President's Letter - February 2011
As I write this, it is a couple of days before Groundhog Day. By the time you read it, our friendly groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, will have seen his shadow (again) and foretold of six more weeks of winter. [editor's note: actually, Phil didn't see his shadow, so maybe Spring is almost here...but John's message still applies.] Forget the fact that the first day of Spring is March 21st, about seven weeks after Phil’s shadow peering. The time at the beginning of each year (January though mid-March) is generally a cold and dreary time of year. Midshipmen at the Naval Academy refer to it as the “Dark Ages”, and understandably we all tend to get bogged down.
Boy, that sounded like a real downer of an opening, but it is intended instead to get you thinking that Spring is not too far away. Take advantage of this time to do some extra studying or other activities to get those PDUs all PMPs are searching for.
But also realize that your project teams are also feeling the dreariness of the season and will need some extra motivation to keep them energized. Take some time to understand where they are having trouble and see what you can do to get them through it. Take the initiative to be more personal in your approach to each and every member of your project team. Stop by to see them in person, not just in a team meeting. This extra effort will payoff in spades as the team becomes more energized and more productive.
For any of you who attended the Volunteer Recognition Dinner a couple of weeks ago, you were able to see a very dynamic speaker in Mark Adams. He spoke to the group about how Redwood trees spread their roots to hold on to their neighbor trees for added support when the storms blow in. Taking the time to reach out to your team and your peers does the same for you. It allows us to draw on each other’s strengths and recognize that together we can do more than we can as individuals.
On a slightly separate note, I am asking each of you to give the board your feedback. We want to make sure that the chapter provides services that all of the members can find value in. If there is anything that you would like to see in the way of speakers or programs, please let us know and we will do what we can to try to make it happen.
I’ll close with another big Thank You to the chapter volunteers. You all are the life blood of the chapter. For those of you not volunteering, you should see what is available that might fit you time and skills. Volunteering does not have to take up a lot of your time, and there are always opportunities for short term activities.
Please let me, or any other member of the board, know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
John Lombardi
President 2011
PMI Central Virginia Chapter