis that they were paying generous benefits but employees weren’t seeing that value since they didn’t know what those benefits cost. For the three questions, the hypothesis was: How will this project deliver value to the customer? If employees knew the cost of their benefits, they would be more satisfied How will it deliver value to the organization? Satisfied employees would provide more value to the organization (in this case reduced turnover) How do we do it, including how long will it take, or how much will it cost? We have access to the benefit information and can present it in the right format to make it easy for employees to understand. Looking at how to break this project up, we would want to: Present employees an example of a current benefit to see if this increases satisfaction. If possible, we probably want to start with the biggest benefit. We don’t have time to wait for turnover, but we still need to measure satisfaction, perhaps with a questionnaire, targeting a group of employees that have the most turnover. We need to test if we can get access to the data and test different ways to show the information to make sure it is easy to understand As you lay out what you want to learn, it gets easier to understand how to break the project into the right pieces. Value of Breaking Projects into Smaller Pieces So whether you’re agile or not, let’s talk about the benefits of this approach: As an organization – testing the value of ideas early lets you focus on the good ones. It also helps to uncover big technical risks quickly so you get a picture of the real effort projects will take. Finally, delivering the projects quickly, and in small increments lets you deliver value faster, speeding return on investment. As a customer – teams are already testing on real customers today; all of them when they release. Smaller testing means you get to see what approach a team is considering early, provide meaningful input on finding the best approach, and only a small group of customers is impacted. As a team – testing early means you waste less time on bad ideas. It’s demoralizing to put your heart into a project and then not find out till the end it didn’t deliver the value you expected. By taking this approach, Agile is pushing an empirical tactic, pressing you to think like a scientist, understand what ideas are really theories, and find ways to test the theories early. As you look at getting this same value with your own projects, think about the three questions around organizational value, customer value, and the approach. If you have good evidence to support your ideas, it may be more similar to the construction project example, and focusing on how to efficiently put the project in place could be the best approach. But, if there are a lot of assumptions like we described above, it’s worth the time to set up a quick experiment and validate them. On our next post, I’ll be reviewing the second principle, Connecting with Customers.   I’d like to introduce you to Salvador Marin, a recent PMP, project manager who works in the infrastructure service industry, specifically, telecom, electrical and solar construction. Let's talk about his path to the PMP and the 2008 economic hardship journey that let him to the project management field. Salvador Marin is a US Army veteran whose plan initially led him to information technology so he could learn how to create video games, his beginning passion. The demands of his military job, a signal satellite technician who ran equipment forged a different path. Salvador was not trained for it; he went to his unit and the needed role had to be self-taught. It started a lifelong education journey where he became the go to guy. The task uncovered his hidden skills and strengths. Salvador discovered that he was analytical and curious. Creating games led to building his own computer, learning about the circuits and how the electrical components connect. Basically, what makes the game work and why does it work? Salvador’s employment path began in the private sector began by putting his lessons learned into a college degree which he obtained while working. If you ask Sal who he is, “it's a puzzle solver, he now leads others to the solution.” Salvador is a nerd at heart. His nickname is Data. Star Track followers will remember the character who tends to interpret things literally, the black and white, what is said, rather than what is meant, gray. Today he has learned to ask a series of questions to lead others to solutions instead of providing the answer to help perpetuate learning. His interest in project management, planning his life rather than stumbling into it, led to an interest in finance. Salvador Marin loves to manage costs and schedules, key in the construction industry. This attention to detail enabled his success. “Who doesn’t know the numbers?” Salvador’s strong sense of family, raising his children, giving back with the Knights of Columbus and his motto, truth is the truth, he feels will keep him on the correct path. His words resonated with me, “if something is hard, remember someone is always looking up to you and you want them to improve their own situation, so no handups, you can do it if you work to the bone.” Work serves a purpose; it is all about supporting the family His work ethic has set an example to his siblings as a role model. Sal’s love of video games is still alive, he has turned his passion into quality time with his son. Salvador Marins next career goal is executive leadership, somehow, I envision his winding road taking him there. Finally, we’ve reached our final milestone – Reinforcement. In our last blog we covered the third and fourth element of ADKAR – Knowledge and Ability and mentioned that people need to have both the information on how to change and the ability to make the change.Here is a quick recap of what ADKAR stands for: ·                  AWARENESS ·                  DESIRE ·                  KNOWLEDGE ·                  ABILITY ·                  REINFORCEMENT Reinforcement Reinforcement is the person continuing and sustaining the change. During this phase you continue to manage resistance, implement corrective actions, and celebrate success. It is also important to collect and analyze feedback because creating a good feedback loop, where people have a voice on what is working well and can provide areas of improvement, will help them feel empowered to continue to support the change. I’ve seen some great success with this when companies have communication channels where employees can recognize other team members that are doing well with the change. Managers have different options to honor them with some type of formal reward including becoming certified or even gaining a promotion. At one company I was at, they called this acknowledgement “Find the Good and Praise It” (FTFAPI) and at another it was known as giving someone a “High-Five.” Both were easy actions for a person to submit a praise and that praise to be shared company-wide. Unfortunately, try as we might to get people through their ADKAR journeys, some changes may result in employee turnover. Monitoring this effectively can help shape how the organization approaches change and strengthen the culture (or weaken if it is not properly dealt with). This goes back to the Desire blog where we mentioned the organizational or environmental context factors can affect the desire ADKAR milestone based on the success (or non-successes) of past changes, other changes that may be also occurring in the organization, and the organization’s culture of change. Yes, change is a cyclical journey, and everyone will go through each milestone with each change they encounter. It’s up to us as change practitioners (or project managers with our change management hat on) to help educate our Sponsors, Mid-Line managers, and Team Members on how to effectively manage through each milestone by educating them that this is a process, but we have the resources available to help them through it.In our last blog we started with the first element of ADKAR®, Awareness, and mentioned that people need to know why the change is happening. Today, our focus is on the second milestone – Desire in the ADKAR acronym.  Today, our focus is on the second milestone – Desire in the ADKAR acronym. As you just read in our last blog ADKAR stands for ·                  AWARENESS ·                  DESIRE ·                  KNOWLEDGE ·                  ABILITY ·                  REINFORCEMENT Desire A person needs to have the desire to participate and support the change. This is a biggie. Without this you may have delays, productivity may decline, and people may even leave the organization. It is also a very personal thing, (as much as we wish we could!) we do not control other people’s choices. Hiatt mentions there are Four Factors that contribute to an individual’s desire to change: The Nature of the Change Is this change an opportunity or threat and what is their WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) The organizational or environmental context The Success (or non-successes) of past changes, other changes that may be also occurring in the organization, and the organization’s culture of change. An Individual’s Personal Situation Our career aspirations, financial security, age/healthy, personal relationships in and out of work Intrinsic Motivation What we value, our internal voice or internal compass. We talked about Awareness in our last post and desire tends to immediately follow that. We’ve all been there – your sponsor announces, “A Change is Coming!!” and as soon as we log-off the meeting invite, most of us are sending a ping to our manager, “Hey, just heard the news does this mean I have to (insert how I perceived the change will affect me here).” Because of this common reflex Prosci recommends that the desire messaging is best communicated by the Direct Manager. They are closer to their staff and their everyday duties, so they can help them understand the specific WIIFM. “As you have heard, we are getting a new PPM tool, this is really going to help you save time when you submit your project status reports because it has a one-click button that aggregates all the data. No more late Friday emails asking where your status reports are! We’ll all be able to log-off in time to attend the company Happy Hour.” Of course, it is worth noting that the manager needs to have gone through their own ADKAR journey before they can properly help their staff consume the information. If they are just finding out about the change at the same time as their staff, then this is a recipe for disaster. As change practitioners, we need to help the manager by first getting them through their own ADKAR journey and then preparing them, and giving room for them, to lead their staff through the change. They will need our support to identify and manage resistance and how to provide clear communications on the benefits of the change initiative. Today, our focus is on the third and fourth ADKAR® milestone – Knowledge and Ability. They are related to each other, so I like to cover them together.  In our last blog we covered the second element of Desire and mentioned that people need to have the desire to participate and support the change.   Here is a quick recap of what ADKAR stands for: ·                  AWARENESS ·                  DESIRE ·                  KNOWLEDGE ·                  ABILITY ·                  REINFORCEMENT   Knowledge Knowledge is about each person understanding how to change. This would be the education and training on the new tool, their processes, and them understanding any new expectations – whether it be a new role or new responsibility. Depending on your change initiative this could be as simple as providing a new URL link or as complex as an entirely new office location, reporting structure, and office procedures. But, even with the range of complexity, this ADKAR milestone is where I think, as Project Managers, we are the most familiar and comfortable with as we typically cover aspects of this during our UAT (User Acceptance Testing) and Training sessions. I have seen some really cool examples when it comes to how to deliver knowledge. Gamification techniques can be used to tap into the reward center of our brains and provide positive reinforcement as a fun and interactive way to help people gain the new knowledge. I’ve written a blog about using game theory for time-tracking that goes into detail about each game mechanic if you want to learn more about gamification. There are a lot of additional resources available to help deliver knowledge including creating interactive quizzes, live train-the-trainer sessions, on-demand training videos, and even using a pilot group to help create early adopters or help discover power-users and champions. Keep in mind, we do not want to take any previous knowledge for granted or make assumptions on their current knowledge level. Sometimes offering a “foundation” class to make sure everyone is on the same baseline of understanding can help before delivering new information. Ability Ability is the fourth ADKAR milestone. This is the person’s skills as they relate to the future state. They may have the awareness, they are on board about the change, they have been trained – but do they have the ability? Meaning, do they have the intellectual capability, the physical ability, an SME (Subject Matter Experts) or mentor support, and the time to learn what is needed for the successful change? One example that helps describe this ADKAR milestone is if there was a change for a company to shift from an hour lunch to a half hour lunch. This may seem like a simple change, but what if the person takes public transport or drops their kids off at school — getting off a half hour earlier or coming in a half hour later is not an option for them. I think we have all had some personal experience with this when it comes to COVID and having to work remotely. I may be on board to work remote because I understand why (we have a pandemic) I have the desire (I don’t want to get COVID or infect others), I have the knowledge (I have been trained on how to login remote) but do I have good internet and a place to set up my workstation at home? Also, sometimes it may take people different amounts of time to learn something new. We all know the type of person (I’m one of them) that needs a little bit of time to process and try it on their own to help settle their new understanding of the process. They have gone through training, so they have the knowledge of how to do it, but they may need a few weeks of using the new tool in order to develop their competency and ability to actually use it. Projects that have a quick go-live and do not account for this may can put a person’s Ability milestone at risk so it’s something to keep an eye on while building out your project plans and working with managers. Are you engaged with the chapter and attending events? We would like to feature you, highlighting what makes you unique, a recent promotion or how you conquered a challenge. We are looking for Members willing to share their story.  Please submit your willingness to be interviewed to Marketing@pmiphx.org   Paul Bartel, PMP Volunteer of the Month, January 2021 - Breakfast Program Paul Bartal, PMP started volunteering in 2007. His personal motto is most appropriate, “the point of the journey is not to arrive by Neil Peart” He has led the Northwest Breakfast meeting for 13 years. Paul Bartal, PMP started volunteering in 2007. His personal motto is most appropriate, “the point of the journey is not to arrive by Neil Peart” He has led the Northwest Breakfast meeting for 13 years. But then came COVID-19 and Paul stepped up as the AVP of the Breakfast Program. Typically, the breakfast meeting was in person, but we could not gather so Paul led the way in taking this meeting virtual. It was tough, how do you network, advertise that you are a job seeker or job supplier and engage with the speaker while not talking over everyone? The best part of leading the breakfast meeting to Paul is to form friendships with the regular attendees. His joy is to hear that an attendee found a job as a result of their networking at one of the breakfast meetings.   Paul’s words of wisdom to a new volunteer or peer, “just go for it. Just please take it seriously. It makes things tough for the team if you do not honor your commitments. He feels the same way about his work peers, “treat your coworkers exactly how you would like them to treat you. Respect their time and deliver whatever you commit to.” A little bit about Paul, did you know that he has played the drums for 40 years and is a member of a rock band, Radio X?   