Peanuts and Cracker Jacks – Project Management and Baseball

In this light, yet insightful, presentation, Dave Davis does a detailed comparison of baseball and project management. Dave correlates metaphors, similes, and euphemisms between the game of baseball and good project management principles. Dave will draw insight of 100+ years of baseball history and his 20+ years of project management experience. Some of the comparisons Dave will make include the following quotes: 

• On skill sets: "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." - Earl Weaver
• On team vs. individual accomplishment: "The shutout doesn't matter. It's the 'W'. You want to have the 'W' instead of the 'L'." - David Wells
• On enthusiasm: "Ya Gotta Believe!" - Tug McGraw
• On why we become project managers: "Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist.“

Dave is also going to throw in a few baseball movie morals, a story or 2 from the annals of baseball history, and a couple of great analogies comparing the rules of baseball to the rules of project management.

So from the forkball to Mark Fidych, Yogi Berea to Tug McGraw, St. Louis Cardinals to Toledo Mud Hens, for Yankee fans, Red Sox fans, Cubs fans (well maybe not Cub fans) and all dimensions in between. Batter up for a good inning of baseball, project management, stolen bases, and home runs. Take me out to the ball game, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks.

1. Relate success in project management to success of a baseball team (individual performances related to a common goal)
2. Identify ways to present a project scorecard similar to a box score of a baseball game.
3. Perspective, you can’t lead off an inning by hitting a grand slam.

Other: Light hearted and insightful – this presentation has been enjoyed at several conferences and helps put project management in a popular model

PMI Pre-Meeting Topic: Financially Surviving a Career Transition

We’ve all heard the news of major businesses closing and downsizing due to dire economic times. We’ve also heard about the effect on unemployment, and even under-employment. After dedicating years to a business to build for a secure future, many are finding themselves in a transition phase. This 30 minute pre-meeting session will provide information to assist with retaking control from a financial aspect.

Topics include:

• Developing an action plan
• Preserving your way of life, as much as possible, during your transition
• Using strategies for reducing cash-flow requirements
• Restructuring to make debt more manageable
• Budgeting for your lifestyle
• Identifying potential sources for income

Presenters:

Joe Puttkammer

Joe has been a member of PMI since 2004, and PMP certified since February 2005. His experience includes Project Manager at Circuit City Stores from 2002-2009, primarily in the IT department. He transitioned his project management skills into the Financial Services Industry in Summer of 2009. Joe successfully uses the fundamental PM principles to manage the first phase of client interactions.

F. Gibbons Sloan

Gib is a graduate of Wharton School of Business, Aresty Institute of Executive Education with a Degree in “Wharton Retirement Planning Program”. He specializes in providing families and business owners with assistance in building their financial freedom.