Holiday reading in Project Management Concepts
This morning we received a request from a participant who is busy with the Foundation phase of the Project Management Concepts course. The request itself demonstrates the proactive spirit needed to build a career in Project Management, and our reply provides a glimpse into how to employ personal interests in the learning process.
Lisa’s request
Hi Sam
It is so interesting that my task for the day was on the Rule for Risk, but I was really going to contact you today! It is to let you know that I will be going on holiday from 28 March to 9 April. I will not have access to a computer, but if there are any articles I can print and take along, that would be great.
Let me know how to handle that period.
Hope you have a good day.
Lisa
Our reply
Dear Lisa
Sam asked me to respond. Thank you for following the Rule for Risk!
We commend you for planning to spend part of your holiday in an activity that Stephen Covey calls re-creation (as opposed to mere recreation).
You will find the articles relating to the Project Management Concepts course under the Project Management Concepts tag in the Articles section of our Web site. However, printing these articles in random order won’t give you a logical, structured approach. We recommend that you structure your holiday reading list around your personal interests, so that you can optimise your learning towards the fulfilment of your own goals.
An interest-centred reading list
It was clear from your Expertise Questionnaire and your participation in the Intensive Workshop in Project Management that you are
- interested in learning about learning itself, and
- passionate about Project Management in a corporate environment.
The categories of articles that align to these interests are, respectively:
There is also a third category that will be valuable to you in your journey of self-empowerment in Project Management:
Once you are back on the course, you will be directed to a further category, which provides the foundation for planning and reporting. You already dealt with some of this content in the Workshop:
Each category page links to a number of articles pertaining to that topic. (There is also a Previous link at the bottom of each page, leading to a list of older articles.)
Putting together your reading list
We recommend that you deviate from your scheduled learning plan and devote one or two of your 20-minute study sessions this week to putting together your reading list, by browsing through what’s available in these categories. Our own top picks for you in each of the top three categories are as follows:
Learning for How the World Works Now
An Enabled Project Management Environment
- You, the leader of the habit-builders
- The importance of defining abstract terms
- For leaders: Dealing with the aftermath of the Project Management workshop
The Project Manager Competency Development Framework (PMCDF)
- Consider this before recruiting a project manager
- The PMCD Framework: What it is and why it matters
- As a project manager, you need to master the basics of writing
Begin here
There is one last article which we recommend, and this should be the first article which you read. We didn’t write this one. This article ties in with the PMCDF, but it goes beyond the realm of Project Management. It deals with what the world needs now from people looking to improve their options in the job market. If you can hone your personal interests and passions through the development of these skills, your pursuit will not only be satisfying to you, but can help bring about meaningful change in the world around you.
This article by Raya Bidshahri places all our recommendations above in context:
A special request
Please keep a pencil or pen with you as you read. We may be your learning facilitators, but like you, we are also lifelong learners. We welcome your questions, critique and suggested edits.
We wish you great re-creation, and look forward to your feedback after your holiday.
Best wishes
Tania Melnyczuk
Director: Programme Design
ProjectManagement.co.za