He tries to live life to the fullest, travel and appreciate others. His guilty pleasure is to off road in his jeep of the Arizona trails. I have known him for years after meeting at the Northwest Breakfast Meeting and did not know these tidbits. I just thought of him as a nice person, always positive and that he cares about others. You might see Paul Bartal in the community, he is an avid, Toastmaster, and feels this had led to his personal leadership and public speaking growth. He also supports the American Cancer Society and the Alzheimer’s Association. He gives back and is a stellar example, of a Volunteer of the Month. Today, our focus is on the first milestone – Awareness in the ADKAR acronym. As you just read in our last blog we introduced ADKAR, which stands for ·                  AWARENESS ·                  DESIRE ·                  KNOWLEDGE ·                  ABILITY ·                  REINFORCEMENT Awareness In order to get people’s buy-in on the change they must first understand the why. Awareness is all about helping people understanding the “Why” of the change. It's all about the why Simon Sinek has a book and TED Talk called “Start with the Why” – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. He bolds the fact that when you communicate the why (the purpose, the  reason) rather than starting with the what (benefits/features) then we are focusing on the part of the brain that controls decision making. Nearing in on the “gut-feeling” part that we tend to draw on when we are making a decision, and our emotional reaction to it. According to Prosci, this message is best communicated by a trusted, visible, and active Sponsor within the organization and this makes perfect sense. As Project Managers, we are often leading the team on some pretty cool initiatives, but it’s when the CEO takes center stage at a town-hall and speaks to the heart about Why they are going in that direction, that people take notice and listen. I’ve seen some great examples of how to generate buzz around a new application that was being rolled out. It started with a very friendly message “have you heard the word” that started to gain everyone’s interest and excitement for what may be coming. One company I worked with, had a great idea for a Sponsor Roadshow where the team got a little cart and went around the office handing out ice-cream as the Project Sponsor walked around and started planting the seed about a new department the organization was developing and the benefits it could offer to the organization. When we do not communicate the why, people will fill in the knowledge gaps themselves. The rumor-mill can be strong, so we want to own the message from the beginning by communicating the Why early on. This month I am going to talk about something we all have an interest in, PDU's. My PMP renewal is coming up this year. I am not worried as I hit my 60 PDU's last year. But there was a time when that wasn't the case, and I found myself scrambling to get the required PDU's to renew. This month I am going to talk about something we all have an interest in, PDU's. My PMP renewal is coming up this year. I am not worried as I hit my 60 PDU's last year. But there was a time when that wasn't the case, and I found myself scrambling to get the required PDU's to renew. To avoid that situation again, I put together a plan. The first thing I did was download the CCRS handbook and break down the 60 PDU's required. I work as a professional so check that off right away. I volunteer with the PMI Phoenix Chapter that fills out the remaining 17 PDU's of my Giving Back Category. Education I planned to primarily receive through the chapter by attending training, meetings, and webinars. The chapter holds at least one event a month, sometimes two. So that was easy. I just needed to attend one event per month, and in three years, I would have my 35 PDU's. If you hold other PMI certifications, those have different requirements but are very similar and can be found in the CCRS handbook. If you obtain project management training or certifications outside of PMI, you can self report those as educational PDU's. An example of this would be a Certified Scrum Master Course qualifies as 6 Technical, 5 Leadership, and 5 Strategic for a total of 16 PDU's. If you don't know how many PDU's you have, you can check your renewal status at https://my.pmi.org/. You may notice a new look to your dashboard. PMI recently rolled out an update. But behind the scenes, the reporting system is unchanged. You can still report PDU's as you have been. PMI has a guide book Continuing Certification requirements, and you can view it here. There are many ways and resources available to chapter members to earn PDU's. The chapter offers events and webinars where you can earn PDU's. The webinar library on the website provides recordings of previous meetings and online events for viewing. At the end of the webinar, a PDU claim code will appear on the screen that you can use to claim the PDU's for that session. Screenshot of PDU Claim Code at the end of a recorded webinar If you are looking for PDU's the chapter has them. We send out a newsletter every Sunday letting you know what is happening in the next few weeks with the chapter. If you are not getting it in your inbox, check to see if newsletter@pmiphx.org is going to your junk or spam folder. That is an excellent resource to stay informed with the chapter. You can also subscribe to one of our social media channels. We have a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you are looking to earn some PDU's by giving back, we are always looking for Volunteers. You can complete a volunteer application on the website here https://pmiphx.org/volunteer-application. I hope to see you at a chapter event! Shane CretacciPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter Wanted creative writers willing to share their expertise.  Passionate about a topic? Our members have many skills and untapped knowledge. This is a way to give back to our community if public speaking is not your style. You can now share them with the chapter and earn PDUs for the time spent creating the article. Articles will be featured on the website and in the newsletter.   Please submit articles to Marketing@pmiphx.org       Ah yes, another elusive acronym for us to add to our business vernacular. If you stay with me on the following ADKAR blog series, I promise this acronym will become one of your favorites. Why? Because it is simple to understand and can make a big impact to helping achieve project success. Before we get into the details of ADKAR, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the importance of Organizational Change Management (OCM) and introduce you to the global leader in change management solutions, Prosci ®. What is Change Management Prosci® defines change management as the process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve the required business outcome. Change management incorporates the organizational tools that can be utilized to help individuals make successful personal transitions resulting in the adoption and realization of change. That statement of a personal transition is a key part to understanding the methodology of change management. If you think about a project, there may be a significant percentage of the project’s success relying on a person changing how they work. For example, when implementing a new PPM tool, a project manager may need to be change how they track and report their project plan, financials, risk & issues log, etc. If they have been doing the same process in Excel or Microsoft Project, they probably have some sort of an autopilot and learning how to use a new system will be a disturbance to this autopilot. Some people may have a little blip when they come across change, others will have a colossal reaction to this adjustment. Not to throw another acronym at you, but OCEAN or The Big Five Theory is one that I’ve been interested in lately as it relates to how people emotionally react to and process change, based on their personality. The range where someone falls on each of the Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism spectrum could be an important tell of how they react to change. Change management is getting out in front of this disturbance – anticipating it – and planning to help people successfully journey through their current state to their future state. Importance of Change Management Prosci has 20 years of research into Change Management and their surveys have consistently shown that you are 6x  more likely to meet or exceed your objectives when you implement change management. You are also more likely to stay on budget and achieve the results ahead of schedule. You can learn more about the details and benefits of OCM in Kelly’s blog: Managing Change: Absent Processes Hurting Your Projects Future or check out the recap of our OCM webinar: Change Management Fundamentals. ADKAR – An Introduction As mentioned, Prosci is the global leader of management solutions and there are a lot of tools that Prosci has, but the one that I think complements project management the most is ADKAR since it focuses on an individual’s journey. ADKAR stands for   It represents the five elements of change that must be achieved for that change to be a success. There are a lot of ADKAR resources available outside of attending a Prosci training. Jeffrey M. Hiatt wrote ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. It’s a short, easy read that can be purchased online. Lien, wrote a great article that describes how to coach individuals through each section of ADKAR in her blog – Coaching Through Change Over the next few blogs, we’ll take a deeper look into each one of the ADKAR milestones, starting with Part 1 – Awareness The Outlook: The United States logged the worst economic contraction in its history during the second quarter of 2020, as non-farm payrolls—which account for 80 percent of workers in the economy—dropped by nearly 21 million in April. But by the end of the year, the data was hinting at hope: Hiring during October outpaced September by 15.5 percent, according to LinkedIn’s November Workforce Report. That’s still 5.8 percent lower than October 2019 but a reason to celebrate for those on the job market. 2021 JOBS REPORT an excerpt from the January issue of PM Network. BY A. WILKINSON     Subway station in New York, New York, USA United States The Outlook: The United States logged the worst economic contraction in its history during the second quarter of 2020, as non-farm payrolls—which account for 80 percent of workers in the economy—dropped by nearly 21 million in April. But by the end of the year, the data was hinting at hope: Hiring during October outpaced September by 15.5 percent, according to LinkedIn’s November Workforce Report. That’s still 5.8 percent lower than October 2019 but reason to celebrate for those on the job market. But the road ahead for the U.S. job market is murky. “Without adequate fiscal stimulus and safety from the virus, employers and consumers will be unable to move forward, and so the recession will deepen,” says Erica Groshen, PhD, senior economic adviser, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA. —Erica Groshen, PhD, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA Job opportunities are hardest to find in industries such as recreation and travel (down 41 percent in October compared with the year prior, according to LinkedIn), the arts (down 32 percent), energy and mining (down 32 percent), legal (down 18 percent), hardware and networking (down 14 percent) and entertainment (down 13 percent). “But as the pandemic persists, we’re beginning to see layoffs occur outside these industries,” says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Expansion plans have widely been abandoned until companies can emerge from the fog of uncertainty and more clearly define the long-term structural changes that will occur as a result of the pandemic, Groshen says. Companies will hoard cash and delay investment in R&D and capital improvement projects until they can regain certainty around the competitive landscape and consumer behavior. The Opportunity: Manufacturing, transportation and logistics, construction, retail and real estate have seen the biggest recovery in open positions since hitting lows in April 2020, according to LinkedIn. And while brick-and-mortar retail may be floundering, companies that sell goods and services are strengthening their online infrastructure and offerings in response to the mass shift in consumer behavior, says Challenger. Those organizations will need digital-savvy project talent to push forward. Project activity—and a need for project managers—extends beyond those fields. When the pandemic first hit, industries that could transition to remote work—largely white-collar professional jobs—immediately implemented work-from-home policies that became long-term for many. By midyear, three-fourths of professional workers, including project managers, were still working remotely, says Challenger. While CEOs in North America are the least likely to view low-density workplaces as a lasting change (as much as 20 percentage points less than CEOs in Latin America, for instance), nearly half believe the trend will be permanent, according to PwC. For this year, the abrupt but enduring acceptance of digital collaboration tools and remote work will continue, predicts McKinsey, which means a serious appetite for project leaders to effectively steer everything from the development of analytical tools to change initiatives around dispersed teams. PHOTO BY ERGIN YALCIN/E+/GETTY IMAGES. OPPOSITE PAGE, PHOTO BY LIANG SEN/XINHUA VIA GETTY IMAGES United States:Geotargeting Location matters—not only in how many positions are available, but also what sectors they’re in. Of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, Rochester, New York won the top slot for job outlook, according to ManpowerGroup, with 29 percent of organizations signaling they intended to expand headcount in the last three months of 2020. At the other end of the list, Los Angeles, California; New Haven, Connecticut; and Miami, Florida all fell below zero for overall hiring intention. Here are the sectors with the sharpest seasonally adjusted uptick in hiring intention by U.S. region. Its all about the people and connections. I joined the chapter like a lot of our members, to prepare for and obtain my PMP. Meeting members and future PMPs engaged me and led me to volunteering. The volunteer world is not easy, people are stressed for time. It’s a delicate balance but was so worth my time. What I have learned from volunteering with the chapter have turned into good things, I can apply at work.   Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP), PMP, CSM Mary Ryan started volunteering in 2013 as a financial liason on the finance team while studing for her PMP.  Mary then served as an Associate Vice President and was appointed and later elected to the VP of Finance Role. Her journey continued and served as a VP of Professional Development and later as the Vice President of Virtual Locations which ended at the close of 2020. Mary is currently serving this year as an episodic volunteer. The director at large role is a non voting board position that can act as a mentor, guide and leader of special projects. This role is often used by past board leaders who want to continue giving back but allows the flexibility of scaling back volunteer hours or increasing hours to complete a project. When I asked her what made her a successful volunteer, it was her skills obtained from running a business which provided the breadth of knowledge to make the projects successful. Mary stated that she is “most proud of her work done as VP of Finance to which helped to stabilize the chapter by using good business acumen and running the chapter as a business.”   I received so many personal benefits by being involved in the chapter and there are so many positive things that come out of your giving back. Mary expressed, “you get back exponentially when you give your time. We have come so far in the last ten years for the next generation of the chapter. You are able to connect with people on a different level. It’s different types of engagement, professional, friend, teammate, leader and peer.”  