This week, we continue to explore practicing from the
perspective of what motivates us to practice. We will do this by digging for and
identifying the root cause of everything that we choose to practice in our lives. Last
week, I suggested writing down all the reasons why you chose (and choose every
day) to be a project manager, to practice project management. This week, I’d
like you to spend some time with that list and dig into each a bit more. A method which has been supportive to me is similar to the 5 why’s used in Six Sigma,
Kaizen and other methodologies to improve processes. Here is, in essence, how
it works.
I’d just been let go from a job, I was devastated but also I
was filled with fear of what was going to happen if I didn’t find another job.
The question that came next surprised me, “Okay, what would happen if you
didn’t find a job”. My answer was, I wouldn’t be able to pay my bills. Another
question came, “And then what would happen”. My response, I’d have to get rid
of x, y and z. Another question. “And if you still didn’t find a job?”. These
questions or similar ones came until I had lost all my possessions, sold them
and was living somewhere, like a friends, my sisters and at the time, my moms. In
other words, we followed the “what would happen next” until I’d lost everything
and had gotten to the root of my fear and realized, I’d be okay.
Finding the root of the reasons for you choosing to be a
project manager may be supportive, powerful, and insightful if you use a similar
method. Pick a reason from your list and ask the next logical question (such as
why is that important to you or what would that accomplish for you or what do
you mean by that) and if you cannot think of one, call, text, or write your
friends, colleagues, coaches or mentors for support in getting to the root cause
of your reasons. Getting to the root will allow you to get clear on what is
important to you and discovering what is most important may provide insight
into your practice.
What I’ve discovered about my reasons, my why’s around almost
everything I’m choosing or not choosing to do, is that they all rise up
in support of an overall vision for my life. Whether in the area of career, money,
family and friends, love life, fun, or personal care which includes mind, body
and spirit, every one of the reasons I spend time and energy on any of those areas
is in support of my overall vision for the life I’m choosing to live. So as
you begin to find the root of the reason for your why around project
management, you may discover the root of many of the things you choose to do
with your life. My choices are rooted in a vision that is kindness to all,
creating a space of inclusion and acceptance for what each of us brings to this
world and being of service to the greater good of this world. My vision is
rooted in the sacredness of all of life. I know, pretty wu wu or out there or
whatever you choose to call it. You may also wonder how project management fits
into that realm. We get to explore further how each of the areas of our life,
supports the other areas and builds into a rich and robust mosaic which
includes being a project manager.
Here is a real-life example for those of you who are still
curious about the possibilities, one of the myriad of reasons I can write down
is that I am practicing project management today is for the money. When I dig
into that reason and ask why that is important over and over, I land on the
fact that it affords many of the other things in my life, such as generosity to
others, care and comfort to the animals in my home, the house I live in, the
yard I’ve cultivated, the family I’ve raised and the self-care I am able to
provide myself. At the core, project management allows me the opportunity to
create a space of inclusion, acceptance, and appreciation for those that I work
with and the projects I work with are to provide healthcare for those who would
otherwise not be covered. What I’m doing in project management aligns to my
vision for my life which motivates me to practice being the best project
manager possible.
You may wonder, are there other careers that would fulfill
the vision for my life? Of course there are. There are always other
possibilities. The follow-on question is, what else could I be doing that would
allow me to fulfill my vision and bring joy to my heart? That would be the
purpose behind this blog. Sharing what I’ve learned through my experiences in
the world of project management, emotional intelligence and leadership as it
relates to and elevates the practice of project management fulfills my desire
to give back in a way that being a project manager doesn’t allow. Teaching,
mentoring, and coaching are all practices that elevate my project management practice
and are what is fueling this blog. More to come next week.
