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Do you know a project manager whose achievements deserved to be honored with more than a few nice words? Do you work for an organization where innovation has contributed to the bottom line and the project profession? Or, have you recently worked on a project that went far above and beyond expectations?

Then, it's time to nominate this person, project or organization for a 2010 PMI Professional Award. (See the full list of 2009 Professional Award winners.)

The deadline for most PMI awards--which include categories for products and books as well--is 26 April 2010. For the highly coveted PMI Project of the Year award, the deadline is 1 March 2010. Nominations for both the PMI Eric Jenett Project Management Excellence Award and the PMI Distinguished Project Award are accepted all year.

You can get more information about the awards and submission process on PMI.org.

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide) is developed by hundreds of volunteers to represent generally accepted good practices in project management. But is this enough?

There are already extensions to the PMBOK^®Guide for the construction industry and government that expand the basic framework to meet the needs of these sectors. Is there a need for extensions to meet the needs of different cultures?

The value of diversity and the challenges of managing culturally diverse teams was the focus of Tom Sullivan's feature article "Common Ground" in the October issue of PM Network^®. My column in the November edition of PM Network, "Culture Shock," highlights some contractual issues that impacted a major mine development. As projects and teams become more global, managing appropriately within and across cultural boundaries is a key project management skill.

Although there's no right or wrong in culture, different societies resolve challenges in different ways and use very different structures to communicate information within businesses and projects.

As PMI moves toward the start of the next PMBOK^® Guide update project, I would like to take the opportunity to discuss issues and challenges of managing projects in a cultural context. Do we need cultural extensions to the PMBOK^® Guide or is there more value in retaining it as a core definition of good practices that apply worldwide?

I've had my say in PM Network, now it's your turn to weigh in. Over to you!

We've been getting a major dose of the future with the release of PMI's Project Management Circa 2025. And even though it does seem a little odd to be envisioning what a profession will look like when some of its future practitioners are only about 10 years old right now, some of the shifts are already happening.

Just in the past few years, we've watched sustainability become ingrained in projects. Or as Anne Larilahti, head of the environmentally sustainable business program at Nokia Siemens Networks, so eloquently put it in a sustainability panel at congress last week, companies are going to start considering the planet as "a stakeholder in its own right."

Dave Prior, PMP, of Valtech, bemoaned the lack of any new project management tool since the emergence of critical chain--before Google, the iPod or the Agile Manifesto.

"Our entire profession has been spun on its head--that demands new tools," he said.

For him, that means mashups--"blending things that don't necessarily go together to make something better." He cited Danger Mouse's The Gray Album that blended The Beatles and Jay-Z, but argued that it's not just for hipsters. Mr. Prior, for example, relies on his own mix of the Art of War, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai and A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^® Guide), with a dash of agile.

He also talked about teams collaborating and using tweets, yamms and IMs for status reports because they all offer built-in meeting minutes.

Some of the Circa 2025 authors also offered up some predictions:

Dorothy Tiffany, PMP, predicted even more virtual offices and a lessons learned database "that comes to you instead of you going to it." Like iTunes offers up songs you might like, the project database would track data that details what your project is going through, and offer solutions and recommendations based on past initiatives.

David Pells, PMP, PMI Fellow, spotted new opportunities in emerging fields. Nanotechnology, for example, will "require many programs and projects with new dimensions of complexity." The transition to alternative energy also will "require a lot of investment--and a lot of programs and projects." And climate change is another big field, "affecting everything from agriculture to tourism." Project management hasn't traditionally been embraced in scientific developments, he said, but there needs to be more multidisciplinary collaboration.

Tim Jaques, PMP and Jonathan Weinstein, PMP, made several predictions about the future of project management at the state level. For example, megaprojects would span state lines, and project management offices would start operating more and more at the state level.

Project managers are in for some big changes. Coming in on schedule and within budget is all well and good--but it's not enough.

That's been the running mantra for a while now, but it seems to be gaining even more traction as Harold Kerzner, PhD, explained in the first-ever closing session at a PMI global congress in North America.

"Time and cost used to drive all decisions," said Dr. Kerzner, senior executive director, project management at the International Institute for Learning Inc. "Now we're saying, 'Wait a minute, are we providing value?'"

Without that, the project will be axed.

"If management doesn't see how a project will deliver a value, that project will be canceled even if it's meeting time and budget constraints," he said.

Not all constraints have equal value, Dr. Kerzner said.

That's quite a mind shift for project managers--and it's going to take a whole new skill set.

Indeed, Dr. Kerzner boldly predicted earned value management will be "obsolete very shortly," upstaged by value measurement methodologies that consider intangibles such as goodwill or reputation.

And while a mastery of technical knowledge use to suffice, that's now considered "old school."

"Project managers must understand business," he told the crowd.