Volunteers set goals together, support each other and by achieving goals together, you demonstrate caring for others and watching your peers grow in confidence. As a volunteer you practice servant leadership. When I asked Mary what she is looking forward to it was the face to face in the future and continued engagement. It is fun to make the connections and friends over the years. It comes from giving back and caring for each other. Successful project management requires collaborative leadership skills, clear communication, and courage to embrace constant change. I grew these skills in volunteering and helped the chapter evolve to support the next generation leader. The world and the chapter are changing for the better. Life is a project, make the most of it. It’s a new year, but we still are facing a unique set of challenges. I am still optimistic that change will come, and things will improve this year. The Chapter has planned on a return to in-person meetings late in the third quarter.  We are still optimistic that this is achievable, but we will weigh the benefits vs. risks before doing so. It’s a new year, but we still are facing a unique set of challenges. I am still optimistic that change will come, and things will improve this year. The Chapter has planned on a return to in-person meetings late in the third quarter.  We are still optimistic that this is achievable, but we will weigh the benefits vs. risks before doing so. The return to in-person meetings means our volunteer needs will increase. During COVID, the Chapter has managed to provide virtual programs with a skeleton crew. Still, as we continue to add additional offerings and return in person, we will need volunteers from the membership to execute them. Being a volunteer means that you are offering something – something that is not required nor an obligation. Most of the time, to volunteer, means that you are working side by side with others.  This connects you to other human beings as you are working toward a common goal. When you volunteer, you are making connections. Our volunteers are busy people. They have jobs, families, and obligations to tend to. They all are volunteering on their own time. If you choose to volunteer, do not overextend yourself to the extent that you will let someone down or not fulfill expectations. Do something that matters. You are choosing to use the time to work for something. Be sure to give it your best shot! Benefits of Volunteering: Personal development of leadership and other soft skills in a non-threatening environment Peer recognition through interaction and publicity of Chapter activities Development of a peer network within the inner circle of volunteers Participation in special leadership meetings with Chapter officers Potential for succession to Chapter leadership positions The satisfaction of contributing to the Chapter’s success and celebrating it at special volunteer-only events Credit (PDUs) toward certification renewal If you’re interested in volunteering, then click on the link below to learn more about volunteering with the Chapter. https://pmiphx.org/volunteer-opportunities Shane Cretacci President PMI Phoenix Chapter   Finance Team Volunteers Dave Casebere, Andy Aiyer, & Mohit Goel The 2021 budget is ready for approval by the Board - in record time this year.  Compiling a budget for the PMI Phoenix chapter is a complex process because it requires the Board to look into the future and come up with specific plans for providing members of the chapter with the services and support, they are looking for.  The 2021 budget is ready for approval by the Board - in record time this year.  Compiling a budget for the PMI Phoenix chapter is a complex process because it requires the Board to look into the future and come up with specific plans for providing members of the chapter with the services and support, they are looking for.  As you might guess, there are a lot of moving parts to the process and all the VPs must be in alignment on our strategy.  That alignment is reflected in the specifics of our proposed budget the 2021.  Normally the process takes us into January to complete.  But this year we are considerably ahead of schedule thanks to the leadership and skill of the Finance liaisons to the VPs on the Board.  Specifically, they are, Andy Aiyer and Mohit Goel.  Dave Casebere shared that “they have done a great job”.and the board executives (the stakeholders) echo that this project was successful. Everyone’s path to project management is a different journey, each path is unique and correct for them. Whether you stumble into project management, specifically plan your career, or just morph into a professional as a lifelong leaner. I would like to introduce you to Earl Matthews, a new chapter member and CAPM certificate holder and talk about his CAPM journey.      Everyone’s path to project management is a different journey, each path is unique and correct for them. Whether you stumble into project management, specifically plan your career, or just morph into a professional as a lifelong leaner. I would like to introduce you to Earl Matthews, a new chapter member and CAPM certificate holder and talk about his CAPM journey.    Joining the AZ Department of Revenue, two-plus years ago made him introspective about his career goals. His skills journey began in the trades then moved into retail loss prevention without formal training or education. What he discovered is that you can apply learning and skills are transportable across industries. So, Earl Mathews explored his new industry, shadowed other project managers, earned his 6 Sigma Black Belt while working in the program office. Earl states that “it quickly became my passion and where he sees himself in his five-year growth plan with the state.” His passion was built by working with teams and people in the lean management system. Earl Matthews project management path, started with an eLearning module on the PMI.org website to explore Project Management Basics. Earl completed his CAPM educational requirements pre COVID-19. He discovered Ken Roundtree, by attending a session at work, but needed a new path to certify when PMI Global canceled in-person exams last March. A few months passed, delaying his CAPM certification, but COVID-19 may have poked a hole in his balloon, making him glide but he quickly found a new way for his balloon to soar and regain air. Earl Mathews joined the chapter and the fall 2020 PMP/CAPM study group. He passed within one week of the November study group completion. His project study plan came together after 12 weeks of intense study, committing 4 to 5 nights a week to both weekly sessions and a study buddy and memorizing the ITTOs (processes, inputs, tools and techniques and outputs). Earl Matthews best advice is to not limit yourself to one type of learning source, so you can be well rounded. All learning sources help fill in the gaps so it will make sense. What you might not realize is the CAPM certification exam is technical where the PMP certification exam is situational. Earl Matthews said, “the study group was the glue that brought it all together, how it was presented and the presenter. The attendees and dialog participation, with the multiple views of other PMPs situational experience brought it together.” I could hear Ken Roundtree in my head during the exam, where no textbook would stick. I was the pig and committed to gaining the CAPM certification with only a high school diploma at the start of my journey. So, in the words of Earl Mathews, “your life and goals are just another project” so why not get started and find your critical path to success. Ken Roundtree, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSPO, ITILDirector of Credential Study Groups “It’s been a tremendous privilege and honor to have made such a positive difference in so many people’s personal lives. The past six plus years were the most rewarding years of my life.”Ken Roundtree has supported more than 200 PMP/CAPMs, by contributing more than 2000 volunteer hours.   Ken Roundtree, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSPO, ITIL Director of Credential Study Groups “It’s been a tremendous privilege and honor to have made such a positive difference in so many people’s personal lives. The past six plus years were the most rewarding years of my life.”Ken Roundtree has supported more than 200 PMP/CAPMs, by contributing more than 2000 volunteer hours. The Phoenix PMI Chapter owes a huge debt of gratitude and heartfelt thanks for his gift of time. Students remember his tone of voice and often claim to have heard Ken’s voice in their head while taking the certification exam. Perhaps it was his radio DJ background, or his magnanimous personality. He will be remembered for his humorous style of learning, and RAPs to trigger a lapse in memory.Behind every great leader is a team. In person sessions enjoyed Mama Roundtree’s delicious baked goods. His facilitator group wrote white paper to educate and capture the learnings and they established a learning website, http://www.dokboard.org  to celebrate success.When COVID-19 struck, the chapter asked Ken to be flexible and to create a new delivery method so the study group learning could continue. Ken Roundtree rose to the challenge and the virtual study group was born by leveraging his experience as a Google trainer for the State of Arizona.It might be the end of his journey as a lead study group facilitator, but the legacy lives on in perpetuity. The mighty volunteer facilitators group that is made up of prior students, paying it forward will continue to support future PMPs. As Ken says, Study on, OINK OINK!   Letter from the President It’s December and the Holiday Season is upon us. Many started early with decorating and putting up trees to get into the spirit of the season. The Board of Directors and I would like to take a moment to wish you all the best through this holiday season and to give special thanks to all our volunteers that helped us maintain the course through a difficult 2020. Letter from the President It’s December and the Holiday Season is upon us. Many started early with decorating and putting up trees to get into the spirit of the season. The Board of Directors and I would like to take a moment to wish you all the best through this holiday season and to give special thanks to all our volunteers that helped us maintain the course through a difficult 2020. This year was challenging in many ways.  Many of us had to adapt to working in new ways.  Whether you were new to working remotely or had to adapt to everyone else working remotely.  New skills were learned and shared. I hope you had the chance to join one of the many webinars the chapter offered this year.  The chapter was able to quickly pivot to virtual events and by December 31st, 2020 will have offered 131 events this year.  I am proud of the volunteers in the chapter that made this possible. We are going to continue the trend into the new year.  The board met in October to begin our strategic planning for 2021.  Below are some of our objectives for 2021: Creation of a student chapter Establish a Communities of Practice Establish a Formal Mentorship Program Organize 2 Community Charity Events This will be the 42nd year for the chapter and we will continue to bring you relevant training and events to enhance your Project Management and Career skills as well.  All of our initiatives for 2021 are derived from the feedback from you, our members.  Please continue to provide that feedback.  I would like to like to thank the board and all our volunteers for their hard work this year. Shane Cretacci, PMP President PMI Phoenix Chapter Members, The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board has started planning for next year.  To that end, we are soliciting your feedback in the annual all-member survey.  We will run this survey until November 15th to solicit your feedback on the chapter and use that to assist us in planning for next year.  You can take the survey here.   Members, The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board has started planning for next year.  To that end, we are soliciting your feedback in the annual all-member survey.  We will run this survey until November 15th to solicit your feedback on the chapter and use that to assist us in planning for next year.  You can take the survey here. The board will be in attendance at the virtual Chapter All Member Meeting on November 18.  We will review the progress on our goals for this year and review our plan for next year.  I hope you will be able to attend.  We have an excellent presentation scheduled for that evening from our Guest Speak J. Scott, the CEO of 120VC, and his presentation on “Servant Leadership that Get’s Sh*t Done”.  Please register here to attend. November is Project Management Month!  We have a full calendar this month.  I hope you can join us for one of the many events we have planned.  We have partnered with Agile Arizona this year and members will receive a discount on registration. Login to the website and check out our discounts page here. International Project Management Day is November 5th and IIL has a full day event planned that is also available on demand.  You can register for it here. We have partnered with IIBA for an event on 11/10 for “Effective Visual Presentation Skills” by Tom Otstot. Our Wednesday Webinar series will continue on 11/11 with Drew Middelton and Kornelia Homewood from Kolme Group and their presentation “Project Managers need to be Change Managers”. Our Breakfast Meeting is on Nov 20th due to the holiday. Our guest speaker is Balinda Strosnider and her topic is “How Train Difficult Stakeholders Like You Would Train a Bird of prey”. I hope everyone is able to take time and spend it with family going into the holiday season.  This has been a difficult year and I know for some it has been extremely difficult.  The chapter is giving back to the community with our food drive for St. Mary’s Food Bank.  If you can please contribute. Shane Cretacci President PMI Phoenix Chapter It’s October and the temperatures are finally starting to fall. This is typically one of my favorite months of the year. I look forward to spending more time outside and enjoying the weather that everyone to the north of us will envy come winter.   It’s October and the temperatures are finally starting to fall. This is typically one of my favorite months of the year. I look forward to spending more time outside and enjoying the weather that everyone to the north of us will envy come winter. What’s happening this month. We have two webinars planned on October 7th and 14th. Please check the chapter calendar and reserve your spot. These webinars are free to members and are worth 1 PDU each. Our last study group of the year is underway and is full of approximately 45 aspiring PMP/CAPM applicants. We have two ProjectMasters Toastmasters meetings that happen every other Tuesday. We also have a partner event with IIBA on Oct. 13th on “Cybersecurity – Who needs it?” PMI has a Virtual Experience Event planned for October 20th. We have a Breakfast Meeting with speaker Barbara Chatzkel on “Managing Remote Teams” on October 30th. What’s coming up. We are busy planning for November which is Project Management Month. Typically, we do a week, but we have so many great events packed into November we decided to expand it. We have partnered with Arizona Agile for their conference and training sessions on November 3 – 13. We also have an all-member meeting planned for November 18th with a special guest speaker J. Scott, CEO of 120 VC on “Servant Leadership that Get’s Sh*t Done”. The chapter is also busy planning for next year. We have an all-member survey that will go out on October 15. Please take the time to complete it and provide us feedback on what you would like to see the chapter doing next year. We also are always looking for volunteers.  This chapter is run by volunteers and the ability to present programs is based on the number of people we have available to do that.  If you have the time and want to give back to the profession and earn some PDU’s then please fill out an application on the chapter website. A few members have asked about when we will hold in-person meetings. This is being evaluated on a month by month basis by the chapter. We want to get back to the way things were just as bad as you do but we are non-essential and can meet remotely with relative ease and will continue to do so until it is safe and reasonable to meet in person. Shane Cretacci, PMP President PMI Phoenix Chapter PMI has completed a system upgrade that has enabled improvements to both Chapter Membership auto-renewal and to Chapter Membership purchase restrictions. These changes should improve the customer experience and ensure a more seamless renewal process for the membership.   