President's Letter - April 2011

Spring has official sprung, although you wouldn’t know it by the cold spell we are currently in and the fact that it snowed this morning (when I wrote this letter). Spring is traditionally known as a time of renewal, and from the size of the chapter’s Spring PMP Prep Workshop, I can say that there are a number of people doing just that. We had our largest class with 49 participants, and we turned some people away. With the test format changing in the fall, there are a lot of people trying to get the test completed beforehand. It also shows that there is a renewed interest in project management.

The other side of spring is the dreaded spring fever.After being cooped up all winter, everyone wants to get outside to enjoy the more comfortable temperatures. Recognize that there will be members of your team that will feel this urge and will need additional help focusing on the project tasks. You, as the project manager, need to help refocus the team, help them to realize that with a concentrated effort they can complete their tasks and still have time to participate in activities outside of work that they enjoy doing. Also remember that you need to take the time to keep yourself focused. Go for a short walk at lunch as an afternoon break. You will find that you have a fresh perspective on the afternoon’s activities.

On a final note, take some time to review the offerings from the chapter. Visit the website and see that in addition to the regular chapter meetings, there are PMO LIG and GOV LIG meetings, Professional Development offerings, and even an additional PMP Prep Workshop in May. Renew yourself with some of these offerings and reinvigorate your career.

As always, if there is anything you would like to ask me or any of the board members, please do so. There are links on the website to send us email, or call if you desire. I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events.

Sincerely,
John…

John Lombardi
President 2011
PMI Central Virginia Chapter