They will also need an understanding of politics, culture/religion, stakeholders and people. And Dr. Kerzner predicted a new wave of certifications in complex projects, virtual teams, cultural differences and morality and ethics.

Project managers who go in armed with those skills will find a receptive audience in the executive crowd.

"The biggest change in the last several years has been in senior management support of project management," he said. "Senior management no longer views project management as a career path. It is now viewed as a strategic competence necessary for survival of the company."

Do you agree with Dr. Kerzner? Are you seeing increased demand for business understanding--or should project managers stick to what they do best?

The economy has taken some pretty heavy hits, but companies also know they need good project managers--and let's face it, the congress is a good place to find them. Now they have a place to meet: the PMI Career Center.

Several organizations spanning sectors have set-up shop in the center of the exhibit hall and are looking for capable project managers. While not all of the organizations have specific roles to fill, they are here to find top talent and to lead presentations covering different career-related topics.

"We value the capable project manager," says Kevin McDevitt, a senior program manager at Siemens and chairman of PM@Siemens USA Community.

"Sixty percent of our business is through managing customer projects. The better we do at that, the more of that money we get it keep. [Project management] is a core competency."

Some of the organizations in the Career Center are leading workshops as well. Consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton led one on talent management, for example.

Al Zeitoun, PhD, PMP, senior associate at Booz Allen Hamilton and former PMI Board member, says his company is on an ongoing search for the best in the field--at every level.

"We are a firm that hires because of capability. We're growing continuously," Dr. Zeitoun said.

Software developer CSC isn't messing around. If you meet the company's criteria, it will scan your congress identification card and send the information right to its human resources department.

Stewart Kidd, head of enterprise learning and talent development, Organizational Capability Center of Excellence, CSC, said the company is looking to put the right project manager on the right project.

He says potential candidates need to be able to describe their skills and experience in very real, very convincing terms.

If you're a project manager looking to make yourself more marketable to organizations, Mr. Kidd suggests a couple of tips:

•    Be able to take your project management skills and transfer them from industry to industry
•    Get involved in local chapters
•    And network--who you know is almost as important as what you know. 

This morning, with the rest of the early risers at PMI® Global Congress 2009--North America,  I had the opportunity to attend the Monday Morning Breakfast Panel on sustainability. Moderated by PMI president and CEO Gregory Balestrero, the panel included:

Ellen Jackowski: Lead of HP Environmental Sustainability Corporate Governance process and the Environmental Sales Enablement initiatives
Anne Larilahti: Head of the Environmentally Sustainable Business program at Nokia Siemens Networks
Sandra E. Taylor: Vice president of Starbucks' corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavors from 2003-2008 and now president and CEO of Sustainable Business International LLC

Here are some of the highlights:

•    Ms. Taylor said that more and more organizations are starting to understand the business case for CSR--it can be profitable, good for attracting and retaining employees, and more attractive to consumers interested in sustainability. CSR strengthens the supply chain, reduces operating costs and can lead to better brand reputation.

•    Ms. Larilahti said that Nokia has not had to stop any of its sustainability projects because of the economy. The company's projects have to meet organizational goals, including lowering costs, differentiating Nokia from the competition, building the brand and delivering cost savings to the customer.

•    Ms. Jackowski believes we are about to face a bigger environmental crisis than our current predicament because we don't have the tools to turn back. But at some point  we will start treating the planet as a stakeholder in our projects.

•    Five years from now, social responsibility will be an integral part of the business, not just an add-on, Ms. Taylor noted.

All three of the panelists challenged attendees to consider their organization's daily business operations. How do you actively prioritize your organization's sustainability practices?

While it might sound simple, a little operational change can reduce your company's environmental impact--and contribute to its bottom line.  

For example, both Nokia and HP hold as many meetings as possible virtually. And HP has recently challenged its offices to lower energy use. The prize? The winning office is rewarded with an ice cream party.

"It sounds small, but ice cream is a huge motivator," Ms. Jackowski said.

Sustainability, alternative energy, the environment, oil--all hot topics in the world at large and in the world of project management.

And all were topics covered by PMI® Global Congress 2009--North America keynote speaker T. Boone Pickens, entrepreneur and author.  

"The age of alternative energy must begin immediately," he said to the crowd of more than 2,000.

His address focused a lot on The Pickens Plan and on H.R. 1835, which is a U.S. House of Representatives Bill also known as The Natural Gas Act.

The bill is being considered by the U.S. Congress to help the U.S. to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.  "People want it. They want to go green. They want renewables. They want to get off foreign oil," Mr. Pickens said.

It's not just a U.S. concern, of course.

PMI President and CEO Gregory Balestrero reiterated the need to act on global sustainability, saying project, program and portfolio managers have a critical role to play.

The importance that project management will play in the future was a theme discussed by PMI Chair Ricardo Vargas in his opening remarks as well.