Similar to a PMI Membership, when you complete a Chapter Membership purchase, your Chapter Membership will now be automatically opted-in for auto If you are a current PMI Member (and enrolled in auto-renew), and you complete a purchase for a new Chapter Membership, then the Chapter Membership will automatically be enrolled in auto Your Chapter Membership will move onto the same cycle as your existing PMI Membership renewal If you wish to opt-out of the Chapter auto-renewal post-purchase, you must opt-out in your myPMI Please be advised that opting out of Chapter Membership auto-renew will cancel auto-renew for Chapter Membership only. Opting out of auto-renew for PMI Membership will cancel auto-renew for both your Chapter Membership and PMI Please note that Student and Retiree PMI Memberships require manual renewal. Auto-renew is not an If you opt-out of auto-renew for your PMI Membership and later return to renew manually, the system should NOT automatically opt you in for auto-renew going forward. You will not be required to save your payment details to complete Existing Chapter Memberships and PMI Memberships will continue to auto-renew in USD only (until December 2020). Chapter Membership Auto-Renewal FAQs Am I able to complete a purchase without opting in for auto-renew? No, you may not complete your purchase without opting in. If you wish to opt-out of the auto-renew, you may do so in your myPMI profile after Am I able to opt-out of the auto-renew after purchase? Yes, you may opt-out at any point after your purchase is complete. You can navigate to your myPMI profile and cancel the auto-renew for both Chapter and PMI Can I opt-out of Chapter Membership auto-renewal but stay opted in for PMI Membership auto-renewal? Yes, in your myPMI profile you can cancel auto-renew for Chapter and keep PMI Membership auto-renew. However, if you opt-out of PMI Membership auto-renew, it will automatically opt you out of Chapter Membership auto Chapter Membership Purchase Restrictions To prevent a customer from buying a Chapter Membership twice or purchasing a Chapter Membership for an undesired short duration, there are new rules to restrict Chapter Membership purchases and improve the Chapter Membership experience. When you attempt to purchase or renew a Chapter Membership you will be restricted from purchasing/renewing a Chapter Membership if you do not hold an active PMI Membership and/or do not have a Membership product in your If you are a PMI Member who is eligible for renewal (i.e. in the last 3 months of your current membership), you must have a PMI Membership renewal product in the Cart in order to purchase any Chapter If you purchase a Chapter Membership after purchasing a PMI Membership, its renewal cycle will automatically align to the PMI Membership auto-renewal Chapter Membership Purchase Restrictions FAQs I already am a member of Chapter Why am I not able to purchase a Chapter Membership for Chapter B? In order to purchase a Chapter Membership, you must be a PMI Member concurrently. If you are within the renewal period for your PMI Membership, which is the last 3 months of the term, you need to renew your PMI Membership or have a PMI Membership product in the Cart to be able to purchase a new Chapter Membership. Why am I being prevented from renewing my Chapter Membership? It may be too early to renew your Chapter Membership. The renewal period for your Chapter Membership is during the last 3 months of the membership term. If this is the case, since you are a current member of the Chapter, you may not renew the Chapter Membership until your eligible renewal Why did I lose the contents of the Cart when I removed a PMI Membership product? If your Cart had both a PMI Membership and a Chapter Membership and you removed the PMI Membership, your Cart may have cleared if you are in the renewal period for your PMI Membership (i.e. within the last 3 months) and are thus not eligible to purchase a Chapter Membership unless you also have a PMI Membership renewal product in your This is my first letter to you in the role of President.  It’s a little earlier than expected as I was not due to assume this role until the end of the year.  Cory has elected to step out of the role early to focus on some health issues.  Cory will move to the role of past president and will still be engaged with the chapter.  Cory has been an asset to the chapter for many years and I will continue to rely on her for counsel. Dear Members, This is my first letter to you in the role of President. It’s a little earlier than expected as I was not due to assume this role until the end of the year. Cory has elected to step out of the role early to focus on some health issues. Cory will move to the role of past president and will still be engaged with the chapter. Cory has been an asset to the chapter for many years and I will continue to rely on her for counsel. We are continuing to offer remote classes and webinars to the chapter membership. I hope you have been able to take advantage of a few. If not, then you can always view the recordings on the website if you find yourself needing some additional PDU’s or just are looking to brush up on a specific topic. I have talked to quite a few members over the last few months that didn’t realize they had not renewed their chapter membership. If you had to renew this year your membership may not have auto-renewed. PMI recently upgraded to a new E-Commerce platform and I understand that it is fixed moving forward but you may want to check your membership status at https://my.pmi.org/ to ensure that your membership is current. We have an article on this topic on the website. We have some great events planned this month.   PMI’s Virtual Experience series is free to members on September 9th with an opportunity to earn 10.5 PDU’s. Ted@PMI has a two-day event planned for 9/25 and 9/26. Kim Essendrup with the Kolme Group is presenting a webinar on “How Much Does a PPM Tool Cost?” on September 16th.    We have our final Study Group for the year starting on September 12th. We have a few seats left open but I expect those to be filled this week.   We wrap up the month with a special multichapter event with 8 global chapters with a panel book club covering 3 books on Digital Transformation on 9/25. We also just completed the 2020 Board election. Congratulations to the new and returning board members heading into 2021. Congratulations to the following four newly elected board members: Deniese Reinhardt, Vice-President of External Relations Joseph Brewer, Vice-President of Technology Christopher Gentry, Vice-President of Programs Eileen Marin, Vice-President of Virtual Locations Deniese and Joseph are already serving in their roles. Christopher and Eileen are new to the board and will start their transition this year. The PMI Phoenix Chapter is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to giving back to the profession and our community. If you have time to offer even a couple of hours a month, please reach out and fill out a volunteer application. Shane Cretacci President PMI Phoenix Chapter The Nominations and Elections Committee is pleased to announce that the election to fill positions on the Board of Directors has concluded.  Thanks to all who cast their votes.   Board of Directors 2020 Elections Results: Participation of 6.4%, 152 of 2,393 eligible members voted   Exiting Board Members: Thank you for your service! Mary Ryan, Vice-President of Virtual Locations    Proud to announce our recently elected Board members: Deniese Reinhardt, Vice-President of External Relations Joseph Brewer, Vice-President of Technology Christopher Gentry, Vice-President of Programs Eileen Marin, Vice-President of Virtual Locations   Have YOU considered a Board position? Next year we are seeking board members for the following positions: Vice-President of Professional Development, 2 year term Vice-President of Finance/Treasurer, 2 year term Vice-President of Membership, 2 year term Vice-President of Operations, 2 year term Vice-President Marketing, 2 year term Nominations open May 2021! Dear Members, The chapter is still providing continued education with certification courses, PMP study groups, webinars, and career services. We remain here for you to provide membership support for economic hardship, transitioning military veterans, and mentoring for career growth.     August 2020 Dear Members, The chapter is still providing continued education with certification courses, PMP study groups, webinars, and career services. We remain here for you to provide membership support for economic hardship, transitioning military veterans, and mentoring for career growth.   Do you have an idea that you want to be supported by the chapter or if you are leading a community service event that would be successful with more helping hands, let us know. There is strength in numbers. If you have questions, need assistance, or have a suggestion that you want the chapter to hear, we are here to assist. We are here to serve. What’s Happening? The board met for a strategy refresh to discuss our 2020 goals and to see what else we can do during COVID, in the 4th quarter. We incorporated your feedback to freshen up our planning. Check out our website calendar. Events are scheduled virtually. You should be receiving a weekly calendar of events bulletin. You can pick morning, evening, or on-demand events to fit your schedule and to keep your PDU and education journey going without impact. If you up for a credential renewal don’t let it lapse. The chapter virtual PDU event library is growing and free to members. Grab the talent triangle class you need to renew. Want a certification class? Check out our calendar.  We have a Disciplined Agile instructor in our region along with other REPs and ATP providers who are offering virtual instruction. Now is a perfect time to complete a personal or employer goal while you are staying cool inside. As always, if you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options.  If you need assistance or have a question, reach out to Customercare@PMIPhx.org. We are reachable through this service to solve problems, take suggestions, or to fill a need. Stay safe, engage your voice so we can hear you in our virtual world, our current reality. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter This post outlines the candidates for the upcoming 2020 Board of Directors election for the Phoenix Chapter.  The election begins August 1, 2020. These candidates, if elected, will serve as Board members starting in 2021 through 2022.    Below outlines the candidates for the upcoming 2020 Board of Directors election for the Phoenix Chapter.  The election begins on August 1, 2020. These candidates, if elected, will serve as Board members starting in 2021 through 2022. Details of roles & responsibilities can be found here in the Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities document.    Candidate for VP of External Relations Deniese Reinhardt - Deniese earned a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Brescia University, and continued her studies by pursuing Masters level courses at Ball State University. She obtained her PMP in 2005 and holds an ITIL V3 certificate and an Executive Leadership certificate from Cornell University. Deniese has spent most of her career in IT project management, working on projects in Healthcare and Fortune 500 Enterprises. She has won numerous awards for Project Management Excellence and leadership at these companies and currently works as a Lead Project Manager delivering IT projects within a PMO for a Public Utility. Deniese has been actively involved with the PMI Phoenix board since 2019. She began volunteering for PMI in Jan 2015, and she took over the AVP Corporate Relations in 2018. She currently serves as the VP of External Relations. Deniese hopes to bring her passion and broad expertise in project and program management, including Agile methodology to the board. She is also passionate about Animal Welfare and Environmental Health. She loves learning, volunteering, and making a difference. She wants to ensure PMI continues to be a leading source of career and project management guidance.   Candidate for VP of Technology Joseph Brewer - Joseph has a rich 30-year history in Technology and Project Management.  He holds an MBA from George Fox University, and dual B.S. degrees in Project Management and Leadership & Organizational Design.   He presently works as a Sr. Business Consultant for a company supporting Infrastructure and IT projects for a Global Company with teams in the US, London, Dubai, India and Asia.   He brings extensive technical resource knowledge to the chapter including video conferencing, streaming, Office365 management, and more.  In his free time, you can find Joseph usually doing something with his two children and wife, or fulfilling this extensive travel bug and bucket list Internationally.   Candidates for VP of Programs Christopher Gentry - Christopher is a career, 14-year project program management professional, and PMP instructor. Over his career, Christopher has been a multi-industry senior project manager, senior program manager, PMO creator and leader, and consultant for top 500 fortune companies and governmental agencies.  He brings a wealth of program knowledge coming from PMI Austin, where he served a term as Director of Programs.  Christopher is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Project Management from Northcentral University. He plans to continue to teach and educate the next generation of project managers combining his academic and professional accolades in the classroom. Ejiro (EJ) Obayomi - Ejiro Obayomi (EJ), is an experienced Enterprise Project Manager who is skilled in directing the flawless delivery of large-scale enterprise solutions while providing stellar leadership in leading teams and expediting technology-based products to a diverse client base. EJ has over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry both as a direct patient care clinician and a project manager. EJ has been strategic in the successful implementation of several organizational systems and ambulatory clinic builds at HonorHealth. With a Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Informatics, EJ is also a Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified Professional in Health Information Management Systems (CPHIMS), and a Certified Scrum Master (CSM). Over the course of her career, EJ has been able to use her expertise in project management to help small to medium size companies establish a project management framework. EJ’s passion for project management and dedication to excellence drives her to consistently deliver unmatched value to all her customers and clients.   Candidates for VP of Virtual Locations Eileen Marin - Eileen is a New York native, hailing from wonderful Brooklyn, NY. It will be 10 years this October that she has lived here in Arizona. Eileen graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor's in Information Systems.  Prior to moving to Arizona, she held a position with a company where she worked for almost 10 years; with the last five years being a Director of Client Services. Eileen has been a Phoenix Chapter member since 2017. Eileen obtained her PMP certification in 2018. She currently holds the position of Senior Project Manager at a company where she has been for the last nine years.  Off hours, Eileen spends time with her family. She has a 5-year-old little boy and they conduct dinosaur experiments almost daily. These experiments really consist of digging up the backyard and sandbox. Eileen also loves to cook and bake and her son is her Sous Chef in the kitchen. She makes sure he knows how to be independent.  Eileen loves working with people and believes this position will allow her to help be a voice for the members as well as participate in the Chapter's future goals. She is grateful to be nominated for the VP of Virtual Locations position.   