Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I started thinking about this message while sitting in front of my TV, like millions of other folks last Sunday, watching the Super Bowl.  I could not help but think of the parallels between professional sports and project management.  In sports, as in projects, there is a clear and measurable objective and a finite amount of time in which to achieve it.  Strong teamwork and leadership are critical to both objectives.  And as Steve Devaux so aptly demonstrated in January, both rely on metrics to monitor progress and measure success.   I’m sure that you could relate every area of the PMBOK to some aspect of professional football or baseball.   I dare say that if last fall’s World Series were eligible for nomination, the 2004 Boston Red Sox victory would be a contender for the PMI Project of the Year. 

While we don’t earn the millions of dollars as popular sports celebrities do, project managers are also superstars in my book.  We work hard, despite what sometimes appears to be insurmountable odds to deliver a project on time, under budget, and to the delight of our customers.  That is a tall order.  How do we equip ourselves to be ready for this challenge?   The answer is to continually update our skills.  The world is moving far too fast to stand still. 

We have so many opportunities learn and stay current.  We live in an area that has a wealth of great educational institutions and so many now offer courses that are specific to project management.  We also have many PMI Registered Education Providers among our ranks.  They offer a variety of ways to learn that compliment our working lifestyles.  We feature an article about a new way to learn and earn PDUs. 

Participation in the PMI Mass Bay Chapter also gives us many opportunities to enhance our skills. Attending our monthly meetings is a great way to learn new tips and techniques, and reinforce the things we have already learned. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have heard one of Rita Mulcahy’s two presentations in February certainly got a valuable career development experience. Rita’s presentation at our Chapter Meeting, “The Past, Present and What you Really Need for the Future,” has become a classic.  I was fortunate enough to have first heard this presentation last year at the 2003 PMI Global Congress in Baltimore, where Rita delivered it to a standing room only crowd. 

This month Will Willson will be speaking to us about Schedule Risk. How to identify and manage it, and how to manage the contingency established to address that risk.  Using Monte Carlo Risk Analysis techniques, Will demonstrates how good proactive visible risk management may actually allow the early release of contingency to be invested elsewhere. 

In May, we will host Advancing the Project Management Profession, formerly called Career Day.  This annual event has once again been expanded to include Professional Development, Career Advancement, and Interview Skills.  There will also be presentations by industry leaders in the area.  Please reserve Saturday, May 14 in your calendar for this event. 

My final thoughts are with the Chapter Election process, which is now underway.  We are seeking nominations for the office of President-elect.  This is a 3 year commitment to the Chapter, one year each on the PMI Mass Bay Board of Directors as President-elect, President, and Past President.  Please see the Call for Nominations article in this newsletter for more details on how to nominate a candidate. 

As we finally emerge from the deep freeze of winter, I hope to see you all at our next Chapter Meeting on Thursday, March 17, 2005. 

Best regards,

Ed Horniak, PMP

President, PMI Mass Bay Chapter