Project managers in hell ....

 

Not that it matters, in the least, but “PDUs” (their apostrophe is redundant!) is project management speak – “Professional Development Units”. Formally, learning to take personal responsibility, certainly has the scope to constitute a PDU.

 

If you think that this is, a typical digression – think again! A key theme of this post is project management. A spot of project manager jargon is therefore, not entirely off topic!

 

As you will have gathered, I’ve developed a pretty active lifestyle. Most of its contents though, are activities, which are undertaken with some regularity – be they leisure pursuits, or otherwise.

 

I do however, like to have some larger projects on the go, which have a defined and achievable objective.

I have found that in many (most?) instances, my substantial projects (I’ll just call them “project(s)” from now on) do benefit from proper management. By this, I mean steps such as those that I will mention in this post.

 

Projects will frequently, benefit from compliance with, an articulated (and sometimes, quite detailed) plan, and I have tried to put this into effect, on a few (with hindsight, it should have been very many more!) occasions.

 

Such a plan ought to be kept under review and perhaps, be tinkered with, as time goes on – and this can include a revision of timescales, and even of, of the ultimate objective.

 

In so far as I’ve actually created and tried to follow a formal plan, I do find that it increases my chances of achieving the intended, end result. It encourages forward thinking, so as to plan the steps (both their content and timing) which are most likely to achieve, the desired end result. If nothing else, devising and keeping under review, a plan, provides a degree of motivation, to get on with progressing the project.

 

In a moment, I will give you a couple of examples of my past and future projects. I would just like first though, to make a few, general points, that have occurred to me, over the last few years and which, I guess can be described as project management:

 

·      I used the word “achievable” a little earlier. I think it is important to be realistic about my chances of success and not to set too high a bar. Steps towards attaining my objective ought to be modest and I shouldn’t try to “run before I can walk” – even if this does involve the self-imposition of a lengthy timeframe. I must also, keep my plan under review and alter it (as above), if necessary or desirable.  If I don’t do this, then my chances of failure are increased.  What I need is pride from success and not disappointment from failure!

 

·      That said, despite efforts towards its avoidance, for leisure-based activity at least, I should try not to “beat myself up” for failure. Often, there are more important things in life, to worry about!

 

·      I need to be sensible about how many of these projects I have running at the same time. The usual answer is ONE!

 

·      I ought to give careful advance thought, as to why I wish to embark on a project. If I act on a whim and rush into something blindly, it might be a source of regret. This is particularly, the case when early steps in the proposed project involve any significant expenditure and/or effort!

 

As promised, here are a few examples, of my projects:

 

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, a few years ago, I devised; participated in planning for; trained for; and completed a significant sponsored sporting challenge, in favour of the charity, for which I do voluntary work.  Through this, myself and 4 others, managed to raise a few thousand pounds for them.

 

In addition to a detailed, physical training plan (and detailed it was – my wall chart, even told me exactly how far to swim on a given day!) other steps needed to be (and hopefully were) taken in an organised manner. Proper planning ensured that everything necessary was done - with the avoidance of duplicated effort. 

 

·      Another past project, that I have mentioned elsewhere, was the preparation for my delivery of the closing plenary presentation at the national conference, of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists

 

These are just a couple of examples. There have been plenty more ...

 

I remain ambitious about projects and there are at least 2 (if not more) in the pipeline:

 

·      I intend to purchase and learn properly, a bass guitar.

 

·      Rather more ambitious and serious – plans are already underway for a collaborative publication (which I propose to edit and contribute substantive content towards) on the interrelationship of behaviour and mental wellbeing.

 

Finally, I think that Aristotle hit the project management nail, firmly on the head:

 

"First, have a definite, clear practical ideal, a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends, wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end."   Aristotle 

 

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