July 2020 Dear Members, Arizona reopened and our COVID-19 numbers spiked. Due to members supporting older loved ones and all of us being encouraged to stay safe at home, the chapter will remain on the virtual event course for 2020. July 2020 Dear Members, Arizona reopened and our COVID-19 numbers spiked. Due to members supporting older loved ones and all of us being encouraged to stay safe at home, the chapter will remain on the virtual event course for 2020. The chapter is still providing continued education with certification courses, PMP study groups, webinars, and career services. We remain here for you to provide membership support for economic hardship, transitioning military veterans, and mentoring for career growth.   If you have questions, need assistance, or have a suggestion that you want the chapter to hear, we are here to assist. We are here to serve. What’s Happening? Check out our website calendar. Events are scheduled virtually through October. You should be receiving a weekly calendar of events bulletin. You can pick morning, evening, or on-demand events to fit your schedule and to keep your PDU and education journey going without impact. Want a certification class? We can help you find a certification class with our virtual instructors. Exams are scheduled virtually by PMI Global with a web camera and environmental test procedures to maintain PMI standards.  If you want a certification, now is the time. As always, if you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options.  If you need assistance or have a question, reach out to Customercare@PMIPhx.org. We are reachable through this service to solve problems, take suggestions, or to fill a need. Stay safe, engage your voice so we can hear you in our virtual world, the new normal. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter PMI Phoenix and Sensei Project Solutions have established a continuing partnership for 2020 and 2021.PMI Phoenix and Sensei Project Solutions have established a continuing partnership for 2020 and 2021. Sensei Project Solutions partners with PMI Phoenix to provide Microsoft Project Portfolio Management training webinars at select PMI Phoenix events promoting PMI’s mission and vision.The University of Phoenix and PMI Phoenix have partnered for 2020! The University of Phoenix and PMI Phoenix have partnered for 2020! The University of Phoenix partners with PMI Phoenix for the advancement and promotion of project management as a venue for PMI events.We are pleased to announce our partnership with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Phoenix Chapter.We are pleased to announce our partnership with the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) Phoenix Chapter. IIBA Phoenix and PMI Phoenix are developing joint events for PMI members and providing reciprocal membership pricing for individual chapter members.PMI Phoenix and Kanban Zone have established a continuing partnership for 2020! PMI Phoenix and Kanban Zone have established a continuing partnership for 2020! Kanban Zone partners with PMI Phoenix to provide Kanban methodology webinars and other events and activities that promote PMI's mission and vision.We are excited to announce Paradigm Technology as a PMI Phoenix Sponsor for 2020! We are excited to announce Paradigm Technology as a PMI Phoenix Sponsor for 2020!  Paradigm Technology is an award-winning professional services organization. They are a leader in digital and business transformation with 25 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies. Paradigm Technology provides 360 engagement, data governance, risk & compliance, analytics, cloud, and digital product engineering to deliver measurable value and impact through expertise, strategic partnerships, and innovative solutions. We are excited to welcome Paradigm Technology as a Sponsor. Dear Members, Our world might be shaken up, our routine changed, staying safe, and avoiding large gatherings which are the category our face to face events fall into so for the foreseeable future, 2020 is shaping up to be the year of the virtual. June 2020 Dear Members, Our world might be shaken up, our routine changed, staying safe, and avoiding large gatherings which are the category our face to face events fall into so for the foreseeable future, 2020 is shaping up to be the year of the virtual. Our mission remains the same to serve you as your go-to for continuing project management education at an affordable price. The board is taking this time to focus on our core and to return to basics to improve the quality of our chapter. I am focused on building the leadership team for 2020 and 2021. We are still here for you as virtual smiling faces and we are connecting and available. What’s Happening? Check out our website calendar. Events are scheduled virtually through September. You should be receiving a weekly calendar of events bulletin. You can pick morning, evening, or on-demand events to fit your schedule and to keep your PDU and education journey going without impact. Want a certification class? New classes have been scheduled virtually for the ACP, PMP and PgMP boot camp. Exams are now scheduled virtually by PMI Global.  If you want a certification, now is the time. If you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options.  If you need assistance or have a question, reach out to Customercare@PMIPhx.org . We are reachable through this service to solve problems, make suggestions, or to fill a need. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter PMI will soon be launching a new and redesigned format for all of its current certification applications (PMP, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMI-RMP, and PMI-SP). They are planning to launch during the second half of June 2020. PMI will soon be launching a new and redesigned format for all of its current certification applications (PMP, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMI-RMP, and PMI-SP). They are planning to launch during the second half of June 2020. The changes were made based on user feedback and the new application is designed to be more straightforward and easier for certification candidates to complete. For example: PMI streamlined the application by decreasing the number of screens. PMI is not changing eligibility requirements (years of work experience, hours of training required), but are changing the format in which applicants submit this information. For example, candidates can now enter months of experience instead of hours, which is much easier to track. Where possible, they eliminated free text fields and included more drop-down type selection fields. Being able to select an answer from a drop-down makes it clear to applicants what the question is asking and is thus easier to answer. PMI has a “Quick Reference Guide” PDF and an online demo that illustrates and previews the changes. For those of you interested in viewing the demo, the video is available via this link. For candidates with open/pending applications, PMI is encouraging you to submit applications by 15 June 2020. If they are unable, our team will do their best to transfer over as much of the application data as possible into the new application. We are also directly contacting candidates with open/pending applications. PMI is excited to unveil a new era of our certification application process. If you or any candidate in your network have any questions about our application changes, please feel free to contact PMI’s Customer Care team. PMI has introduced a new eCommerce system that will offer PMI products to customers more seamlessly,  PMI has introduced a new eCommerce system that will offer PMI products to customers more seamlessly, Some impacts include the following: Members will no longer be prompted to renew Chapter membership with their membership auto-renewal. They will need to manually add chapter membership to their cart. Existing chapter members also have to go through this purchase flow if their membership expires. Additionally, we suggest members renew before their expiration date! If a member's membership expires, you are no longer considered a member by system logic and if you choose to renew your membership the system will recognize you as a new member and you will be charged a $10 application fee. Arizona Project of the Year Deadline is May 31, 2020.Projects throughout the state of Arizona make a difference in this world and improve people’s lives. Whether it is constructing buildings, designing advanced power plants, launching rockets, or developing vaccines - the ways in which project management affects the communities around them are boundless. A new program hopes to recognize that.The Arizona Project of the Year program raises the visibility of organizations and teams supporting the very best projects throughout the state. Projects of all sorts are considered eligible for this award. Regardless of whether it is a public or private project; and regardless of industry, your project could be considered. We anticipate that companies like APS, Intel, or Banner Health would have an interest in competing; as well as leaders in state and local government organizations.Don’t wait - the Deadline is on 5/31/2020.The Corporate Ambassador Program is an opportunity to be a part of the PMI Phoenix Chapter and act as your organization’s voice! The Corporate Ambassador Program is an opportunity to be a part of the PMI Phoenix Chapter and act as your organization’s voice! Bring ideas, share experiences, and become an integral part of the Phoenix Chapter on behalf of your organization. The program also allows you to help improve and streamline the flow of information between PMI and the corporations in our area and allow those organizations to help contribute to the success of the chapter. The role of the Corporate Ambassador is to utilize PMI’s Global Methodology and resources to help their organization become better at applying project management tools, techniques, and methods to reach the organization's strategic objectives.  Contact  Patty Suiter at patty.suiter@pmiphx.org  or Manish Arora at manish.arora@pmiphx.org if you are ready to volunteer. Our world might be shaken up, our routine changed but there is one constant, to strive to be our best self.     April 2020 Dear Members, Our world might be shaken up, our routine changed but there is one constant, to strive to be our best self.  Typically, our community service team organizes an event for us to collectively give back. While that is not possible at this time due to crowd gathering constraints, I still challenge you to serve. What can you do as a highly-skilled professional compassionate human? I found something; our neighborhood has organized a library to share material to keep our boredom at bay. So, I encourage you to find a little something that you can do to contribute and stay positive. What’s Happening? Check out our calendar. Events are scheduled virtually to accommodate the national and state executive stay at home orders. You can pick morning, evening, or on-demand events to fit your schedule and to keep your PDU and education journey going without impact. Want a certification class? New classes have been scheduled virtually for the ACP, PMP and PgMP exams to meet the application education requirements. Turn the absence of commute time into an educational opportunity. If you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options.  Continue to submit surveys, they are actioned and appreciated. It is your voice and your chapter. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter Every year the PMI Phoenix Chapter holds an election for rotating offices on the Board of Directors. The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board of Directors is responsible for adhering to the chapter mission and vision. Serving on the Board does take time and dedication but is also very rewarding. Each Board member has the opportunity to expand their own skills and professional network while also impacting the strategic direction of the Chapter.  You also will earn PDUs! Every year the PMI Phoenix Chapter holds an election for rotating offices on the Board of Directors. The PMI Phoenix Chapter Board of Directors is responsible for adhering to the chapter mission and vision.  The Board works to grow project management talent through professional development and volunteer opportunities. It also delivers quality educational and networking opportunities and maintains high quality technology through the website, newsletter, virtual access and audio/visual presentations. The Board is also responsible for marketing the Chapter to earn new members, and create strong external business and academic partnerships. Finally, the Board has the responsibility to achieve the Chapter’s financial goals as a non-profit, and conduct appropriate administration to ensure proper Chapter governance in alignment with PMI Global.  Serving on the Board does take time and dedication but is also very rewarding. Each Board member has the opportunity to expand their own skills and professional network while also impacting the strategic direction of the Chapter.  You also will earn PDUs. The Board positions up for election are listed below; each position requires a two year term: President Elect Vice-President of External Relations Vice-President of Technology  Vice President of Programs  Vice President of Remote Locations Details of roles & responsibilities can be found here in the Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities pdf document. How do I know if I qualify? In order to run in the election, a nominee must: Be a Chapter member in good standing at the time of the election Receive at least three nominations Agree to serve in the position for which he or she is nominated Additional FAQs: Any Chapter member in good standing may nominate another member  A Chapter member may nominate him or herself as one of the three nominations Nominations are submitted by clicking Nominations Form What is the process for 2020? Call for nominations starts May 1, 2020 Nominations Committee evaluates the nominees May 1 through June 30 Nominee’s agreement to be on ballot Resume submission Leadership questionnaire to be filled/submitted Panel Interview from Nomination Committee Evaluation may include the following:  Nominations Committee confirm nominees and requests presentations June  Ballot announcement July 1, 2020 Nominee's presentation by Webex in July  Elections open - August 1 Elections close - September 1 Results Presentation at September Evening Chapter Meeting Transition Period (Outgoing Board ===> Incoming Board) September - December   In case of any questions, please email avpelections@pmiphx.org The PMI Phoenix Chapter has partnered with IIL to bring you an early bird discounted registration fee to their Agile and Scrum conference.  PMI Phoenix Chapter members will receive a 40% off by using the registration link below until April 30th.  The event goes live on June 4th and will see Scott Ambler from PMI/Disciplined Agile as a keynote speaker. Participants can earn up to 26 PDUs and SEUs.  Attendees will also receive Free access to one of IIL's most popular on-demand courses, Virtual Agile Teams (value $850), which is particularly useful during this time.The PMI Phoenix Chapter has partnered with IIL to bring you an early bird discounted registration fee to their Agile and Scrum conference.  PMI Phoenix Chapter members will receive a 40% off by using the registration link below until April 30th.  The event goes live on June 4th and will see Scott Ambler from PMI/Disciplined Agile as a keynote speaker. Participants can earn up to 26 PDUs and SEUs.  Attendees will also receive Free access to one of IIL's most popular on-demand courses, Virtual Agile Teams (value $850), which is particularly useful during this time.   Click here to REGISTER.We will be migrating our website to new servers starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8th at 8 p.m. MST.  There should only be a short window of a few minutes when the server may not be available during the migration.  This move is to improve the performance and security of the website. We will be migrating our website to new servers starting at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8th at 8 p.m. MST.  There should only be a short window of a few minutes when the server may not be available during the migration.  