"It's time to show the real value of project management," he said.

Mr. Vargas challenged attendees at the opening session to go back to their organizations and offer something new, something better.

"We need to return back and deliver a very positive message," he declared.

To get there, however, we must face many challenges, (or opportunities as Mr. Vargas asked us to think of them), including:

•    A global economy in recession
•    Trillions in economic stimulus allocated by governments often without mature project management
•    The urgent need for disciplined, innovative project management

If you attended the opening session, what did you think of Mr. Pickens' address? And how can are you going to meet Mr. Vargas' call to action?

Project managers can't escape the buzz about social media, but is it really something they need to worry about? The answer is a resounding yes, according to the session "Why Should You Care About Social Media" led at congress on Sunday morning by PMI's New Media Council.

There was a lot of great information (and thankfully, some creativity and humor) packed into this hour-and-a-half session so I'll just run down some of the highlights.

First of all, they previewed a lot of good collaboration tools that you and your team can start using now:

Skype: Free calls over the internet
Vidyo: High-speed video conferencing
Vyew: Collaboration and web conferencing
Wrike: A web-based project management software good for those looking to reduce administration
Yammer: Microblogging for your organization

(For more information on these and other collaboration tools, read "Tools for Teams" on PMI.org.)

Chalyce Nollsch, PM Bistro, provided some great words of caution when entering the world of social media:

•    New media never sleeps.
•    Without business value, new media is just more noise.
•    Suddenly, everyone is an expert.
•    Not everyone wants to participate.

And Dave Garrett reminded us, "None of it matters if you don't get the right people to listen."

All of the new media council members can be found on Twitter, so be sure to look them up if you have more questions about the use of social media for project managers.

There's a lot of celebrating going on at the PMI Global Congress 2009--North America in Orlando, Florida, USA.

To mark its 40th anniversary, PMI is spending some time at congress looking back at not only the history of the association, but the history of the profession as well. At the same time, PMI Is also looking forward and celebrating the launch of a new book, Project Management Circa 2025.

But most importantly, PMI is celebrating the project professionals and members that make the profession what it is today.

It all kicked off Saturday night with the PMI Awards Ceremony, which recognized the people, projects and organizations in both the PMI component and professional worlds.

Drama was the overriding theme, from the exciting (and very flexible) Cirque Odyssey performers to the Academy Awards-styling of the ceremony (with teasers for the Project of the Year award like the Academy Awards Best Picture teasers and then the big announcement).

Everyone seemed to be having a good time--especially the award winners.

In the end, the Newmont TS Power Plant Project, led by Fluor Enterprises Inc. and Newmont Nevada Energy Investment Ltd., was named the PMI 2009 Project of the Year. And seven new PMI Fellows were named.

I got a chance to speak with a couple of the honored recipients; here is what they had to say:

"I have aspired to that recognition for as long as I can remember. But knowing who else had already been named [PMI Fellows], I gave myself little chance.

-Lee R. Lambert, who was named a PMI Fellow during the awards ceremony

"I feel so proud. I'm happy, we never expected it. I was driving between Miami and Orlando to take my kids to the parks when I heard about [winning the award] and I almost crashed the car because I was so excited about it."

-Roberto Toledo, managing director of Alpha Consultoria, which was presented the award for PMI Continuing Professional Education Product of the Year Award (Individual/Business Provider Category)

"It's just a fantastic experience. A really, really special moment."

-Iain Fraser, group managing director (CEO) at Project Plus in New Zealand, who was named a PMI Fellow during the awards ceremony

Look for more awards coverage--including the full list of winners--on PMI.org.

I had a boss once who was constantly telling me to "think outside the box" and to "push the envelope." It made me want to scream. Seriously.

I'm not doubting the importance of innovation. Indeed, it's the best way to for companies to break out of a slump. But there's something about the subject that makes people talk in a constant stream of mind-numbing and hazy clichés.

So it was with slight trepidation that we started in on the October issue of PM Network®, completely devoted to innovation.

What we found, though, is a lot of companies--and project managers working at those companies--with solid examples of projects and processes that are truly cutting-edge.

In our Case by Case section, we take a deep dive into four projects to show how innovation can take many forms. Sure, IBM's 3-D avatars were the kind of super cool, whiz-bang technology that screams innovation.  But the team also backed it up with truly innovative processes.

Let's face it, some people think all of the processes that go along with project management just get in the way of innovation. But it can actually facilitate it.

"The crux of the issue is how do you right-size project management without squashing the innovative process. It's a delicate balance that exists between the two extremes," says Andy Bowen, who's working on a submarine project and was featured in the magazine's The End Result column.

And in our Voices on Project Management PM Network column, David Gardner from Facebook talks about the need to for clear communications and sophisticated scheduling. But he also acknowledges the need to have a little fun--even as you roll out a bleeding-edge technology.

Tell us what you think.