This move is to improve the performance and security of the website. Questions or concerns can be addressed to Customer Care. Yes, the sky has officially fallen. People all over the world have adopted a new way of living. Social distancing and remote work have become the norm within a few weeks’ time. Organizations went the distance by stress-testing their remote work capabilities and encouraging their employees to work remotely. The coronavirus was able to impact the world order in a stunning manner that no one had ever predicted. Yes, the sky has officially fallen. People all over the world have adopted a new way of living. Social distancing and remote work have become the norm within a few weeks’ time. Organizations went the distance by stress-testing their remote work capabilities and encouraging their employees to work remotely. The coronavirus was able to impact the world order in a stunning manner that no one had ever predicted. As dwindling queues at the airport and canceled reservations at hotels signal an impending change in the fortunes for many industries, organizations are taking a fresh look at options to improve team productivity, which seems to be affected by the lack of personal interaction. Projects are built on one key aspect: people! It’s no surprise that organizations are viewing the progress of their projects and programs with concern as their employees adopt a new working model that currently has no end date. This new model could be a long-lasting one that can bring about life-changing impacts and, at the same time, new opportunities for project teams to deliver value to organizations. Remote WorkAccording to statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 26 million Americans work remotely, at least part of the time. That constitutes 16% of the workforce in the United States. Between 2005 and 2015, the number of employees who worked remotely increased by 115%. That is a whopping jump indicating the confidence in remote work technologies—and a positive shift in organizational attitude toward remote work. According to an Owl Labs State of Remote Work survey, companies that support remote work have 25% lower employee turnover than companies that do not promote remote work arrangements. Further, employees felt greater work/life balance when remote work was offered by organizations. However, the same survey also indicates that the respondents felt that remote work made them less attached to their teams and experienced challenges in maintaining relationships at work. Remote workers with onsite managers experienced 25% less career growth conversations overall than average. However, the takeaway from this survey is that managers did not report any substantial change in performance between remote and on-site workers. This fact alone can help organizations form decisions that will affect the current remote work guidance offered to their employees. After all, certain types of projects can still hope to achieve their results with a substantial remote workforce. Disaster RecoveryMost organizations should rely on tapping into some part of their already established business continuity and disaster recovery plans during this difficult time when project teams are not readily available for business-critical operations. While most of these emergency plans are built on the premise of infrastructure disruption due to unavoidable circumstances like natural calamity, the current situation offers organizations the opportunity to update the processes and remediations to address the real crisis of the workforce not being available onsite. Current disaster recovery plans can be viewed from the angle of assessing what key aspects of business are affected due to worker unavailability or due to quarantine procedures mandated by the local government bodies. That may involve distributing protection apparel and implementing safety-handling procedures to help employees execute their tasks without fear of contracting infections. Business continuity plans help organizations keep the operations going in the event of a disaster. Organizations will be able to execute their current plans with some modifications to keep the business operations intact. The challenge will be the dependency on remote locations to keep the lights on when most locations will probably be equally affected by the health situation. New InitiativesProject teams are entrusted to deliver new capabilities that enhance the business operations of organizations. A disruption from the norm affects many organizations’ capability to effectively reach time to market. While a total incapacitation may not be brought about by the current situation, project governance bodies will find it challenging to project capacity, quality and timeline. When many critical projects are affected by onsite worker unavailability, capability projections need to be re-evaluated so that realistic expectations can be communicated to stakeholders and leadership. It’s tempting to offer guidance to not start any new initiatives that require onsite worker presence. However, even during this new norm, businesses cannot hope to survive if new projects are not initiated. The need of the hour is to settle on a “middle ground” approach where business priority planning needs to occur with a view of the new reality. It’s even possible to increase productivity in certain types of projects where unessential site work can be substituted with remote tasks, thereby offering enhanced business capabilities in some areas. Team HealthEven during dire conditions, successful organizations pay attention to overall employee health, both psychological and physical. The current pandemic health situation offers opportunities for organizations to promote project team health—thus ensuring successful recovery plan executions, leading to prioritized business results. Project governance and execution teams should partner to assess team health while projecting project capacity and deliverables. While employees’ physical well-being will be challenged during a health hazard, it is also paramount to pay attention to the psychological aspect of employee health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression and anxiety have a significant economic impact—and the estimated cost to the global economy is US$1 trillion per year in lost productivity. It’s no surprise if the productivity loss gravitates to higher plains during the current stressful times. A recent WHO-led study estimated that for every US$1 put into scaled-up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of US$4 in improved health and productivity. A proactive approach to address psychological and physical health during times of distress can be a productive plan for organizations. Difficult times offer the most challenging phases to organizations and people in general. As the English Poet Robert Frost wrote, “Even in difficult times, one thing remains true-life still goes on.” Projects, programs, and organizations must find innovative ways to tread forward. That may require a peek into the past—as well as the willingness to be outrageously creative. This article by Jiju Nair was originally published on ProjectManagement.com. on April 1, 2020 Jiju is a project manager who takes on projects that need help. He likes a challenge put in front of him to be solved in a fixed amount of time. Because of this trait, he was fortunate enough to be called upon for completing projects in distress. Through detailed analysis and designing mitigation strategies, he is able to turn distressed projects into successful ones. Every organization in the world is currently confronting the challenge of moving forward amidst the COVID-19 pandemic while balancing the safety and well-being of their teams. In just a short period of time, we have been called upon to make rapid changes, sacrifices and adjust the ways that we work and live. Many of these new working practices are going to stick, i.e. they won’t be temporary, and I’m pretty sure our collective recovery from COVID-19 will mean how we work in the future will be very different.Originally published on Linkedin on March 24, 2020by Sunil Prashara, President & CEO at Project Management Institute Every organization in the world is currently confronting the challenge of moving forward amidst the COVID-19 pandemic while balancing the safety and well-being of their teams. In just a short period of time, we have been called upon to make rapid changes, sacrifices and adjust the ways that we work and live. Many of these new working practices are going to stick, i.e. they won’t be temporary, and I’m pretty sure our collective recovery from COVID-19 will mean how we work in the future will be very different. During these uncertain times, I want to assure you that PMI is here to support you. As we adjust to a new norm, PMI remains laser-focused on being a resource for our members, certification holders, and key stakeholders around the globe. Some organizations already operate on a full-time basis in a virtual work environment and we have been learning from these. For most of us, the challenges we are experiencing remind us the importance of virtual learning options and customizable digital services. At PMI, we stand ready to provide you with resources, connect you to your community of peers, and help you continue advancing your professional development from wherever you may be. Here are examples of our current and upcoming digital products that can benefit you: PMP Online Proctor Testing We are targeting mid-April for exam candidates to have the option to take the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam online from their office or home. More details will follow. As a reminder, the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certifications can already be taken online.  Brightline Digital Learning and Micro-Certification Beginning in early May, you can benefit from this online course on digital transformation and help to differentiate yourself with new knowledge. For existing PMI certification holders, this course will also be eligible for professional development units (PDUs). Stay tuned for more information. Project Management for Beginners Made available for free during these uncertain times, Project Management for Beginners is an introductory course which provides the foundational knowledge necessary to join a project team and can serve as the first step on your path to a project management career.  Agile in the PMO Currently being offered at no cost, this course will position you as a PMO director, walking you through a series of scenarios designed to improve your project management office's performance using agile principles and processes. Business Continuity Currently being offered at no-cost, this course is timely and relevant. With more companies asking employees to work from home and in-person industry events going virtual, COVID-19 has created an immediate need to rethink work processes. To ensure the safety and health of their workforce, while facilitating business continuity, organizations must adapt in real-time to ensure remote teams are engaged, virtual collaboration is productive, and necessary compliance standards are met. The Business Continuity course is here to help. We’ve pulled together fan favorites to help leaders and their employees adapt during this difficult time. Disciplined Agile Basics This April, gain an introduction to Disciplined Agile and new ways of working (while earning PDUs) with this comprehensive online course. More info coming soon. Navigator- Beta Available at no-charge now, Navigator serves as “the portal into PMI” – a career development platform for project professionals. The platform offers opportunities for comprehensive self-assessment of skills, interests, and goals while offering an action plan to achieve your objectives. PMI Study Hall - Beta Offers candidates a sneak peek into new PMP exam resources. Offering includes outlines of exam content, daily practice questions, tips from experts, and resources for preparing for the exam. Virtual Events COVID-19 may have upended travel plans around the globe, but PMI is still driving forward on a variety of virtual events and learning opportunities, including PMXPO on 26 March, our largest virtual event of the year (available on-demand following the event), and SeminarsWorld®, offering small group discussions and hands-on learning across a range of subject areas. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn, network, and engage from home. Standards+ - Beta If you’re a project professional looking for reliable resources to complement the PMBOK® Guide 6th edition, you can benefit from digitized tools, templates and case studies in late-April. Try out our Beta version now.   Snippets - Beta Available for a free trial today, Snippets offers bite-sized learning for professionals seeking quick, reliable, and relevant project learnings. Tower Game Available at no-cost through the PMI Educational Foundation, the Tower Game is a fun project management exercise that can be used by students of all ages, as well as adults. The game teaches participants to consider time, cost, quality, and risk. The game can be used as an ‘ice breaker’, a stand-alone exercise or as part of a class. Available in 17 languages. Micro-certifications Access specialized learning and assessment tools to help you differentiate yourself and gain new skills. Look out for more of these opportunities this summer. Each digital offering in our ecosystem reinforces the others while offering practitioners the ability to customize their unique learning journeys. Our goal is to enable practitioners to accelerate their acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that employers seek.  We live in a time of unprecedented challenges. I firmly believe that project managers will play an increasingly important role in helping their organizations to continue delivering value and navigating change. We are ready. Ready to support each step of the way with offerings like these and with more to come in the future.The best leaders use challenges to make them better, not bitter. Every obstacle that you and I face provides us with an opportunity to grow. When you shift your perspective from seeing obstacles as things that are standing in your way to things that are going to challenge you to grow, it changes your mindset. The shift in perspective allows you to welcome the challenge. You can welcome a crisis because you know, in the end, it’s going to serve its purpose by helping you develop and grow. The best leaders use challenges to make them better, not bitter. Every obstacle that you and I face provides us with an opportunity to grow. When you shift your perspective from seeing obstacles as things that are standing in your way to things that are going to challenge you to grow, it changes your mindset. The shift in perspective allows you to welcome the challenge. You can welcome a crisis because you know, in the end, it’s going to serve its purpose by helping you develop and grow. It doesn’t mean that the crises we face aren’t real or they aren’t hard. It simply means that we can choose to see purpose behind them and use them as opportunities to grow. It’s possible to end up better and stronger on the other side. You might be in the middle of a crazy storm of a crisis, but as long as you keep water out of your boat, you won’t sink. The best navigators know how to guide their ships. The waves can be high, and it can be really scary. I totally get it, but you’ve got to stay focused on what you can control. Keep the water out of your boat. That's the goal. The storm is a reality. You can’t change it, but you can keep the water out. At the center of every hurricane is the eye where there’s total calmness. I want you to think about it as if you're in the middle of a hurricane today. Don't get inside of the waves and don't get out of your boat. The reality is that you control you and as a result, you can choose to remain calm. Confidence is something that comes from the inside. Let what’s inside come out. People are attracted to confidence. You know what you’re doing, and you can do this. When you’re confident, you can collaborate with people to create amazing results. I want to encourage you that you don’t have to just spin your wheels and survive today. You can actually move your life forward through the crisis. You can live in a sense of peace no matter what circumstances life throws your way. You can choose to be creative instead of complaining. You can be a responsive and effective navigator. You just have to shift your mindsets because your mindsets determine your method. 3 Mindsets to Develop When You’re Going Through a Challenging Time 1. Things/circumstances don’t happen to you. They happen for you. There is value in every circumstance- every crisis, every challenge. A way to not waste the crisis is to ask yourself, “What does this make possible?” If you don’t take the time to look at the situation from a different perspective, you’ll never see the opportunities. 2. You’re a hero, not a victim. Victims ask, “Why is this happening?” Heroes ask, “What else can I do?” Victims believe there’s nothing they can do. A hero realizes there’s always something they can do. 3. You are ridiculously in charge of you. E + R = O Events + Your Response = Outcome Political things happen, circumstances happen, but they don’t control the final outcome. You do. When you and I respond through confidence and clarity, we have a direct effect on the outcomes we experience. 2 Ways To Manage Those Mindsets 1. Manage the questions that you ask yourself Questions create open loops in your brain. Manage the questions you’re asking and you’ll manage your thoughts. Don’t ask why. Use the Drama Free Question Matrix - ask How or What paired with an action verb. Here are a few examples: What else can I do? How can I make this better? What is my very next step? How can I still make things happen? 2. Manage your energy Exercise- endorphins are the best drugs. Eat clean- fight the temptation to comfort yourself with sugar. You can feel better in the moment, but you’ll feel worse long term. Sleep- tired eyes don’t see well. The best decision you might make today is to take a nap so you can wake up with clarity. Practice thankfulness- whatever you’re thankful for always increases. Even in a challenge. There are good things going on. Focus on them. If you develop and continue to cultivate these 3 mindsets, not only will you survive this, you’ll grow from it. It’s about progress- not perfection. If it’s to be, it’s up to me. That’s great news. You can choose to use whatever challenge you’re facing today to make yourself better! Dennis McIntee, a gifted keynote speaker and author, travels across the US speaking at leadership summits, management training events and healthcare conferences. So many people already know Dennis as “The Drama Free Guy.” This is because Dennis understands that if you eliminate of unhealthy drama in the workplace, your teams will thrive and succeed. In addition to being a keynote speaker, he is also a leadership consultant passionate about helping leaders create high-trust, high-performance cultures. Dennis is also the author of The 8 Qualities of Drama Free Teams, The Power of Pursuit,  Drama Free Teams in Healthcare, Drama Free Productivity, Drama Free Relationships. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 27 years and together they have four children. Whenever he isn’t writing, traveling or speaking, Dennis is an avid runner and enjoys training for races and watching soccer. Dear Members, PMI Global is transforming and announcing changes frequently. The Chapter is changing as a result of these changes rolling out to us as new requirements. Not all answers are known, but we continue to research, question and evaluate the information. Dear Members, PMI Global is transforming and announcing changes frequently. The Chapter is changing as a result of these changes rolling out to us as new requirements. Not all answers are known, but we continue to research, question and evaluate the information. If I question why it remains our mission to provide education to maintain our skillset while maintaining our sense of community. The volunteer base continues to focus on relevancy for the here and now and our future. Resources continue to be a challenge, and more are needed. The daily challenge of work, commuting across our area and keeping our balance with requests for our time remains constant. The board has been focused on going back to basics and our core processes to improve quality to maximize our potential. Continue to call us out, question and let us know your thoughts. What’s Happening? Looking for PDUs? Attend a breakfast meeting, networking, educational meeting or write an article on your area of expertise. If you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options. You do not have to wait for a survey, there is a suggestion box on the website and the board receives your suggestions or concern with a direct email. It is your voice and your chapter. Together we can raise the bar and stay relevant. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter The Phoenix Chapter of PMI supports the Arizona Future City effort. Future City is a project-based learning program where students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future. Arizona conducts its competition where schools from throughout the state send teams to compete with their submissions. PMI Phoenix specifically supports and works with Future City to provide feedback and judge four deliverables required for each team: Project Goals, Project Schedule, Project Status/Check-in, Project Reflection. Arizona Future City is slightly different from the national organization in that we require the Goals, Schedule, and Check-in documentation in advance of the competition deadline. With that documentation, we have a team of volunteers who review and provide written feedback to each team on their submissions. This allows the teams to improve their materials and to get a "real-life" perspective on their submissions.  Additionally, we have also provided the teachers with materials (both written and video based) to help them with additional resources in building these items. Thank you to John Chico, Ronnie Watley, Jakub Marciniak, and Srinivas Kandela for being the judges during the course of the year and also for the day of competition.  Thanks especially goes to Trevor Stasik for his amazing management support and also being a competition day judge. On the competition day, we also interview and award a Project Manager Award to a deserving individual who has led their team and demonstrated project management principles.  This year we awarded the Project Manager Award to Amyah Clark Martinez from Maricopa Wells Middle School.  Her teacher was Janell Hudson.  Janell wrote about Amyah: "She has gone above and beyond in her role as the project manager. She was willing to step in for group members when they were absent from school. She was present for all team meetings and played an important role in keeping the group on track. Amyah worked with the group to research the topic, build buildings, design the moving parts, and helped in designing the solutions to the threat. Her teammates speak highly of her and were eager to say that their "project manager is the best!" Amyah is considered as not only an outstanding project manager but an outstanding teammate as well." (Picture from left to right: Steve Poessnecker, Amyah Clark Martinez, Janell Hudson) The PMP exam will change from July 1, 2020. It means the current exam will remain valid until 1st July 2020 and after that, the candidates must prepare for the new exam. The PMP exam will change from July 1, 2020. It means the current exam will remain valid until 1st July 2020 and after that, the candidates must prepare for the new exam. When is the next PMP Prep class? We are having a PMP Study group that's free for the member to join, it runs every Saturday for 9 weeks. The last session before the new test change is March 21 and you can find out registration for this event here: https://pmiphx.org/calendar?eventId=3892 PMP Bootcamps The Chapter is working to wrap up negotiation with a training partner.  We will update on the website with pricing and location for the event by March 30th and here are a couple of potential dates:  May 18,19,20,21 Jun 10,11,12,13  Aug 12,13,14,15​  (with the new test format) As part of the new PMP® exam launching 1 July 2020, PMI is offering PMP® candidates the opportunity to be part of a pilot group that takes the exam before its global launch. Here’s what you need to know:   Dates to sit for the pilot exam are 9 March through 20 March The pilot exam is available in English language only. PMI Members will receive a rebate of USD $81 for the $405 exam fee. Non-PMI Members will receive a rebate of USD $111 for the $555 exam fee. All pilot participants are eligible for a re-take of the exam at no cost. 600 participants, with global representation, will be accepted. Pilot participants should prepare using the PMP® Exam Content Outline  and the list of top used reference books. PMP® candidates can choose to participate in the pilot when they pay for their exam. Pilot participants will not receive a pass/fail score immediately after taking the exam but will receive their results in May 2020. January 2020 Dear Members, Let’s start the roaring 20’s with a bang, Happy New Year! I hope you spent time in December with friends, family, relaxing and recharging. So, what does 2020 bring for the chapter…. A quality plan of action for virtual events, we recognize that we can do better with sound and streaming. We are making execution of events a priority with more robust testing and continuing to replace/improve equipment with a focus on quality of our technology platform of our aged assets. We are also building a dedicated AV team, so event logistics are improved.  There is volunteer opportunity if you have background in this area or are willing to spend time learning. The board has been working hard to plan 2020.  Every month is planned, and specific event details will be published on the website, your go to place for information. What’s Happening? Looking for PDUs in January? Attend a breakfast meeting or write an article on your area of expertise. We are still seeking local speakers for our events, so we have a broad range of topics and industries to grow our knowledge. Let us know if you want to learn more or be a part of the Speakers Bureau volunteer team. If you do not see the event you were looking for, let us know so we can explore options.  You do not have to wait for a survey, there is a suggestion box on the website and the board receives your suggestions or concern with a direct email.  It is your voice and your chapter. Together we can raise the bar and be relevant. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSMPresidentPMI Phoenix Chapter   Kanbanzone has an exclusive offer for PMI Phoenix Chapter members.   This is a big one!!! We have decided to move to a Free Trial model and also significantly improve the Sign-Up and First Time User experience. For existing users, you will see the main improvement when creating a new board. Free Trial Instead of signing up for a limited Free plan that did not include all the features, now new PMI Phoenix Chapter users will sign up for a 90 day Free Trial that includes everything. Our plans have not changed, we still offer these 3 plans: Personal, Start-Up and Enterprise. At any time during the Free Trial new users can select one of these 3 plans. The Personal plan is still Free. First Time User As part of switching to the Free Trial model, it was important to also improve the First Time User experience. As soon as a new user has completed to sign up by creating their account on Kanban Zone, they will immediately enter the First Time User experience… During the First Time User experience, we guide new users on how to set up their first board. This 5 step process will show the new user that all boards in Kanban Zone start by leveraging one of our board templates. This quick process also promotes the ability to create card labels, which are a critical part of creating a Kanban board, because these card labels can be used later to filter and report based on these labels. To help the board start with a few cards, we also included the ability to create a few cards during the board set up. Lastly, the final step provides helpful videos and information about editing your board further and inviting members to the board. Improved “Add Board” Now for existing users, you also get to benefit from this First Time User experience, as this board set up process is now the way to add new boards in Kanban Zone. The only difference is that for experienced users, or if you want to create a board quickly without going through all the steps, there is a “Finish” option. As shown above, you can exit the board set up on any step by clicking “Finish”, or if you click the arrow next to “Finish” you can also choose to “Finish and Edit Board”. Although we believe that using the full process will ensure that your board is set up for success, it was important to still provide a very quick way to add a board. Improvements Searching now only required 2 characters (instead of 3) to start returning results. The Export to CVS now includes the card’s Done Date and Archive Date data points. All our reports now default to a weekly view of the last 8 weeks. Fixes The due date calendar is more user-friendly as it saves the selected date without having to click save. Saving an extra step and also preventing frustration. Under the board editor, the board title was overlapping. This issue did not last very long but it was very annoying. Let us know what you think... As always, please don't hesitate to send us your feedback, so that we can continue to improve Kanban Zone. You will never hurt our feelings if you find an issue or something that could be improved, so don't be shy. The Kanban Zone Teamsupport@kanbanzone.com  The PMI Phoenix Chapter Study Group program is a 9-week course given several times throughout the year at three locations throughout the valley.  This is provided a benefit to our members at no cost. The PMI Phoenix Chapter Study Group program is a 9-week course given several times throughout the year at three locations throughout the valley.  This is provided a benefit to our members at no cost. The program is driven by a core team of approximately 14 Volunteers that give 4 hours of their Saturday to the chapter and the membership that participate in the study group program. The study group calendar for 2020 has been finalized.  The start and end dates for each session are located below.  Please check the chapter website event calendar for specific dates and locations. PMI Phoenix Chapter Study Group Schedule for 2020 1/11 – 3/7 North Valley 1/11 – 3/7 South Valley 3/21 – 5/16 Central Valley 5/2 – 7/11 North Valley 5/2 – 7/11 South Valley 7/18 – 9/19 Central Valley 9/12 – 11/7 North Valley 9/19 – 11/9 South Valley The PMI Phoenix Chapter is proud to continue our support of Future City, one of the nation’s leading engineering education programs for kids. This competition has received national recognition and acclaim for its role in encouraging sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math.In each competition, students participate in a challenge unique to that year. For 2019-2020, the problem is: "Choose a threat to your city’s water supply and design a resilient system to maintain a reliable supply of clean water." Our local PMI Phoenix volunteers, led by Steve Poessnecker, have provided expert guidance in project management processes to help kids in putting together their solutions. Our volunteers of Ronnie Watley, John Chico, Jakub Marciniak, and Srinivas Kandala are currently reviewing, judging, and providing written feedback to (currently) 67 student team submissions.  Teams will display their models at the Phoenix Library starting on January 18.  We invite all members to come out to see the amazing and innovative ideas for our future.Dear Members, As the year wraps up, it is a time for reflection. First off, let me say thank you for being members, volunteers, and partners in our Chapter, a volunteer organization and supporting the year of change, 2019. It is the volunteers working diligently to bring you, the membership, the value you expect and have come to know from the chapter. So, what did 2019 bring for the chapter…?EOY 2019 Dear Members, As the year wraps up, it is a time for reflection. First off, let me say thank you for being members, volunteers, and partners in our Chapter, a volunteer organization and supporting the year of change, 2019. It is the volunteers working diligently to bring you, the membership, the value you expect and have come to know from the chapter. So, what did 2019 bring for the chapter…? New technology to improve quality of events, new website functionality and a focus on the Military Outreach program to serve the Veterans in our community. The following words are not new and in the spirit of Deming, I want to emphasize…continuous improvement is an organized approach to identifying opportunities for improvement that can help an organization meet its goals for sound financial liquidity, reducing costs, and accelerating innovation. The approach is also used to enhance the quality of a product or service, and to continue our Chapter vision and mission on education. We take this approach and will strive to improve our implementation at the organizational level. PMI Global wants our strategic goals to focus on customer value, and the members are the customer. If you attended the All Member meeting, you saw our 2019 and 2020 goals with metrics. We will continue to reduce waste and review activities for value and lower costs, enhance customer satisfaction, and upgrade product quality with our investment resources. The new board for 2020 is in place, they created goals and a strategy from your member survey and the PMI Global leadership direction. We will continue the continuous improvement journey next year. Continue to submit suggestions they are actioned and appreciated. It is your voice and your chapter. Together we can raise the bar and be relevant in 2020. Cory Smith, MBA, PMP, CSM President PMI Phoenix ChapterMembers of the PMI Phoenix Chapter are pleased to donate to Toys For Tots for the 2019 Holiday Season. Toys For Tots is a successful program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Each year they collect and then distribute toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts during the holidays. During our recent evening meeting, with your generosity, the Chapter collected 25 toys to help brighten this time of the year for area youth. Thank you to our members; way to pay it forward! Call for Nominations Committee Volunteers 2019 PMI Phoenix Chapter Election Call for Nominations Committee Volunteers.  As you know, nothing is more important to the health and sustainability of PMI Phoenix Chapter than getting highly qualified, engaged, skilled, passionate people to serve on our board.  Come join this highly-visible and mission-critical volunteer team as a way to give back to the chapter, network with other volunteers, and of course, earn PDUs! Nominations Committee 3 to 5 volunteers Directly reports to Director of Elections under Operations Team Is responsible for determining the eligibility and willingness of each Board of Directors nominee to stand for election. Adhering to the established nominees vetting process including defined role requirements for: chapter board roles, scoring rubric, and professional experience Requirements Available to attend virtual team meetings starting in April 2019 and complete bulk of nominations tasks in May and June 2019 Experience conducting interviews Strong verbal communications skills Enthusiasm for the mission of the PMI Phoenix Chapter PLEASE NOTE: Once you become part of nominations committee the following activities will be disallowed for the current year: submitting nominations, supporting nominees, writing letters or speaking in support of any nominee, potential candidate, slated candidate or write-in candidate running for office. If you have an interest in serving, don’t wait! The election cycle kicks off in May. APPLICANT DEADLINE: Friday, April 19, 2019 Please send your resume and brief summary of qualifications to the Director of Elections via the election page on our website. Throughout my career I have heard the statement “we need resource management” more times than I can count. My responding question is always: “What does resource management mean to you?”Part 1: Learning to Crawl The journey into resource management often starts with one, or several, of the following statements being broadcasted long and loud around a conference room table.  “We need resource management!! Let’s purchased (XYZ) tool that will provide it.” “Our problem is that we don’t have enough people! We need resource management.” “I need to prioritize my team’s work. I need some resource management!” And, with those magic words, a decision is made to dive headfirst into the world of resource management - often without having the slightest idea of where to begin or even what the practice of resource management encompasses. Tools are purchased and some unfortunate soul is tasked with implementing “resource management”.  Whoa!!!! Slow down there… Take some time to learn to crawl and walk before you run full speed ahead into the world of resource management.  What is Resource Management? Throughout my career I have heard the statement “we need resource management” more times than I can count. My responding question is always: “What does resource management mean to you?” While the solution of resource management may mean different things to different teams, the concept of resource management is quite defined within the resource management industry: Resource management is the practice that uses information and processes to align skilled team members with the requirements and expectations of current and future projects. Stop! Go back, and read that statement again.  Resource management is a practice. It is something that you must grow and develop, nurture and expand, and constantly monitor. It takes time, knowledge, and skill to successfully implement and maintain. I liken resource management to playing chess. You must be able to identify when to move the right people, with the right skills, into the right location to gain maximum advantage or ROI on your workforce. What Resource Management is Not Just as you must understand what resource management is, you also need to understand what resource management is not.  Resource Management is not a tool – A tool (commonly known as an application), will not provide you resource management. It will provide you with a location to gather and analyze the fact-based data that you need for the resource management iterative process.  Resource Management is not people management – If you are understaffed for the number of projects that your team has in the portfolio no amount of resource management will fix this. However, it can be used to identify that you are understaffed and provide the data to support that conclusion. After that identification, it is up to Leadership and HR to help resolve those issues. Resource Management is not task management – When team members are overloaded or jumping from one task to the next extinguishing fires, managers often assume they need resource management. Remember, resource management is about aligning the appropriate skilled team member with the appropriate project at just the right moment. It will not alleviate the expectation that you drop everything you are doing to put on your firefighting hat. Only project control process and changing expectations can assist you with this. Steps Towards Establishing Your Resource Management Practice Now that you have a better understanding of what Resource Management is and is not, you’ll need to understand how to get started. The first thing you need to know is that there is quite a bit of work that needs to happen before you can start building your resource management practice. This is your “crawling” stage.  I’ll just go ahead and state it - this stage can be very frustrating! With everyone screaming that they need immediate help, you may be tempted to skip this step entirely. I strongly urge you not to. This is when you gather your base, your building blocks. If you take the time to walk through each of the three steps below, you will have a good foundation to build your resource management practice. 1. Analyze if resource management is actually what you need to resolve your current pain point.  Look at what isn’t currently working. Write down where your team is struggling and be specific! Overloaded resources are absolutely a pain point, but how are they overloaded? Do you have one or two team members that can barely breathe because no one else has the skills to assist with the workload? Are your projects behind schedule because you frequently must stop what you are doing to jump onto something else? Is your entire team drowning because, even with focused work, the demand is simply too much for the available capacity? Put on your truth googles here, managers - A good manager will be able to identify where the issues are. Ultimately, will resource management really resolve your issues? 2. Identify a single location to house the data that you need to gather for resource management analysis.  This may be the tool your company has been itching to purchase from the start! I recommend using an application that is designed to provide both project and resource management activities. The practice of resource management is much easier when you have a single source of information to pull from. 3. Compile your foundational data. This often means that you have months of information gathering to complete, but this is a critical step in the development process. As you gather the necessary information, you will want to ensure that you capture it in a manner that can be consistently monitored and managed. If you determine that resource management is right for your team or organization, understand that it requires careful planning and execution to successfully implement. Resource Management is only effective when there is synergy of multiple units including live data that can be analyzed, tools that house the data and aid in analysis, knowledgeable resource managers that understand what to do with the data, and Leadership’s support to act on the resource management process results.  Start to crawl towards your own resource management solution by getting a handle on the data that will support it. Part 2: Foraging and Gathering Data Now that you have determined that resource management is right for your team or organization, you will need to take the time to gather the appropriate data your resource management practice will build upon.  While this may be a long and tedious process, it is a crucial step in ensuring that you have the foundational building blocks needed to implement a successful resource management solution.  Following are nine critical datasets to provide resourcing recommendations. Remember, it is an iterative process but accuracy and completeness are key here. The more accurate and complete the compiled information, the better your resource management practice will run.  1. Get to know your team This may sound ridiculous, but you really need to take the time to know your team. Learn about their individual strengths and weaknesses.  --> What are the idiosyncrasies of their personalities that influence how they work?  --> How do they handle stress?  --> Are they good at multi-tasking or do they become overwhelmed with too many assignments? Do they play well with others or do they work best on their own?  Asking these questions will provide you with your resources’ soft skills. Soft skills are just as important in aligning appropriate resources to projects as harder, technical skills. In fact, it can be the determining factor of how effectively a project team performs. Invest the time in learning your team. 2. Capture the current demand The goal here is to understand everything that your team is currently working on and the remaining duration of that effort. Identification at a team level typically doesn’t work as each team member may be working on different aspects of a single project. This data set is a living, breathing unit. You will need daily or weekly updates, depending on fast your environment changes, in order to ensure that everything is captured accurately. Ultimately, if you don’t know what is currently absorbing your team’s capacity, how will know their availability? 3. Identify pipeline and forecasted efforts To create a full picture, you will need to identify what projects are currently in the pipeline waiting for launch and what projects are hanging out in the forecast. While gathering this list, do your best to obtain accurate probability of fruition, scale of effort, and high-level requirements. This data set may not need to be updated as frequently as your current demand data but don’t let it sit idle for too long as projects may be added or drop from the list frequently.  4. Learn your project flow While each project is different, you can typically start to see the pattern of ebb and flow of actual work, and how long each high and low period last. Take some time to study this pattern and learn the impact of each project phase to your resources. Understanding this fluid pattern will allow you to strategically move resources between projects, maximizing efficiency. 5. Gather estimated efforts for project assignments For the resource management iterative process to work, you need to be able to estimate how much engaged, working time will be required for a project request. Without knowing how much time a resource will be dedicated to a project, it is very difficult to provide resourcing recommendations. How broad or granular you want to go on gathering efforts is up to you and how your team operates. However, I typically recommend that you go somewhere in the middle. I find trying to estimate the overall effort for an entire project never works. Going down to task level is too complicated and quickly becomes overwhelming. So, go somewhere in between. If your projects deliver in phases, how much effort is required for a resource for each phase? If the work doesn’t really lend itself to phases, where is the ebb and flow? Regardless of the level of detail you gather, do your absolute best to ensure that the estimates are as accurate as possible. 6. Identify project roles Project roles tend to be the first category that you filter on when mapping possible project resource assignments. These should be generic roles assigned to an individual project and not job titles assigned to resources. As an example, your project may need a Project Manager, Developer, Subject Matter Expert (SME) and a QA Technician. These are temporary roles that can be filled by any resources and terminate once the project completes.  7. Identify resource skills Please do not go crazy here! You want to go as high-level as you can while still being able to identify an appropriate resource for a project. Developer would be too broad of a category and usually refers to a role within a project. However, a Java Developer, or a C++ Developer is enough to classify skilled resources. To identify level of expertise, consider using a skill level.  8. Identify skill levels Skill level is completely different than an assigned skill. A skill level is a ranking system, within the assigned skill, that allows you to differentiate beginners from experts. Your skill may be Java Developer and the ranking (an attribute) for that skill would be 1-4 indicating beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert levels. Administration is greatly reduced by keeping your skill level as an attribute within the main skill rather than breaking out each level as an individual skill assigned to resources.  9. Gather additional resource factors that impact projects Is your resource fluent in a foreign language? Where are your resources located? Is there any scheduled PTO or holiday times that you need to work around? Do your customers have regulatory or security requirements that must be met? Each of these factors impact project assignments. Gathering and maintaining this information for each resource will be key to accurate project assignments.  While yes, foraging for and gathering this amount of information is time consuming and occasionally difficult, it is well worth your efforts. If you take the time now to gather accurate data in a manner that can be consistently monitored and managed, you will be well on your way to creating a sound foundation that is the centerpiece of your resource management practice.  About Cortney Felix: Cortney is a Project and Portfolio Management Consultant at Kolme Group. She brings empathy and real-world insight to her customers, which allows her to listen to what the customer believes they want and translate it into what they need to be successful. She has 20+ years in program development and implementation, team development, and portfolio and resource management that work in harmony to create the “best of album” provided to her clients. In her free time, you can usually find her out on her back porch with a good book, playing with her dogs or exploring the amazing roads of the Carolinas on her motorcycle.  Connect with her on LinkedIn. About Kolme Group: Kolme Group is a project management consultancy providing top-tier Project and Portfolio Management services for medium to large enterprises. Helping find and successfully implement the right PPM solution is what we do at Kolme Group. If you would like our assistance in this area, please contact us. Our team of experts will provide a free consultation to help you begin your transformative PPM journey. Find about more on their website.